CASTLE HORNECK - Previous Activity

 

If you are going to attend a night; we strongly recommend not reading this – as it could lead to auto-suggestion. However, viewing this after visiting the manor can prove to be very interesting, to compare with your own experiences.

 

Everything written is recorded as it was told to us or summarised; but not altered. Nothing has been sensationalised, made up or elaborated upon or. These are the experiences people have genuinely claimed to have had. Please note this is not claimed to be definitive information but what has occurred to people previously.

 

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 GROUND FLOOR

Corridor

 

  • Strange sighing / groaning noises have been heard
  • People have claimed to have seen a Labrador walking around (there is no such real dog)
  • A smell of sick has been smelt outside lounge

Lounge

 

  • The presence of a young boy (possibly called Edward?) has been identified, with the date 1813…
  • … and in the area…  numerous people have felt peculiar feelings including: draughts, being touched, pushed and tickled.  People have also talked about a pressure feeling like a child sat on their lap. An impression has also appeared on the same chair, as if someone was sitting down. People have also heard 'tiny' footsteps run along the side of the room.
  • Another presence regularly identified is that of George, allegedly born in 1800s; inheriting the manor in 1839, had five children and his wife was called Francis or Franny?
  • Interestingly a psychic did once come up with the name Fanny  Boden, aged 27-28, who had died from childbirth in the same time period and walks between here and room 10.
  • People picked up about a possible murder and the name Victoria (8) - stabbing. Not confirmed!
  • Female 28 picked up and a female figure has been observed near of the fireplace – perhaps a female. One man felt as if something had moved through him (very cold) where the lady apparently walks!
  • A man saw the image of a man standing, leaning to the right of the fireplace with a pipe in his mouth. A psychic had previously identified a sixty year old man named Samuel in the same location and that he’d died of a heart attack.
  • Strange flicks of light often seen & photographed.
  • One group of people claimed to have seen a book come flying out of the book box (next to the sofa) and landing on the floor!

Dining Room

 

  •  People have reportedly seen the dark shadowy shape of a man pass across and go through into the storerooms.  The Hostel Receptionist has frequently seen this apparition, named Edward.
  • In addition a female presence frequently crosses the kitchen area between the stove and a sink and window.

DownstairsToilet

  • The outline/ black shadow of a woman was observed through the glass of the men’s washroom door, moving away when seen.

BEDROOMS

 

Room 8&9 (was 1) 

 

  • The face of a lady has been seen at the window on several occasions and by a number of independent witnesses. One psychic claimed that this was a presence known as 'Molly Doyle', 25 years old and who died of scarlet fever. She had lived on the site between 1820 and 1830 and had been a servant to children that had lived there. Some of the children that she had looked after also died of scarlet fever.
  • High EMF readings are sometimes shown by this window
  • People frequently describe the air as thick and that it’s hard to breathe
  • Several people all saw, at the same time,  some very peculiar light anomalies and movements in this room. It was almost as if something was running fast around the room (like a small child). so many lights and shapes.

 

Room 10 (was 2) 

 

  • A lady felt as though she had seen someone in front of the window (where a 16 year old boy has been reportedly seen). This is claimed to be Edward who died in the 1890s of natural causes.
  • A VERY tall man (7 foot+) was described as appearing like a black silhouette "guarding" the door. Then several months later others picked up on a tall 7-foot man here and the name Dan – apparently a smuggler? They also came up with the date 1889. One group picked up that he didn’t like one of them and that particular man began to feel sick!
  • Camera failure is particularly regular in this room
  • People have described. feeling very unnerved and as if their hair has been played with by unseen hands.

Room 11 (was 3)

 

  • This is believed to have been the room of Lay Margaret Borlase and her presence is said to be active and moves around. A peculiar perfumed smell is indeed smelt on occasions. She is said to have had 14 children and died in her 40s in 1750.
  • Several people have described feeling very uncomfortable in what is indeed said to be the most active room
  • A male has been picked up, this being a 20 year old man.
  • The presence of children is often felt, particularly a 4-5 year old boy and an eight-year-old child. Some guests have seen the small boy sat in the chair and heard the noise of the chair as if someone sat and pushed it up against the wall.
  • One guest described the strangest feeling as she was stood in front of the mirror … “my eyes filled up with tears and I had the feeling to vomit, my heart was beating so hard and fast, I also started to sway to and fro although I felt like I was completely still, I was swaying so much it lead me to nearly fall over a few times.... I then saw a figure run through the middle of the room through the mirror, my hand then went out to the back of me where I was feeling like it was being held. It was clear to me then that this was a little boy about 5 or 6 years old. I put my hand out to the back of me to give the height of the boy to the others in the room. I could see his face but not his body, his hair was not blonde but darker like a mousy colour and he had a side parting with it swept over to one side. I got the feeling that he was worried about something, not scared but very worried. This continued for a while. I then called my sister to come and stand in the same spot to see if she could feel anything, she immediately got the same banging heart beat and swaying and burst into tears”.
  • One lady felt burning on her arm as if someone was burning her with a cigarette and after she had a red mark on her arm.
  • High EMF readings are identified regularly
  • One night all of the lights suddenly went out as people asked for a sign
  • Wild fluctuations in temperature were recorded on a temperature logger left in the room.
  • A lady stepped over what she had the impression of as being a dog.
  • A lady felt very sick – almost to the point where she had to leave.

