HAUNTED

2008-07-27T09:17:00.000-07:00

2008-05-30T08:33:00.000-07:00

If you know about Haussmannization, the grand remodeling of Paris in the 1860s, you may or may not know that the Catacombs of Paris were reconstructed in order to support the sprawling housing developments and massive boulevards that would come to define the city. Underneath the beautiful façade of Paris is a structural support system built of human bones. In order to strengthen his structure and alleviate the sanitation issues that were being caused by past improper burial, Haussmann had his team of workers dig up the remains of many of Paris' graveyards and use them as building materials for his project. And what, if anything, do we know about disturbing graves? Right, it pisses the dead off. Though only a small part of the catacombs are open to the public, there are many secret entrances and tourists and trespassers alike have attested to its haunting with stories and sightings of run-ins with ghosts of a bygone Paris. Expect to see apparitions ranging from the ancients to the revolutionaries and don't forget your flashlight if you go hunting. It's dark down there.Here is a nice history of the catacombs and a personal ghost hunting story.

2008-05-08T23:32:00.000-07:00

When demons or ghosts take up residence, a house is said to be "possessed" or "haunted." It is not clear why demons or ghosts would confine themselves to quarters, since with all their alleged powers, they probably could be anywhere orSkellig Bay - photo by R. Carroll everywhere at any time. If they really wanted to terrorize the neighborhood, they could take turns haunting different houses.

Ideas about haunted houses often originate in movies such as The Amityville Horror, a fictional movie based on a true fraud. While it is quite common for a Catholic priest to bless a house or perform what is called a "routine exorcism," it is not common to perform what is called a "real exorcism" on houses, despite what was depicted in the movie. In the case of Amityville, the real devils were George and Kathy Lutz, who concocted a preposterous story to help them out of a mortgage they couldn't afford and a marriage on the rocks (Schick & Vaughn 1998: 269-270). Their case was helped along by the media (New York television station Channel 5), self-proclaimed demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren, and Gene Campbell, who produced an infra red time-lapse photograph of a boy (?) with no eyes at the foot of a staircase. The photo was first shown on the Merv Griffin show, few years after it was allegedly taken at the Amityville house, to promote the first film of the alleged horror

Not all hauntings are obvious frauds. Some are hoaxes instigated by disturbed teenagers trying to get attention by scaring the devil out of their parents and siblings (Radin 1997: 280; Randi 1986, 1995).

Some cases involve otherwise normal people hearing strange noises or having visions of dead people or of objects moving with no visible means of locomotion. Hearing strange noises in the night and letting the imagination run wild are quite natural human traits and not very indicative of diabolical activity. Likewise, visions and hallucinations are quite natural, even if unusual and infrequent, in people with normal as well as with very active imaginations (Sagan 1995).

Nevertheless, the market for "ghostbusters" flourishes. They go to allegedly haunted houses for television programs such as Sightings. They walk around with an electronic device that picks up electromagnetic fields. If the needle moves, they claim they have evidence of poltergeist activity, even though just about anything gives off a measurable level of electromagnetic radiation.

Many people report physical changes in haunted places, especially a feeling of a presence accompanied by a temperature drop and hearing unaccountable sounds. They are not imagining things. Most hauntings occur in old buildings, which tend to be drafty. Scientists who have investigated haunted places account for both the temperature changes and the sounds by finding sources of the drafts, such as empty spaces behind walls or currents set in motion by low frequency sound waves produced by such mundane objects as extraction fans. Some think that electromagnetic fields are inducing the haunting experience.

Finally, as I note in a entry:

Even if I provided plausible physical explanations for a million poltergeists in a million different places at a million different times, there is always the possibility that the next one that pops up will be the real thing. So, those who believe in poltergeists, ghosts, and haunted houses can always take refuge in the fact that nobody ever has enough information to debunk every ghost story, and even if they did, the next one might prove the debunkers wrong!

As a skeptic, all I can say with confidence is that when one considers the requirements for a ghost story to be true, the most reasonable position is that there is a naturalistic explanation for all these stories, but we often do not or cannot have all the details necessary to provide that explanation. We must rely on evidence, which is always incomplete and selective, and which is often passed on by interested, inexperienced, superstitious parties who are ignorant of basic physical laws. Thus, there will always be stories like the that attract much attention, especially when made into movies, that will lead many people to think that maybe there is something to this one, even if all the other ghost stories are false. The "Bell Witch" is alleged to be "a sinister entity that tormented a family on Tennessee’s frontier between the years of 1817 and 1821."* The likelihood that we don't have all the evidence in this case is proportionate to the number of years that have passed since the events allegedly took place.

