Southern Paranormal - Investigations
Valence House Museum
Saturday 11th March 2006
Attending Investigators – Kerry Price, Steve Crouch, Justin Sepple, Harri Sepple, Gary Gas, Mandy Bradley, Val Butler, Ken Taylor.
Guest Medium – Paul Wayman
Museum Staff - Leeanne
Guests – Mona & Maureen
Information
Valence House Museum is the only surviving of the 5 manor houses of Dagenham. It is sited in parkland and is partially surrounded by a moat.
Home of the Borough's local history museum and art gallery, it houses an impressive collection of artefacts and archives that tell the story of the lives of the people of Barking and Dagenham.
Of particular interest in the museum are the Becontree Rooms, a series of Period room reconstruction’s. The history of the massive Becontree housing estate which covers much of the Borough is charted in these rooms.
Also on display are various artefacts illustrating the history of the Borough. These include Stone and Bronze Age tools and Roman pottery.
Barking had an important fishing industry from the 14th Century until Victorian times. Major fishing fleets operated out of the mouth of Barking Creek, and many relics from the period are on display.
The extensive archives include the internationally important diplomatic papers of Sir Richard Fanshawe (1608-1666) who was Ambassador to Spain and Portugal.
The collection of Fanshawe Family Portraits and Archive presented to the Borough of Dagenham in 1963 is the jewel in the crown of the museum's collections.
The House takes its name from Agnes de Valence, a French woman with close connections to the English royal family who lived there in the 1200s
The present building dates to the 1400s, but has been enlarged and extended many times since.
No part of the house that Agnes de Valence lived in now remains. The earliest surviving part of the house was built in the 1400s. Unlike the present house it faced north towards Green Lane. The corridor outside the Valence and Period Rooms represents the front of this house.
For the next 400 years the house expanded, being modified or modernised according to the wealth of its tenants; A survey of 1649 reveals a house much larger than today with parlours, dining-room, bedchambers and a variety of domestic offices.
A tax on hearths in 1662 reveals Valence House to have had 15 hearths, 2 hearths more than the neighbouring great house of the Fanshawes at Parsloes.
Most of the house is timber framed, the frames filled in with lath and plasterwork. The laths, thin slats of wood, were nailed onto large upright timbers. Plaster or daub was then applied across the laths to complete the wall.
Fragments of decoration from many periods have been discovered at Valence, plaster mouldings might have come from wall friezes or ceiling fragments, and tiles from the surrounds of fireplaces. Victorian and Edwardian wallpapers have been discovered behind council fittings.
Interior beams have been painted with washes containing fine flecks of gold to give a rich luminous effect.
Two rooms, the Fanshawe and the Period Rooms are walled with wooden panels dating from the late 16th century. Originally they were painted in sombre colours, modern tastes have resulted in the stripping of the paint and the exposure of the wood beneath.
The Ghosts of Valence House
Leslie Cannon, Borough Librarian of Barking, wrote an article in The Barking record, no.72, 1966, entitled 'Up spirits!'. This relates to alleged hauntings at Valence House:
'Writing on Valence House as she knew it, Josephine Westren, the grand-daughter of Thomas May who was the last private resident of the house, in an article in Essex Countryside for February 1961, tells of a dagger found in the depths of the moat which she says may possibly have been thrown there after the murder of Agnes de Valence.
In a caption to a photograph of the lawns leading down to the moat she says: 'Agnes de Valence was said to have been murdered and to haunt these lawns. Her ghost was seen by a gardener who approached it, mistaking the apparition for one of the daughters of the house'.
The article is illustrated with a photograph of the ghost faked by Egbert Smart .Such was the convincing style of the narrative and the quality of the photograph, that several authors quickly included the story in gazetteers of ghosts published at the time, much to the delight of Leslie Cannon.
All material used courtesy of – The London Borough of Barking & Dagenham
Teams & Vigils Plan
Team 1: Steve (team leader), Ken and Val
Team 2: Kerry (team leader), Paul (guest medium), Mandy, Mona (guest), Leeanne (staff), Maureen (guest).
Team 3: Harri (team leader), Justin and Gary
Vigil 1:
Team 1-Attic
Team 2-Period Room
Team 3-Staircase
Vigil 2:
Team 1-Period Room
Team 2-Staircase
Team 3-Attic
Vigil 3:
Team 1-Staircase
Team 2-Attic
Team 3-Period Room
All teams were encouraged to investigate as many rooms in their vicinity during the vigils as long as no lone vigils were done or activity was taking place in the room that team are in.
