East Sussex Paranormal Investigators

 

Michelham Priory Report 19^th April 2008

 

 

We all met at the Priory at 7.30pm, some of us had been before but the majority of the group had not, so we were filled with anticipation with what the night would hold.  Chris Tuckett the property manager met with us and let us into the Priory, we all had a feeling it was going to be a good night!!.  It was a misty, cool night.

 

 

Members Present were:-

Jan, Michelle, Dave, Graham, Emily, Wendy, Brett, Kelly, Will, Shirley

 

Guests Present were:-

Marco

 

Equipment

0 Lux night vision video cameras,

EMF meters

Digital Voice recorders

Digital Cameras

Trigger objects

Infra Red Camera & T.V Video

First aid kit

 

We made the Undercoft our base for the night. We started the investigation at 8.45pm. Group protection was done.

 

Group 1

Graham & Marco

 

Group 2

Emily &Shirley

 

Group 3

Michelle, Jan, Will

 

Group 4

Dave, Brett

 

Group 5

Wendy, Kelly

 

GATEHOUSE

Findings in the gatehouse

Gatehouse was fairly quiet; there were high number of orbs seen on the CCTV, possible dust?  Lots of EVP here caught on tape by Dave & Brett, one in particular was also captured on the CCTV.

Wendy picked up on a Little Girl, Emily’s emf registered on its own!

Graham and Marco picked up the most activity in this area on the night, Graham had dowsing rods in his back pocket, when going up the stairs one was snatched out of his back pocket by unseen hands!  Marco picked up on a young girl who wanted her hair platted! Graham used the Dowsing rods, felt very high, energy feeling in his arms when using the rods. The emf meter went off the scale (could this be the rods causing this?) Both heard a dripping noise in corner of room, went to check this out, very clear ‘cold spot’ to right hand side of Graham.  Marco felt ‘cobweb’ feeling on his face in this room.  A photo was taken outside by the old Church foundations, on inspection this had a very weird mist on the photo, not caused by breath as camera too far away, it almost looks like faces in the mist. EVP’s and photos etc will be available to see and hear at next meeting. EVP’s very good in this area.

 

 

UNDERCROFT

When in this area Will drew a picture of a man, possibly a Cannon or Prior?  He had a bald head, brown robe tied in the middle, slim build, barefooted, carrying a brown weaved basket. Name of MUSAMAI ? See attached picture. He also picked up on this person working in the garden, taking vegetables to sell on a stall of some sort? Jan and Will heard taps in the passageway, and Will saw a full figure walk past the window, Michelle went to the small Kitchen/staff room alone (we were in the under croft and could see her), when shutting the door to the room she felt a bony hand pull hers, she screamed! We could not account for this?? Emily and Shirley were in the Kitchen, Jan and Will were in the under croft, both groups heard voices like Michelle was talking to someone, and she wasn’t!!  Jan smelt burning. On their Vigil in the Under croft Emily also heard a voice, her new camera batteries also drained, the temperature fluctuated from hot to cold, Shirley saw a thermal like image of a person bending over. Graham and Marco also had camera battery drain in this area. Brett and Dave heard taps on the stained glass.  Wendy and Kelly saw a big white light by the manikin, and smelt fresh bread, Kelly felt ill and sick in this area, and faint, had to go outside for air. Both smelt burning... Lots of bangs, taps and knocks heard in this area.

 

Michelham Kitchen

 

KITCHEN

Group 2 reported that the Cauldron in the fireplace moved on its own, Shirley felt there was a Cannon in the room nothing on head, clean shaven, shaved head, leaning over something, a figure sensed in the corner of room to right of fireplace, something touched Emily’s ankle.

Group 3 all felt very drained in this room, we asked out and got taps from corner of the room and could hear chanting., Will picked up on a Man, slim build, clean shaven, cloth cap and a shot gun, spends time outside, brought in a pheasant and put on the table, got a Springer spaniel with him, Possible name of Andrew? The kids were frightened of him, he took care of the horses and rode them, had a cloth bag on his side for ammo?  Noises were heard outside the window, Jan heard someone say ouch! The date 1846 was picked up.

Group 1 felt the room was quite warm when first entering, but soon got cold shivers despite the heat, they too heard tapping (possibly heating?) They both heard something drop and on investigation found a Snail!! How did that get in??  It suddenly went very quiet.