On the other hand, I have it on very good authority that there are very good reasons that ghosts only appear in the dark and in places where their true nature is obscured in some way so that they cannot be clearly seen or heard. Since ghosts themselves have no senses, it would not be fair for them to appear in broad daylight where everybody could see them as they really are. Ghosts are inveterate tricksters and it is much easier to trick human beings in situations where their senses can be easily manipulated. Ghosts also enjoy "seeing" people deceive themselves, especially people who use scientific equipment in ways that indicate that they have no idea what they are doing. Besides, ghosts have found that many people are afraid of the dark and that fear makes their work much easier.

Some ghosts have found extraordinary ways of tricking people. For example, paranormal investigator ben investigated the Santa Fe, New Mexico, Courthouse Ghost that showed itself on film from a surveillance camera as a glowing spot drifting in front of a patrol car parked beneath some trees.

2008-05-08T23:22:00.000-07:00

Built in 1796 by General David Bradford, this stately old home is said to be haunted be several restless ghosts. Some researchers say as many as ten murders have been committed there, but others, such as Troy Taylor and David Wisehart, have only been able to confirm one murder at Myrtles. (Those two authors provide a very good history of the house in their article

Even they agree, however, that the place is seriously haunted and easily qualifies as one of the "most haunted." These are some of the ghosts that allegedly haunt the house:

* Cleo – a former slave who was allegedly hung on the premises for killing two little girls. (Those murders and even the existence of Cleo are in question.)
* The ghosts of the two murdered children have been seen playing on the veranda.
* William Drew Winter – an attorney who lived at Myrtles from 1860 to 1871. He was shot on the side porch of the house by a stranger. With his life's blood pouring from his body, Winter staggered into the house and began to climb the stairs to the second floor... but didn't make it. He collapsed and died on the 17th step. It is his last dying footsteps that can still be heard on the staircase to this day. (Winter's murder is the only one that has been verified.)
* The ghosts of other slaves allegedly occasionally show up to ask if they can do any chores.
* The grand piano has often been heard to play by itself, repeating one haunting chord.

Now a bed and breakfast, the Myrtles plantation has opened its doors to guests who often report disturbances in the night. My colleague, Stacey Jones, founder of Central New York Ghost hunters, reports on her stay there:

"It was a spectacular place to stay, if you keep an open mind. While taking the guided tour, I saw what looked like a heavyset African-American woman wearing an apron walk by the door, on the porch. Thinking it was a worker in period dress, I peeked out and no one was there. We stayed in the children's bedroom, and my best-friend (who was a non-believer at the time) experienced quite a bit of paranormal phenomena. She was held down in the bed and constantly poked all night. She was unable to move or cry out for help. She didn't think the stay was as great as I did. They let you ghost hunt on the grounds whenever you like, but you can't ghost hunt in the main house without an escort. I suggest setting up a video camera in your room and bring a tape recorder to obtain EVP."

2008-05-08T23:18:00.001-07:00

Raynham Hall in Norfolk, England, is most famous for the ghost of the brown lady which was captured on film in 1936 in what is considered one of the most authentic ghost pictures ever taken.

The Unexplained Site describes one of the first encounters with the spirit: "The first known sighting happened during the 1835 Christmas season. Colonel Loftus, who happened to be visiting for the holidays, was walking to his room late one night when he saw a strange figure ahead of him. As he tried to gain a better look, the figure promptly disappeared. The next week, the Colonel was again came upon the woman. He described her as a noble woman who wore a brown satin dress. Her face seemed to glow, which highlighted her empty eye sockets."

2008-05-08T23:16:00.001-07:00

The original Waverly Hills Sanatorium, a two-story wooden structure, was opened in 1910, but the larger brick and concrete structure as it stand today was completed in 1926. The hospital was always dedicated to the treatment of tuberculosis patients, a disease that was fairly common in the early 20th Century.

It is estimated that as many as 63,000 people died as the sanatorium. Those deaths coupled with the reports of severe mistreatment of patients and highly questionable experiments and procedures are ingredients for a haunted location.

Ghost investigators who have ventured into Waverly have reported a host of strange paranormal phenomena, including voices of unknown origin, isolated cold spots and unexplained shadows. Screams have been heard echoing in its now abandoned hallways, and fleeting apparitions have been encountered.

2008-05-08T23:09:00.000-07:00

has become a favorite destination for ghost hunters as well as the public at large since it has been opened to tours.