Additional Vigil Areas
Fanshawe Room
Servant’s Parlour
Cellar
Upstairs corridors
Dagenham Room
Becontree Room
River Room
O’Leary Gallery
Industry Room
Un-furbished Attic
Equipment
Team 1:
Camcorder
EMF
Laser Thermometer
Digital Camera x2
Torch
Walkie-Talkie
Team 2:
Camcorder
Laser Thermometer
Digital Camera x 2
Torch
Team 3:
Camcorder
Laser Thermometer
EMF
Digital Camera
Torch
Walkie-Talkie
Locked Off Equipment
Camcorder on stairs.
Dictaphone and motion sensors on stairs during séance.
Trigger objects placed on chest in Period Room.
Dictaphone moved to un-furbished attic after séance .
Timetable
10.45-11.45- Séance in O’Leary Gallery
12.05-12.50- 1st Vigil
12.50-01.05- Break
01.05-01.50- 2nd Vigil
01.50-02.35- 3rd Vigil
02.35-02.55- Break
02.55-03.35- Ouija
Pack-Up
Team & Vigil Notes
Séance 10.45-11.30
10:47- Paul opens séance
10:49- Orb seen on camcorder
10:53- Paul feels energy to his right.
10:54- Tap heard
- Paul asks if Steve feels anything, Steve says he feels presence of a bearded man.
- Kerry’s heart racing but, not when she has eyes closed.
- Paul, Justin & Harri feel draught
- Harri picks up on small bursts of music.
- Steve feels sad.
- Cold on left hand side moving to right of circle.
- Tap heard
- Steve gets goose pimples and feels someone to the back of room.
- Justin, Harri, Paul and Steve feel as though the spirit is moving around room.
10:57- Paul says spirit has moved behind Kerry, Kerry feels cold to her right hand side and feels pressure on shoulders.
- Val feels icy cold around feet, Ken feels same. Ken’s temp drop to 22c from 30c.
10:59- Steve feels people talking. Meeting room?
11:00- Paul senses hesitancy.
11:01- Kerry calls out, something tugs Harri’s hair.
- Paul feels energy in the room.
- Harri feels blowing on the back of her neck.
- Paul feels spirit moving towards Steve and Paul feels a blow on his face.
11:02- Icy cold feeling between Harri and Steve.
- Steve sees blurring opposite him around Mandy and Gary.
- Ken has cold blow on hand.
11:03- Steve states that a painting has been removed from the room which stood
- behind the piano. Leeanne confirms(this is now in the period room).
- Orb on camcorder.
- Steve said that the painting was something to do with a man. Leeanne denies.
- Steve said that the painting is associated with him and not his portrait.
11:04- Paul made aware of the name Simon.
- Steve gets confirmation and then says Fanshawe.
- Paul calls out.
11:07- Paul feels different energy in the room. Spirit came from doorway and he she gets the colour blue also with her.
- Harri sees long dark hair.
- Paul says spirit is between Mona and Mandy, Paul aware of blue glow next to Mandy.
- Paul drawn to Mandy’s hands senses unhappiness/wringing hands. Not associated with her but the spirit and is sitting in Mandy’s space.
11:08- Paul feels spirit move away.
- Orb caught on camcorder
- Leeanne sees light by fireplace.
- Mandy feels spirit has left her.
- Paul aware of movement from fireplace towards Val.
11:13- Steve calls out.
- Justin sees light on ceiling and then another above fireplace.
- Leeanne feels cold and Paul confirms that the spirit is moving back towards the door.
- Harri feels something to her left, Paul feels that there is spirit about 6ft away from her.
- Ken sees light near window.
- Steve, Harri and Justin cold.
- Orb on camcorder.
11:16- Kerry states that she couldn’t feel left hand side of face, Steve had same feeling, Kerry said felt like burning.
- Harri doesn’t like looking over by the window as she can sense something there.
11:18- Harri feels we are being watched, believes the presence has returned.
- 2 presences felt in room.
11:19- Paul aware of energy in centre of circle.
- People aware of temperature drop.
- Steve sees orb go past Mandy.
- Temp is 4c higher inside circle compared to outside of it.
- Paul feels young energy and sense of fun(child?),he felt the same energy downstairs.
