We began the investigation at the front gate where Duggie could see a figure walking up and down. Jayne had a feeling that a wall or something like that had been built but had fallen down and there was a problem with it in some way.
Neil saw a flashing light which was about head height and a figure of pure white. Parts of this figure were grey and they wore a uniform. Jayne saw someone standing beside Duggie although she was unsure who this person was.
Duggie felt like someone was looking up at the group, this was in the back left hand corner as he looked down the stairs. At this point the EMF went off. Jayne was given the information that there were two smugglers who were sneaking up as she looked down at them on theriver. They hid their stuff there as it was deserted and haunted. The year was1782. The names John & George were given and the surname Fletcher. They were brothers. They had come up from Great Yarmouth although Jayne was also given Happisburgh. They travelled up the river in a little fishing boat. The belongings that they wished to hide were bought but they smuggled them to avoid paying taxes. They said that there were too many customs men in Great Yarmouth.
An urge was felt that the group should walk around into the main area rather than go down at that point. A red orb was seen next to Jayne. Neil was given the name Paul Matthews who was aged 30 ish (early thirties). He had been there from 1960 through to 1970. He was a watchman/warden who kept an eye on the place. The temperature around where Neil felt he was standing was -5.3C. When the temperature around the rest of the group was taken it was 14.6C. Des saw a brief glimpse of Paul. Neil got the feeling that he was murdered there and pushed off the side. Someone had come up behind him. Paul came in visitation. Neil then began to feel warmer again.
Jayne could see red flags billowing in the wind and very high up. They were on a castle roof which was square and made of stone. There was one big plain red flag in the centre and some smaller ones on the corner which appeared to have something on them. Jayne could see that this was a picture of gold, white and blue and round in shape. Neil saw a picture of a bulls head on the flag. Neil also saw a figure wandering around. Shortly after this Jayne saw a mist go past Duggie and as Jayne was saying this, Duggie had felt wet on his head as if it was raining. Duggie was given an image of someone who was standing behind something which looked like an alter. They appeared to be doing something and then looking up at the sky. He felt that they were inside but not inside, like a loft. There was lots of wood around him. This was where Jayne had seen the flags flying on the square roof. Duggie could see the image of a ladder with a door at the top. Everything was made of wood. Jayne saw someone walk past where there was an arch/hole in the wall. She described this as a black figure.
Neil felt a cold area beside him and believed it was Paul again patrolling the area. The temperature where he had felt this was -5.8C. At this point the batteries on the thermometer went dead. Jayne and Neil saw a mist between them and Duggie where Neil had felt the cold area. At this point we took a picture and appear to have captured a mist. Neil saw another mist although he picked up that this was someone different. Duggie saw someone walking to wards the group but upon mentioning it Neil mentioned it at the same time.
At this point we were in the gateway. Neil was again given the name Fletcher. The temperature where this spirit had been sensed was -23C. Jayne had a sense of wadding through water as if the water had over flowed. It felt like it was up to her ankles.
The group then made their way towards the back right handcorner where they noticed that it felt considerably warmer. The water feeling that Jayne had been given stopped. The temperature reading was 3.5C. When we looked back towards the arch where we had come from there was a flash seen.
We decided to walk back around the front edge of the castle path. The EMF meter went off. Duggie had a feeling like he was walking through rain. Neil felt even warmer and Duggie felt very calm. Jayne smelt cigarette smoke as if walking through it. Neil and Des heard footsteps near the old parts of the wall. Neil was given the name John who was keeping an eye on his stash (he was the smuggler from earlier). Des felt very cold and sensed someone behind him. The temperature behind him was taken and the reading was -15.7C. Duggie felt like he was walking through cobwebs and Neil had a feeling of something religious but was unsure at this point what this meant.
We arrived at the Anglers way post. Jayne now felt like she was walking through cobwebs and Duggie was feeling that it was raining on his face again. We kept on walking around the river and Duggie saw a two legged animal which appeared to be sneaking up. He said that they were not animals but they were. Jayne thought that they were wolves and that they were watching them. Lots of mist was seen rising up.
We continued around the river and Jayne felt something touch her leg. Neil saw two white eyes, staring at around a dog’s height. They seemed to disappear into the marsh and were only seen for a few seconds. Jayne and Des smelt tar. Duggie said he smelt a horrible smell like burning rubber. Jayne felt rain on her face as Duggie had earlier. Duggie saw some hooded people who were part of the church. They appeared to be walking quickly through the cobbles and there were five of them. They were walking towards the group. Neil saw the white eyes again.
We stopped and looked out at the river. Jayne felt like she was in a woman’s shoes. The lady had had some bad news and refused to believe it. She was determined to wait for a man called Richard to come home. He came from the
Holy Land. Duggie felt freezing. The century was unknown however Jayne was given 83. The lady had long dark hair and felt very alone. She had a female servant standing with her.