Room 12 & 13 (was 4) 

 

  • Several people have described experiencing feelings of nervousness when they have entered the room.
  • At the end of one ghost night, a guide was collecting the keys from the door and the door slammed just as if someone had pushed it from behind. He could not explain this, as there was no apparent draught. This was particularly interesting, as people have previously heard a door handle rattle from this empty room.

Room 16 (was 6)

 

  •  Some people said that they had seen a shadowy figure move from one of the beds towards the door, also worth mentioning is that during this séance two people from the group felt like there was someone near them.

Room 6 (was 9)

 

  • Very little ocurs in this room.

Reception Room (was 10)

 

  • A dog has sometimes been sensed and it is claimed that this may have been a local dog who died by drowning in the nearby cess pit.

(Was room 11)

 

  • Several peculiar photos have been taken here, including one reported to show a face.

  •  Several people have become unnerved here and picked up on pressures, cold temperatures and two apparent presences

  • One presence is said to be that of a young boy, usually standing in between the bunk beds

  • The other presence seems to be a woman in her mid 20s; standing near the mirror.

 

     

FIRST FLOOR

Stairway

  

  • The presence of Lady Margaret has been picked up here, especially in the area near her portrait. People report a peculiar draught / coldness where she is believed to stand – when there is no obvious source for this.
  • Also a male presence has been picked up at the top of the stairs. People are often seen to walk around him, even though they have no awareness of the area and story. One man felt unbalanced where the male presence is said to be and another man felt chest pain on stairs. A man witnessed what he described as a white figure moving at the top of the stairs in the same area.
  • During a break one night, people were filming when the lady described a feeling as if something had “brushed” past and they both heard two loud thumps – like footsteps? This was picked up on camera.
  • A few people have described a feeling of sickness and / or dizziness and of being light-headed.
  • People have talked about a female dying in a fire.

Corridor 

 

  • Children’s laughing and light footsteps have been heard here at night
  • People have often felt as if as if they had been tugged at (child height).
  • One man saw, out of the corner of his eye, a figure (cream / beige coloured) move down the long corridor.
  • The name Catherine has been mentioned for a  lady who died in 1850 aged 35.
  • Several people were standing outside Rooms 7 / 8 when one of them heard a voice calling “HELEN”. Other people were dowsing and also independently came up with the name Helen and that there were 6 presences in the rooms; including a 7-year-old boy who plays in the corridor. 

Room 14 (was upstairs Toilet)

 

  • A whispered voice has been heard on several occasions. One person clearly heard the words “NOT IN HERE”. The suggestion is that this is a 62 year old lady named Grace, who wanders around
  • Strong EMF readings have been identified.
  • One man went in here and heard someone outside and when he came out nobody was about and the lights were off and the corridor empty.

OUTSIDE

 

The Tree

 

  • People walking around here have felt a number of feelings, including: being pushed, being light-headed and giddy, shortness of breath, being tight chested, sadness.
  • One visiting lady thought she saw a figure in beige move across the lawn (where the presence of a stable boy has been reported) and another lady thought she saw someone crouching on the floor in the same area. Others have witnessed a young man/boy standing next to the tree
  • People have heard heavy footsteps walking right behind them.
  • One lady heard children singing an old Victorian song called 'A Tisket A Tasket, A Green & Yellow Basket' while she was here.

Crystal Grotto

 

  • 2 ladies came here and heard a very strange noise and picked up on a presence (not the first people) and then the heavy Iron Gate suddenly fell over. They picked this up to be an Indian man called GHELACH who may have been a smuggler who died in 1650. He had apparently been hung drawn and quartered nearby. People have also felt as though there was someone standing to the right hand side of the grotto.
  • People have felt like a male who was standing next to the hut on the incline was watching them and people have heard heavy footsteps coming from the same area. 