- People aware that the centre of the circle has become shadowy & Harri can’t see Mandy’s feet opposite her.
- Paul said energy moving to Steve & Harri and they confirm feeling and feel< someone pass behind them.
- Harri can now see Mandy’s feet, all confirm shadow lifted.
11:23- Harri and Paul feel as though the spirit sat in the empty chair vacated by Justin who has got up to take photographs.
- Val very cold on knees and Steve cold on back of neck.
- Paul hears a child.
- Harri calls out and feels presence still in chair.
- Harri thinks presence is moving through the circle.
- Harri looks off to window and Paul sees a light over Justin’s left shoulder in the same direction Harri was looking off into.
11:25- Harri calls out to Simon
- Steve feels energy build up behind him.
- Steve goes cold.
- Ken asks if there is something near Harri’s lap as he thinks he saw something.
- Harri says that she feels as though someone is trying to sit down next to her.
- Ken sees orb across empty chair and Paul feels the energy build up.
11.27- Harri calls out.
- short hiss heard.
- Paul hears rustling.
- Steve picks up that the male presence either taught or was a scholar as he sees books.
11.29- Paul & Harri pick up that there was a chair that once stood to the back of room.
- Justin & Steve also thought that they saw a large chair there.
- Leeanne confirms that there used to be a large chair in that spot.
- Steve feels the spirit metered out justice and was a man of much importance.
- Paul sees movement in same direction.
11:31- Steve sees a shield above where the chair once stood with a lion on it.
after a while the image becomes clearer to him and the picture is not a lion but a bear.
- Paul hears the name Sarah and has the sensation of blue again.
11:34- End of séance.
Harri says that while Paul was closing the séance that she saw a movement repeated 3 times on the area of the windows.
Kerry also says that she saw someone running down the side of the moat, Looks back and the house is different, timber framed and then falls over. The person was a woman who was very young and small in stature.
Also she got the feeling of an old lady that was either burnt down one side or had suffered a stroke as she couldn’t feel the left hand side of face. The woman was very hunched over.
Team 1
Vigil 1:Furbished Attic 12:05-12.50 am
No EMF, TEMP 20.6 except for far left corner which is 19c
Steve feels pressure on chest and is given an image of a bearded man and images of naval flags.
Ken feels presence of someone in far left corner.
Steve feels a mist at far left corner.
Val and Steve call out.
Steve feels cold and sees red light ¾ of the way down the attic.
Val sees white flash of light on board to the right.
Val’s torch goes out for 10 seconds and then comes back on.
Steve is given the letter C.
Steve picks up on a fire and male disfigurement.
Light flashes on the floor and ceiling.
Val feels as though something sinister went on in here , sex related.
Val and Steve hear a whistle.
Steve calling out and has pains in his chest.
Val has the name of Anne or Annie come to her.
Steve gets the names Thomas and Grosvenor.
Steve sees a light going along the floor to the door.
Ken feels that something is in this room all the time ,1/2 way down the attic to the left but was unsure as to what or who it was.
Vigil End
Vigil 2:Period Room 1.10am-1.50am
EMF Fireplace 2mg ,TEMP 12.5c
Steve believes that the crib is known to rock.
Steve feels like the room is distorted and sees a woman sitting in the small chair.
Val picks up on 2 children, Steve gets his hair pulled.
Steve believes there is 1 boy and 1 girl , girl’s dress is long and lacy and has she has white shoes ,Steve’s hair pulled again.
TEMP 15.4c back of the chair by fireplace, Val near chair 13.8c.
EMF 10mg.
Steve is given the boys name of George and picks up on an elephant.
Steve goes cold and is given the name of Elle.
Steve’s hair pulled again.
Tap heard by cabinet/chest.
EMF on bath/wheel chair 2.5mg.
Val feels shivery.
Steve sings ‘ ring-o-ring-o-roses’ & feels crib rocking.
All hear the sounds of beads being moved on the abacus.
Steve feels Elle dancing around.
I knock heard when Val asked out to George to stamp on the floor.
Vigil 3:Stairs 2.20am-2.40am
Joined by Brendan(staff).
EMF-None, TEMP 13.2-17.8
All sitting on bottom flight of stairs.
Val has cold to her right side of head TEMP 13.2 to her right and 17.8 to her left.
Steve feels cold to his right , TEMP 12.5 to his right.
Steve sitting on last first stair turn/landing, feels someone has fallen down the stairs.
