Paranormal

Wherever you may live, I’m sure you have plenty of stories from the area regarding paranormal phenomena. This could be sightings of ghosts or reports of disturbed activity and many counties in England claim to have more activity than the others. If this is so then as I mentioned in my book ‘Paranormal Surrey’, how does one measure this? But here I am going to write about some of the locations of my county in Surrey that have many stories of phenomena and like all accounts, it is up to you to decide whether they are real or not?

Standing in the vast grounds of Beddington Park, Carew Manor’s original structure was built around the mid 14th Century. Related to the Carew’s of Pembrokeshire, the Manor was once the countryseat of this prominent family in Tudor times and a dynasty which would dominate the area for centuries. Indeed, in its heyday the Manor was graced by a number of royal visitors including Henry VIII, James I and most prominently Queen Elizabeth I.

In later years, two deep wings were added but soon after the building work was complete, the north wing was gutted by fire and the whole interior destroyed. This part of the house remained in disrepair for many years and was still largely empty in 1859 when Carew Manor converted into an orphanage; operating from 1866 until 1939. Underground tunnels exist around the area and these could be extensive although most of them were filled in during the later 19th Century. Although there have been many alterations over the years, the roof of the late-medieval hammer-beamed Great Hall dates from around 1500 and is the only Grade one-listed building in the London Borough of Sutton.

With such a vast history, there are of course reports of paranormal activity at the Manor. The ghosts of Sir Walter Raleigh and Queen Elizabeth I are said to haunt the grounds and at nearby Bunkers Lane but like many famous historical ghosts, this is more likely to be folklore than actual witness accounts. Poltergeist activity was reported in the north wing following the fire in the 18th Century.
A young girl has been heard laughing along the corridors and been seen walking across a small bridge linking the former infirmary and as well as dark shadows, a face has been seen staring out of an upper classroom window.
The adjoining Churchyard holds a mass grave of young girls relating from an epidemic back when the Manor was an orphanage as well as the spirit of a Nun which was seen as recently as 1972.

There are many accounts of spectral sightings on England’s roads and Surrey is no exception. In recent years, one intriguing report that continues to have eye-witnesses concerns a sighting seen on the A22 approach to Caterham. Usually occurring in the early hours of the morning, drivers have reported seeing a young girl stumble across the road and vanish into woods opposite. Some people have been so startled by what they’ve seen, police have been called out to investigate but no one is ever found.

A designated area of outstanding natural beauty and one of the most popular regions of the North Downs, Box Hill rises proudly over the nearby towns of Tadworth and Dorking. Since the Nineteenth Century, the Hill has been a popular tourist destination with walkers and cyclists visiting the Hill for it’s breathtaking views and stunning scenary. Archaeologists speculate that Box Hill may have been a sacred site in ancient times and one does feel a strange atmosphere when strolling through the woodland and heath. And as expected, various ghost stories and paranormal occurrences have been associated with Box Hill for many years.
The prominent spirit reported here is that of Major Peter Labellière. He moved to Dorking sometime after 1763 and was a deeply religious man. Generous to a fault, Labellière would frequently give away his clothes to the poor of the area. In later years, Labellière’s appearance became unkempt and his behaviour even more erratic. One day, he was out walking but tripped and fell onto a spike, gauging out an eye. When he died from this injury in 1800, he was buried upside down on the Hill. Why he did this is still debated with some old tales suggesting that Labellière thought the world was topsy-turvy and when it fixed itself, he would be the right way up. Even to this day, there are reports of people seeing a strangely dressed one-eyed man wandering around the heath of Box Hill. A gravestone now marks the spot of his burial.
The old Pilgrim’s Way that stretches from Winchester to Canterbury and assorted apparitions that have seen along this ancient route including weary pilgrims stumbling over the stepping-stones that cross the River Mole and a phantom rider galloping across the landscape at night.

Situated in the ancient village of Cheam (mentioned in Domesday as ‘Cheyham’), Lumley Chapel is the oldest building in the London Borough of Sutton and has been standing for over 900 years. In times gone by this small and beautiful structure was the nucleus of this parish and although not used for regular worship anymore, it still lies on consecrated ground and is under the protection of The Churches Conservation Trust.
Now overshadowed by a 19th Century Church dedicated to St Dunstan’s (itself a replacement for an earlier Georgian structure); Lumley Chapel is all that remains of the original medieval structure. Following Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1536 which changed the face of religious order across the country, Cheam was bought by Henry Fitzalan, Twelfth Earl of Arundel who passed the Estate onto his son John, Lord Lumley. He is buried in the Chapel with his two wife’s Jane and Elizabeth along with their children who unfortunately died in infancy (commemorated on their mother Elizabeth’s tomb chest).