 Driveway / Courtyard

 

  • A coach and horses has been allegedly seen and heard moving up the driveway and people have often smelt horse manure in the area and heard a sound like a horse breathing< xml="true" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" prefix="o" namespace="">
  • In the lane up to the manor, people have seen a figure walk across the road, often in front of cars. One person said he was wearing a hat and looked as if he was wearing similar uniform to what they wore on the horse and carriage
  • Four human presences and two animal presences were located in the courtyard area in front of the manor.
  • People have seen a kind of transparent dog about the size of a collie but not the resident dog.

Bicycle Shed 

 

  • People often feel very uncomfortable in here and won’t stay, also describing feelings of being stared at, chest pains and anxiety.
  • There is said to be a female presence - often visualised - called Doris or Dorothy. She allegedly died as a result of a heart attack, while in service in the laundry in the period between 1754 and 1764.
  • Also the name Alice / Annie has been identified on more than one occasion
  • Others have picked up on a man dating from 1860  and indeed a face of a moustached man in his 50s has been seen at the back wall.
  • One girl was emphatic that she had visualised four female presences and gave full descriptions of the Victorian period servants dress that they were wearing.
  • Noises have been heard like something being dropped on the floor.
  • A very peculiar mist was picked up in a photograph

BASEMENT

 

Corridor

 

  • A male presence has been frequently picked up by the door. He died in the eighteenth century and people get the feeling of a strong willed man – possible names of Fredrick or George.
  • One psychic picked up on a 67 year old man who had been killed by soldiers in the 16th century.  This presence was located just inside the passage near a bolted door, which apparently was the original door to where the stairs were prior to the 1720 re-building
  • A female has been identified here and in the dining room – she apparently died of scalding received when a cauldron of boiling water fell on her in about 1746
  • Female, aged 20, died 1614 picked up
  • Smell of wet dog and the presence of a border collie & other dog identified. Indeed the clatter of claws have been heard on the flagged floor
  • Other names have included: Amy / Ben and John.

 

Downstairs dormitory ( was laundry)

 

  • A strong presence has been located, sitting on the window seat next to the fireplace. This is believed to be Myrtle, aged about 11 or 12 years old.  One man who sat in the window seat was adamant that someone unseen had stroked his hair. Another man once saw a girl in a white/cream long dress rush across the room -round the table and towards the fireplace.
  • Another presence has been identified by the washing machine just inside the doorway.  A girl stood here, felt a very hard and painful dig in her side, as though someone had pushed a stick or some such object into her.  When she said “stop it”, she received a second hard and painful dig.  Frequently we have people being prodded or pinched in a similar way in this area.
  • The presence of a cat has been identified and seen near the fireplace. Also people have felt rubbing against their lower legs.
  • A male presence, Samuel was picked up, who died in the 1920s aged around 35 and he felt that his death was unjust
  • Another person picked up on a spirit named Ted, saying he was directly responsible for someone’s death but not by murder, possibly an accident that he could have prevented and do with tree felling
  • Female – Nicole - who fell down outside, about 1764 aged 39 years, brought inside before passing away.
  • Camera failure is very common here

Resident's kitchen

 

  • Banging noises heard
  • Cutlery draw shaken / utensils banged and moved

Games Room

 

  • People say that this room feels very oppressive and many visitors dislike the room getting a feeling of not being alone.
  • There are said to be 2 females, not happy and not willing to talk, while others have picked up on 2 quite friendly male presences.
  • Several people witnessed a shadowy form move over from the sink, disappear through the closed and locked door leading into the boiler room only to reappear a few moments later and go through the wall
  • In the top left hand corner of the room, a man was seen standing there watching the group
  • The presences of 4 fairly large dogs was identified and the manager stated that 4 Great Danes had previously been experienced on more than one occasion.
  • Other things seen in here include: strange lights, a face
  • Other regular experiences include: dramatic temperature changes; being touched or blown on the face, touching on the back of necks / shoulders, strange tapping noises, sighing heard and the door to the boiler room was described as being pushed and the handle rattled. 

Basement Dining Room

 

  • A female presence has been identified, aged 66/67, died 1673/74. of natural causes. Seen wearing green.
  • A male has also been picked up – aged 15/16 years old; named George or Geoffrey. He was possibly  a stable hand and died due to an accident with a horse, maybe kicked to death and brought inside to die. He allegedly died in 1780/1781 and he follows people around.
  • Another male presence, died in his 50s in 1734. Unlawfully killed – bludgeoned? May have been a visiting tinker
  • Male - Hal (Harry). Died aged 38 in the autumn of 1663; Natural causes? Illness?
  • Elizabeth / Edna died as a result of scalding when a cauldron of boiling water had spilt over her
  • Major Temperature changes picked up. 
  • during a darkness vigil in this location, 5 of the group were seated around one of the tables when it started to move and vibrate; 2 others of the group were standing nearby but not at the table and they also witnessed the activity.