Group 4 Brett felt the Gallery was oppressive and uncomfortable, Brett disliked the whole Kitchen area but Dave convinced him to stay!

 

NURSERY

Group1 decided to sing Humpty Dumpty and heard singing back! Group 4 got some great evps in this room, including a menacing man and singing by a child! Even though they felt the room was flat they got great evps. Brett felt something brush his legs like a dog? Group 2 noted presence of a young girl but no contact was made.  Group 3 picked up on an Olive skinned lady late 40s (52), standing with her hands in front of her, long dark dress with apron over, she protects the children, name of Bet or Elizabeth, she has a full face, has keys in her pinny. She is possibly Victorian.  Will asked out for a sign, all of us got a smell of perfume.  It suddenly went very cold, did someone walk through? We used dowsing rods in this room crossed on asking, Male = Yes, Child lived her and liked the house, died here in nursery, passed to spirit with illness, short of breath, pain in chest, blond curly hair, 6 years old possible name Nathaniel? Symptoms of sickness, will felt very sick but was not! Noises heard on Gravel outside.

 

PRIORS ROOM

Interesting room that seem to give us similar results!

Group 4 immediately heard scraping/sighing noise almost sounding as if the audio recorder slid! A click loud noise heard over by the Priors Manikin, Brett getting loads of Orbs on camera, Brett starting to feel tight chested and breathing harder. When asking out they got knocks in reply and again for confirmation, various questions asked ‘Were you in this room a lot?’ Answering Knock! ‘Are you still with us?’ immediate knock in reply. ‘Can you understand us? Immediate knock.  The lights on the K2 meter spiked and continued to do so in answer to questions Brett picks up the Name Elizabeth (this name has been picked up before in the evening) the knocking seems to be coming from the table on the right hand side of the Manikin and another place by the door.

Group 1 said they felt different in this room! Orbs captured on around Graham when he sat in ‘The Chair’, Marco sensed a presence near him. Both Graham and Marco felt very drained in this room and got back pain and needed to sit on the floor!

Emily heard piano music, more piano music heard.

 

CONCLUSION

Most of the ESPI group had not been before, this seemed to be a good investigation as the group was smaller and we were in smaller groups, we got some great evps, photos and feedback.

This is a good close location for us to visit and one we may return to.

 

FEEDBACK

Having found a great book in the Library, we have found some good information; The Augustinian Canons were known as Black Canons because of the colour of their habit. They WERE NOT Monks but ordained Priests who lived communally according to the teaching of St Augustine of Hippo, the fourth and fifth-century theologian from North Africa….This could tie in with Wills findings of Musamai although I cannot find any records of this name.

Various people owned the Priory including the following Thomas Sackville, James Gwynne, Richard Beresford Wright, Mrs Joyce Storey, Mrs Stella Hotblack .  In 1927 disaster struck when fire broke out and destroyed much of the Tudor Wing including original panelling, could this be what we smelt? More than one group smelt it. The Priory was handed to the Sussex Archaeological Society in 1959. Witchcraft is connected with Michelham. The most reported phantom is that of a charming Ghost of a Prior who greets people at the Gatehouse, dressed as a prior, his hair cut short, dark cloak, white underskirt and open sandals. Possible person this could be is John Leem, Michelham’s best known Prior 1347 ~ 1417, he was responsible for the construction of the Gatehouse!  A spirit Stallion has also been seen and heard on several occasions.  The Grey Lady a sad looking lady who stares into the moat looking for her small baby who drowned.  She sometimes frequents the house and her grey dress can be heard rustling as she walks through doors that don’t exist, occasionally she is accompanied by a small black and white terrier dog. Lots of drownings have been reported in the moat over the years.

It would seem that over the years the Priors Room would be one of the most active places in the Priory. Music has also been heard on several occasions.  Perfume is often smelt in the Priory, especially on the first floor. Burning has been smelt in the undercroft.  In the Gatehouse another Paranormal Group left a tape player in there and on playback you can clearly hear a mans voice begging for help! A strange Blue Glow has also been seen in the Gatehouse window and a woman’s dress walking up the stairs! Elizabeth seems to be a name that comes up most often.

 

All in all I think this was a very successful investigation!

 

Until next time……………………………………………………………………….