There have been at least two murders in or near the Chapel and on occasions, screams have been heard coming from within the building whereby the police had been called only to find no one there. Many people have sensed a presence in the Chapel as well as the surrounding Graveyard which is an ominous place at the best of times. According to old folklore, the first person buried in a Churchyard would be the Spirit Guardian of the plot. It is believed that the early inhabitants of Cheam butchered the village simpleton by cutting his throat and allowing the blood to spill into the graveyard so his spirit would be the first Guardian.

Underneath a concrete slab behind the Chapel lie the bodies of fourteen children, apparent victims of the Great plaque. One grave in the Churchyard marks the resting place of a young woman who was murdered along with her son many years ago. In an unusual example of graveyard plotting, her killer is buried next to her at ground level in-between two graves, a final insult for this horrific crime of not being on consecrated ground. There was also once a Well behind the old Caretakers shed (once a stable) and years ago an unfortunate victim called Lucinda Jarrett fell to her death (or according to many reports – pushed!). Her spirit has apparently been seen many times walking through the old building.

Also in Cheam is the Grade two-listed Old Rectory which dates from the early 1500’s and stands near Lumley Chapel and Whitehall along Malden Road.
This beautiful building is in the vast area that was the estate of Nonsuch Manor; one of King Henry VIII’s homes but sadly long since demolished.
For many years The Rectors of Cheam were Bishops of Chichester and this post is still an important Church position. It is tempting to imagine the Rectory as being a kind of B&B for prominent visitors to the Court of Nonsuch, humming with gossip of the day.

As you would expect from a property with such a rich and fascinating history, there are many stories and reports of paranormal activity. These include apparitions of a child who has been seen several times (most notably by the present Rectory owners), a White Nurse, a young maid, a malevolent male entity in the cellar and even a Roman Legion that marches through the living room wall towards the old village of Cuddington (the site of Nonsuch Palace).

Situated three miles south of Farnham and set in a picturesque meadow next to the River Wey is Waverley Abbey. Founded in 1128, this was the first Cistercian Monastry in England. Providing shelter for weary pilgrims and an infirmary for the sick, the Abbey grew steadily until the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1536. After this time, the Abbey became an unfortunate source for building materials and the Abbey today is just a former image of its magnificent heyday. The Cistercian Monks also built Wanborough Barn in Guildford in 1388, one of the finest medieval barns in the country.

Not surprisingly with a location like Waverley Abbey (and the nearby Newark Priory for that matter), apparitions of monks have been seen many times as well as the sound of chanting coming from the Abbey ruins. There are also rumours of hidden treasure somewhere within the grounds but again this is proberly folklore.

No tour of haunted Surrey would be complete without visiting the magnificent palace of Hampton Court, built in 1514 by Thomas Wolsey, Archbishop of York. This fine building was later acquired by Henry VIII in the 1520’s and his association with the building is the most widely known. With Henry’s occupancy, alterations and extensions were added with much of what we see today built and planned by him including the general lay-out of the gardens.

Of course, Henry’s infamous marriages are still a prominent feature in this grand building. Jane Seymour gave birth to the future King Edward VI here but sadly died shortly afterwards and it was here that Kathryn Howard was accused of infidelity which lead to her execution. A well known account is of Kathryn escaping from her guards to desperately plead for her life whilst Henry prayed quietly in the Royal Pew ignoring her cries. Henry also married Katherine Parr in the Royal Chapel.

Hampton Court is world famous for its ghosts with many tales centred around Henry and his wife’s. For example, the ghost of Kathryn Howard is alleged to roam the Haunted Gallery (which naturally gives this area its name) and Jane Seymour is said to have been seen walking the corridors and cloisters but like other famous historical figures, it’s more likely a romanticized view of what people would like to see! A very recent occurrence happened in October 2003. Following unexplained openings of a fire exit, CCTV footage revealed what looked like a long-coated figure opening the doors (even staff do not use this exit!). This footage circulated around the world and has been analyzed many times with people still open-minded about what or who it could be?

I have only scratched the surface of this county's paranormal locations and like many other places in the UK, there is much more to see if you scratch the surface and see what fascinating layers lie underneath.

© Marq English 2011
www.spiralparanormal.co.uk/