Built in 1829, the imposing Gothic structure was originally designed to hold 250 inmates in solitary confinement. At the height of its use, however, as many as 1,700 prisoners were crammed into the cells. Like many such places of high emotional stress, misery and death, the prison has become haunted.

One of its most famous inmates was none other than Al Capone, was was incarcerated there on illegal weapons possession in 1929. During his stay, it is said that Capone was tormented by the ghost of James Clark, one of the men Capone had murdered in the infamous St. Valentine's Day massacre.

Other reported haunting activity includes:

* A shadow-like figure that scoots quickly away when approached.
* A figure that stands in the guard tower.
* An evil cackling reportedly comes from cellblock 12.
* In cellblock 6, another shadowy figure has been seen sliding down the wall.
* Mysterious, ghostly faces are said to appear in cellblock 4.

Unfortunately, not all of these cells are open to the public, even on the tours.

2008-05-08T19:07:00.000-07:00

can someone tell me the difference bet^ this two

2008-05-08T19:06:00.001-07:00

2
Real haunted houses can include castles (Ireland has several haunted castles), pubs, prisons, theaters, and private residences. Houses where traumatic or

dramatic events happened are very good candidates for residual ghost hauntings.

Many people question whether haunted houses are in fact, haunted. Skeptics claim that some (if not all) paranormal activity can be explained scientifically or logically. However, if you talk to anyone who has lived in a real haunted house (I have!), it's fascinating how many events simply cannot be explained by modern-day science.

Real haunted houses can be found throughout the United States, England, Ireland, Japan, China, and almost every country. Most real haunted houses are older (built in the early 1800's or 1900's) and have a history of paranormal activity. Real haunted houses are centers for supernatural events, ghosts, poltergeists, and unexplained phenomena.

2008-05-08T19:05:00.001-07:00

Haunted Hampton Court

by Sarah Todd

Hampton Court Palace is one of the most famous historical palaces in Britain. Situated on the River Thames in the village of East Mosely in Surrey it was one of King Henry VIII's most favourite palaces. It seems to have been his "party place" - he did a lot of entertaining there. However his stays appear to have been short ones - during the 38 years he reigned as king he spent just 811 days there.

In June 2005 I visited the palace with Terry, who is acquainted with Hampton Court's gamekeeper, Les. Terry and Les are old friends, and Les has worked at Hampton Court Palace since he was 16 years old. He's now in his fifties, and he has been honoured by Queen Elizabeth II for his services to the Crown in September. And he was able to tell us things about the Palace not necessarily known to most members of the public. He also told us some of his own personal experiences during his tenure at Hampton Court Place, and they were very interesting!

Today the only residents of Hampton Court Palace are those who work there - like Les and his wife. At one time it was used by "grace-and-favour" residents, i.e people who were granted rent-free accommodation "by the Grace and Favour of the Sovereign". These were usually people or their dependants who had given great service to the Crown or the country. There are still a few "grace-and-favour" residents in occupation at Hampton Court Palace today.

Our first stop was the kitchens. They are massive, and they needed to be, because Henry's entourage of 1,300 courtiers travelled everywhere with him. Imagine feeding and housing that amount of people when appliances like dishwashers, microwaves and tumble dryers were even more of a pipe dream than electricity! In the kitchens there were a couple of chefs at work. One was preparing a typical meal from Henry's Tudor period exactly the way it would have been prepared in the years of his reign - 1509 to 1547.

That meant manually mincing the meat, grinding the spices and herbs by hand, picking the mushrooms from the woods and cooking on a wood fire. A large lump of beef was roasting on a spit being turned by two teenagers, and the juices from the meat dripped down into a roasting pan full of potatoes cooking on the embers. A second chef was preparing the same meal using products bought at the local supermarket branch of Tesco's - so everything was already minced, crushed and marinaded and was being cooked in a microwave or on a gas stove! At the end of our tour we went back into the kitchens to see if there was indeed any variance in the flavours - hoping to perhaps be offered a tiny taste. Apparently both tasted very similar, but both chefs said the main difference was the flavours from the traditionally cooked Tudor meal, which lasted longer than the modern day meal. Our mouths were watering as we looked at the slices of rare roast beef and Yorkshire pudding with crisp roast potatoes appetisingly arranged on a beautiful ceramic plate. Sadly, despite our very obvious hunger we didn't get offered any!

