Posted on 12/07/2004 7:13:00 PM PST by CurlyBill
"A night of terror" is how a man described the time he spent in what is said to be one of Warwickshire's most haunted houses.
Michael Chapman was one of 10 people who spent the night at Shrieves House Barn, in Sheep Street, Stratford.
The 500-year-old building, now home to Falstaffs Experience museum, is said to be a hotbed of paranormal activity.
Mr Chapman, 48, a fine art expert from a village near Stratford, said the ancient building soon revealed its dark secrets.
Volunteers reported feeling dizzy, sick and breathless, and felt icy chills and pains.
He said one woman suffered bruising after being hit on the head by a mystery object and others watched as a picture moved to and fro on the wall.
A photo was taken which is said to show the ghost of an eight-year-old girl who wanders the medieval hallways.
Mr Chapman and his daughter Melissa, 17, were the only two people brave enough to last the whole night - but it is a night they will not forget.
"We were total sceptics. I always thought the dead will never hurt you but now I am not so sure. We felt icy cold, saw flashing lights and I could smell burning - there was a fire here once in which people died.
"I am the most level-headed person there is - but there are things in there that left me thinking perhaps there is more to this world. Even the mediums had to leave.
"I don't believe in heaven and hell but I have to say it's got me guessing. It's a very spooky place." Melissa, a student, said: "I was one of those people who thought this life is all we have - now I am open-minded about everything.
"Something was pulling and shaking me on the night and things have been happening to me since I left. I was at college and someone kicked the chair from under me but there was nobody there. I've also felt a presence at home and in the car."
Other members of the group who stayed in the house at Halloween also said strange events had happened to them afterwards.
Dave Matthews, a white witch and owner of Could It Be Magic, in Shrieves Walk, said he returned to his shop at 3am to find it icy cold. He reports hearing mysterious footsteps and seeing objects being moved around. He then felt a sharp pain in his arm and believes he was followed by an evil spirit.
Another member of the group said she returned home to find the cupboard doors in her kitchen opening and closing and the contents on the floor.
Steve Devey, who owns the museum, said: "We are astounded but not surprised at the level of unexplained paranormal activity"
Ok, I need to refresh myself on Western US History.
The next thing that comes to mind then is this, if Wounded Knee was evil, what was Custer's Last Stand?
I do realize that the US Army was on a mission, but what happened to Custer was nothing less than a slaughter of men.
LVM
I've listened to some terrible house music in various dark and dingy nightclubs frequented by vampires of the night.
Does the title of this post apply to me ?
Better cancel that day trip to Ithaca NY.
Personally, I think the greatest act one can perform to exorcise the lingering spirits of Nazi abomination is an Israeli vacation.
here here. Some day....
Yeah, me too. Though I suspect in light of geo-political trends of late we'll be making our contributions somewhat closer to home.
Wow!
"Ok, I need to refresh myself on Western US History.
The next thing that comes to mind then is this, if Wounded Knee was evil, what was Custer's Last Stand?
I do realize that the US Army was on a mission, but what happened to Custer was nothing less than a slaughter of men.
LVM"
____________________________________________________________
Custer comitted the Massacre at the Ouachita, so he had something to answer for.
"My family bought the house in 1939 at an auction. There had been a fire and I believe 2 people died in the house. There also was an old rocking chair (which I have in my house) and a beautiful picture of Jesus entering Jerusalem that came with the house.
My grandparents raised 7 children in that house. I also grew up in the house. Everyone including my son has had "experiences" with the house. Footsteps upstairs. Doors opening and closing. You know the shadowy dead people in the movie "Ghost", well I saw them on many occasions in my bedroom. Scariest thing I have ever experienced. My son saw a grim reaper in the middle of the afternoon sitting on the arm of the chair in the living room. He can barely speak about it today.
Those shadow things wouldn't leave me alone until I took a Bible and a Rosary to bed with me at night.
I know it sounds crazy but I know it to be true."
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Nowadays when something infamous happens in a house that gets media attention, the place ends up being demolished. I have wondered if there just might be a lucrative specialized real estate market wherein people who are not too superstitious might buy bloodstained properties at knockdown prices.
"You don't know Charles Dietz, My dad never walks away from equity" (Wynona Ryder; "Beetlejuice")
"I told them you were too mean to be scared!"
"My son saw a grim reaper in the middle of the afternoon sitting on the arm of the chair in the living room."
The Grim Reaper was lucky he wasn't sitting on the ARM of a chair in my MOM'S house!
Not ghost related, but you ought to read about H.H. Holmes, the infamous serial killer in turn-of-the-century Chicago. He had his house built by a succession of contractors so no one but him could get an idea of the crazy layout. He had stairs that led nowhere and other features meant to confuse his "guests." The book I read was "Depraved" by Harold Schechter--a trashy title, but an intriguing read. There is also a novel about the case called "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson. I have yet to read it, but it's a current bestseller and has gotten good notices.