Duggie felt the urge to walk down the stairs. As the group made their way over to the stairs, it felt colder. Jayne was picking up on children playing and Duggie saw a green orb go around Jayne. Jayne said she felt fine. There were both boys and girls, around 12 of them. They wore smock type clothing whichappeared to be made out of some sort of material similar to sack. They had belts around their waists and the shoes were leather with laces. The smock they were wearing was brown/beige in colour and very shapeless. They seemed very excited. Neil was given a tent/marquee which had been there for an event such as a fair. He also sensed a big gong which was used to tell people when something was happening/ready. Jayne was feeling apain in her neck and Neil was getting a stabbing feeling which he believed was connected to the warden/watchman. Jayne said that her hands felt very hot. At this point Duggie walked around Neil and as he did so Neil felt a cold draft following Duggie. Neil was sensing that Paul had caught the people who killed him doing something. It was because of this that they came back and waited for him, to kill him. Duggie heard a man talking and shortly afterwards Des saw a black figure near a tree in the same direction that the voice had come from. Jayne then also heard the voice, followed byNeil and Des. However they were all unsure if someone in spirit was there or a living person. Des felt someone tugging at the back of his jacket.
The group were then at the back left hand side corner and Neil felt cold, whilst Jayne’s left arm felt cold. Neil heard someone walking. We made our way down the stairs and Duggie and Neil both said at the same time, “What was that?”, whilst swinging around. Both had heard someone whisper. Duggie was unsure what was said but Neil had heard, “You ba****ds”. Duggie sensed someone running beside them on the left side. It was a feeling of a young man, who then disappeared. He was running very quickly to get to something. Neil was given that the was running to send a message. He was following the group. At this point Duggie felt very chesty like he was struggling to breathe. Duggie saw a burning fire in the front right corner, with people all around it. Jayne and Des were feeling very cold. Duggie thought that the people around the fire were not part of anything, from no particular time and they were looking directly at the group. They were not moving from the fire. Neil felt someone walk beside them and Duggie was again feeling wet on his face as if it was raining, although it wasn’t. Des thought he saw a figure and the sound kept going on the camera recording. Duggie and Jayne smelt something in the air like being at a beach. Neil sensed that someone was waiting to pounce,whilst Duggie had a horrible feeling. There was a big orb seen by Duggie and Neil heard whistling, short and sharp.
We made our way towards the arch/hole in the wall again and Des had a stabbing pain in his left leg. Duggie felt like he had been there for ages doing the investigation and the others agreed. Jayne and Des could smell tar again. A small orb was seen byJayne. Jayne was picking up on a wooden structure with lots of soldiers. They were preparing for something and building this structure. There was a fence all the way round with big posts. A blacksmith was seen beating a sword. They were Romans. There were 4 men looking at a piece of paper with writing on it and arguing about it. An illness or disease had broken out amongst the men, so the men had wanted to go home but they weren’t allowed. Neil had the feeling of dark people or witches who had been to the site recently doing rituals. The spirit world wasn’t happy about this. They had a fire going and they were children messing about.
At this point we ended the investigation. A thoroughly enjoyable night was had by all.
Burgh
Castle History
There was a Roman fort on the site, built in the late third to early fourth century AD as part of a string of forts around the coast. There is considerable evidence of Anglo-Saxon activity in and around it, including what may be the monastery of a seventh-century saint, St Fursey.
The
Normans built a castle in the south west corner, the remains of which you can see today. It was levelled in the eighteenth century.
Vikings
In the autumn of 869, the 'Anglo-Saxon Chronicle' reports that, "... the army rode over
Mercia into East-Anglia, and there fixed their winter-quarters at Thetford. And in the winter King Edmund fought with them; but the Danes gained the victory, and slew the king; whereupon they overran all that land, and destroyed all the monasteries to which they came.
The leader of the Danes was said to Hingwar [Ivar], who came by ship, “….suddenly, like a wolf, stalked over the land and slew the people, men and women, and witless children, and shamefully tormented the innocent Christians.”
Smugglers
Smugglers used inns all around this area to hide contraband goods or to sell them to the landlords.
Paranormal Activity
Sounds of fighting have been reported annually on 27th April. The clashing of swords and screaming of Roman and Saxon voices can be heard.
A figure is said to plunge from the ramparts.
Black Shuck is said to roam the castle, his single red or yellow eye glowing. He is known locally as Old Scarfe, named after the Baron Rudolf Scarfe who was a thirteenth century villain who lived near the castle.
William de Burgh (c. 1160 - 1204) was born in the
village of Burgh Castle, moving at some point to
Ireland. He had a fearsome reputation for invading Irish lands and killing anyone who got in his way. It is said that he died of a disease to terrible to record, much to the relief of the locals in Athassell Abbey, Golden, County Tipperary, Ireland.