There's a beautiful Chapel at the place, and marriage ceremonies are still conducted there today. It features a blue ceiling decorated with gold stars and gold painted ornate ceramic figures. The dark wood panelling is beautifully carved, and lends an air of nobility to the Chapel. The King had his own entrance into the Chapel, and the ceiling and walls are covered in paintings of cherubs and nymphs floating around beautiful blue skies interspersed with water, lush green flora and sprightly fauns and deer. Sadly the Chapel, the King's and Queen's apartments, the Great Hall and a few associated rooms are all that remain of Henry VIII. William III and Mary II commissioned Sir Christopher Wren to rebuild Hampton Court Palace at the end of the 17th century. It's a shame, because the Tudor architecture is magnificent, rich and very regal. The rest of the court is impressive, but lacks the absolute "royalty" Henry's rooms so vividly demonstrate.

The rooms are filled with massive tapestries and paintings of various courtiers and hunting scenes. Some of the Queen's famous art collection is kept at the palace, but this is not on public display. All the palace rooms are huge, and there are fireplaces in almost every single one. There are more than 1,000 fireplaces in the whole palace, and the chimney's over the Tudor sections all feature different brick designs.

Being an old palace one would expect the residents to include a ghost or two, and we were not disappointed. Henry VIII's fifth wife Catherine Howard was imprisoned in her lodgings at the palace. She'd only been married to Henry for 15 months, and was sentenced to death for adultery. Before she was taken to the Tower of London to be executed the story goes that she escaped from her rooms and ran to the Chapel door where the King was attending a Church service. She wanted to beg him for her life, but as she reached the door guards seized her and dragged her screaming back to her rooms. People at the palace claim she ghost still runs screaming along the gallery leading to the Chapel door.

There are other ghosts that people have seen - Les claims not to have seen any but there are staff who have felt or seen "something". I went into a tiny room reputed to have held Henry's most famous wife Anne Boleyn before she was taken away to meet her executioner. It is located next to Henry's Great Hall, and it is said this was positioned there deliberately. Anne, alone and imprisoned in her tiny room could hear Henry and his Court wining and dining and getting up to all sorts of mischief while she sat alone and contemplated her fate...

The palace covers six acres, and the gardens take up a further 60 acres. The palace is situated on 600 acres, and is home to a herd of 300 deer, a variety of ducks and some very elegant swans. We went for a ride in a carriage along one of the waterways and visited the greenhouses. 30 gardeners take care of the gardens today - when the palace was used by royalty the number of gardeners exceeded 150! We visited the Fountain Court and the Clock Court, which is famous for the massive 24 hour clock positioned below the bell tower. Built in 1540 it is a water clock, and not only shows the correct time but also the date and the tide! There are many gardens, each unique and beautifully maintained.

Hampton Court Palace houses the oldest known grape vine in the world. Planted in 1768 it still produces grapes (regrettably, not the green seedless variety) and when we visited it there were over 1,000 bunches of grapes over the entire vine. Les' wife Jill is the official Keeper of the Vine. Visitors can observe the vine through a glass window, but because of our guide we were able to go inside the glass house that protects the vine. A tour party of about 30 people stared back at us through the glass - I guess that's the fishbowl experience we hear so much about. The Hampton Court Maze is the most famous maze in Britain, and I hate to admit that we got lost... twice! There were quite a few other people trying to solve the riddle of the maze, and they got as lost as we did! There are some sound effects in the maze - sheep "baaaing", gunshots and men and women's voices telling us: "Oh dear - lost again" or "I've taken a wrong turn!" certainly added to the experience.

During my tour of the palace I saw perhaps 25 percent of the whole place. Amazing, isn't it, that so many rooms lie empty and misused today when once they were full of people living their lives to the full? We saw some of the empty rooms, and most of them are bigger than a modern day bedsit! What a sad waste of space. But what a wonderful history!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The writer was born in Africa, and lived there for the first 38 years of her life. She worked in the world of public relations for over five years, running her own PR company and dealing extensively with the world of journalism and the print media.

2008-05-08T19:03:00.000-07:00

Haunted houses are often regarded to contain the SPIRITES of deceased beings who may have been former residents or were familiar with the property. Supernatural activity inside homes is said to be mainly associated with violent events in the buildings past such as murder, accidental death, or suicide sometimes in the recent or ancient past. Amongst many cultures and religious it is believed that the essence of a being such as the soul continues to exist. Some philosophical and religious views argue that the 'spirits' of those who have died have not 'passed over' and are trapped inside the property where their memories and energy is strong. Entities which are said to 'haunt' homes are often believed to make noises, appear as apparitions and shift or launch physical objects. This is sometimes manifested into 'poltergeist activity'; poltergeist meaning 'noisy spirit'. Traditionally an exorcum is the method used to remove unwelcome spirits from the property.