I have it on my bookshelf and recommend it highly. The story is simultaneously about Chicago in the Gilded Age, it's great World's Fair of 1893, the remarkable men who made it happen and the monster who stalked through it. Herman Webster Mudgett, alias H.H. Holmes was a conman and serial killer. His place of business cum house of horrors was not a house but a city block sized, three-storey building that combined storefront shops, hotel rooms and apartments and a huge basement that contained his playground. Part of the reason for the multiple contractors was that he stiffed every one of them in addition to not wanting them to know too much about the unusual features he had them install. He preyed chiefly on the legions of young women drawn to the great city in search of employment and independence and looking for lodgings. Of all America's serial killers he has to be numero uno in just about every category. Ted Bundy was a piker compared to this guy, in box score, perversion and even the ability to charm. Although, it is true in the comparatively primitive, unstructured, rough-and-tumble 1890's world of business and crime; before databases, fingerprints, social security numbers, better business beaureaus, the FBI and so on; Holmes got away with far more than anyone could in this day and age. But, like all the others of his ilk, he got carried away with his ego and overreached. He swindled once too often which finally brought his many creditors together and got detectives on his trail. Once he was behind bars for fraud suspicion of murder finally crystallized and a Pinkerton detective was sent to patiently root out the evidence which lead back to his headquarters and it's horribilia. After Holmes' execution a number of bizarre misfortunes struck some of those who were involved in his last days but that's about it as far as supernatural doings in his connection are concerned. Holmes' building was mysteriously torched a month after it was examined and it's hideous contents discovered. No mention of ghosts at its site.
More fascinating than his actions at the Chicago building were the terrible things he put those children through in the days leading up to his capture. It's been years since I read the Schechter book, so I don't remember the details. As soon as I finish what I'm reading, I'll read the Larson book and refresh my memory.
You might actually bother to learn something about the spirit world. Spiritual seems to have been redefined by someone to mean a matter of physical Piety. In all likelyhood, you're surrounded right now by spirits. There are, and I will stress this, no such thing as ghosts. There are evil spirits that pass themselves off as the dearly departed. They are called familiar spirits in that they were familiar with the departed.
People like to invent grey areas in life to avoid black and white clarity when it doesn't suit them and in the doing, they confuse others. There are good spirits - angels of God who have not fallen. And there are evil spirits - Fallen angels. Lastly is a third class - human spirits of those yet living who have the capacity to leave their body to snoop on you, attack you, etc. The latter two classes will act to decieve and do you harm. The first group functions for the good and the furtherance of the will of God. They will harm you only inasfar as you place yourself in the path of God's will and refuse to move.. at that point, you're in more trouble than you have the sense to realize.. which I might add, isn't far from where you seem to be now. This is more a commentary on society than on you, but, you do bear some responsibility for it. The stance you've taken, regardless of how you came to it, is the majority stance.
And it's an injustice to you.
Where they nights of terror?
I bet the medievel ghost got quite a kick out of riding around in a car! Kind of a Bill & Ted moment.
tazzmaniac (Singapore) - See all my reviewsI bought this in 98 and played it with my cousins [they were kids then]. When I told them the rules - what they can ask, and what they cannot ask, and that they should respect the spirits - that scared them already. While playing, one of my cousins peed in his pants. The other couldn't sleep for days after we asked the board, "What is K's boyfriend's name?" [K is another cousin's name and we all didn't know about her having a boyfriend or even his name]. The indicator spelled out the boyfriend's name EXACTLY and so swiftly! Her jaws dropped! If K could've peed in her pants, she would have, but fortunately, she had better control of her bladder. The board doesn't work with certain people, and in bright rooms and I notice, each time I play and ask the same question about events in the future, it will give a different answer. I guess maybe the spirits aren't meant to know what's in the future... Otherwise, really fun for adults and extremely scary for kids. If you're not playing, turn the indicator upside down.
Amazing & Real Working Game, July 24, 2001
Reviewer: A toy enthusiast (California, United States)I always wanted a ouija board. I had heard about things happening to people because of using it. I sort of believed it and sort of didn't. About 4 years later, I just had to get one and I ended up getting one with my own money. I got the Glow in the Dark Version since the original one is extinct. When I was about to use it I got the creeps and I thought about how this could change my life so I put it away in my garage and left it there for about 8 months without actually using it but playing aroung with it. I told my neighbor that I had one but I didn't use it at all. She told me if she could use it. I told her just to be careful with it. Since her cousin was there, they both used it. The next morning I called her and I could hear them laughing and saying, "Oh My Gosh."They were playing it and I asked them if it really did work. She said it's so cool. I went over her house in excitement and I sat there, watching them play and just seeing how quickly the message indicator would move across the board. I couldn't believe how accurate it spelled out everything. So we played all day long and time went by fast because we were so into it. The board told us it was a good spirit so we were okay. The next day it said strange things and creepy things so we decided to put it away and not use it for a while. It's really fun though but you just have to be careful with it. It's a must have. I recommend it to teenagers because you kind of know what you're doing but take it seriously or it won't work. Have Fun!!
A Kid's Review
ONE CHRISTMASS I GOT AN OUIJA BOARD. MY BROTHER AND I PLAYED IT EVERY DAY. ONE DAY I GOT TIRED OF PLAYING IT SO I STOPED BUT MY BROTHER KEPT PLAIND THE DARN THING FROM THIS DAY HE CALLS THE OUIJA BOARD MASTER AND HE DOES WHAT THE OUIJA BOARD SEZ TO DO . MY PARENTS TOOK HIM TO A SPECIAL DOCTER AND THE DOCTER SAID HE IS PAZEST BYE THE GREAT OUIJA POWERS GOD HELP MY BROTHER
Stevie Nicks 8-) They claim to only use magic for "good." Christians know better.
Is this the standard level of intelligence of people who are overly fascinated with the paranormal?
I posted a vanity a while back asking people to post their experiences with the occult. Your story isn't unique.
Don't read any further if you're squeamish.
In a neighboring town, a man lost his mind and murdered his wife by cutting out her heart. He stuck it on a stick and left it in the backyard.
A year later someone bought the house, knowing the history. You couldn't pay me enough.
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