Steve calls out , knock heard.
Cellar 2.40am-3.05am
No EMF , TEMP between 15-17c
Val not present on this vigil.
Steve & Ken hear very heavy breathing.
Steve feels that the cellar has a link to somewhere else.
Feel presence of someone near the whalebones but , they didn’t wish to communicate.
Team 2
Vigil 1:Period Room 12.05am-12.50am
TEMP 12c by far corner ,11c by window corner ,20.5c opposite corner.
Paul feels that the panelling next to the grandfather clock was a door.
TEMP drops to 8.5c next to clock.
Team all sit down.
Orb activity on and off camera.
Paul feels there is movement in room and feels a touch on the left side of face.
Paul believes that the room was not a child’s room (room set up as a child’s bedroom).
Paul feels feminine energy to his left hand side , and feels that the room is settling and that cold is coming down from the ceiling.
Paul feels that the energy is hiding or trying to avoid us.
Paul asks if this room was a bedroom , Leeanne confirms.
Paul gets feeling of illness and isolation, somebody being kept separate from the rest of house and that someone passed away in this room.
Paul’s TEMP 20c to left and 23.5 to right.
Paul points to where the bed used to be, Leeane confirms and also points to where there were washing facilities but , Leeanne does not know.
Vibration felt in floor however it is above room the boiler room.
Orb in front of camcorder , Paul feels something across face.
Orb moves up to ceiling and disappears.
All go cold.
TEMP Paul 11c to his right and 8.5 next to clock.
Paul is drawn to Mona , she says that she feels as though someone is standing behind her.
Paul says that he feels that someone is looking down at her from the fireplace and feels the energy building at Mona’s neck.
Orb caught on camera from fireplace(approx 5ft) to Mona’s neck!
Orb feels that the presence is a woman and she would be in her mid to late 30’s.He also feels that there is an energy of an older lady in the corner behind Kerry and to Leeanne’s left.He feels as though there have been troubled times in the room.
Mandy very cold to her right.
Paul becomes cold and feels as though someone is in front of him and is given the name Margaret.
Paul sees something by crib.
Paul smells smoke and asks if there had been a fire , Leeanne confirms.The smoke is woodsmoke.
Paul feels that someone was at the window calling for help and trying to get out.
Kerry feels sick and moves to window.
3 orbs on camcorder from ceiling.
Paul & Kerry hear a short hiss and a tick. Kerry thinks it came from behind her , towards the fireplace.
Kerry feels that someone comes from the door near the fireplace and whomever was in hear started to run to the other door(panelling).
Paul feels Margaret’s presence again.
Kerry and Paul hear a creak from the chair to Kerry’s left.TEMP above chair 15c , below 10c .
Paul calls out, chair creaks again.
Paul & Kerry feel cold but, their temperatures have risen.
Mandy hears a noise when Paul is calling out.
Chair creaks again and continues to creak regularly and then less often for approx 4 minutes.
TEMP above chair 10c and below 19c.
Chair creaks again and 2 orbs caught in font of it on camcorder.
Creak from fireplace.
Paul feels activity again in the room , an orb is caught on camcorder from the fireplace.
Paul feels pacing.
Chair creaks again and is also heard by Leeanne.
Kerry hears very faint voice , she thinks it said ‘ no you won’t’.
Paul hears tutting noise.
Orb right to left of camcorder screen.
Leeanne points out that the room feels warmer by the window than it does by the door.
Kerry feels upset and feels someone at her back.
Chair to Kerry’s right creaks.
Paul feels that the chair/s are in the way and is/are stopping someone getting through.
Vigil 2:Stairs 1.07am-1.25am
TEMP 13.5c fairly constant but, feels colder in spots.
All get into positions.
Orbs caught on camcorder on 2nd flight of stairs up.
Paul feels something touch his face.
Paul feels activity at top of stairs, Kerry goes up there.
Kerry feels something touch her arm , nothing at that level that it could be.
Paul feels something at the top of 2nd flight of stairs.Orb caught on camcorder in that area.
Mandy and Paul see an orb at the top of the stairs.
Paul feels that there is a man and a woman there and sees feels that they are starting to walk down the stairs.
Mona feels cold draught.
Paul asks Leeanne if there have been cold spots/draughts on these stairs , Leeanne confirms.
Mona can see something behind me.
Kerry feels that she is not alone and feels crowded.
Paul says that there are 3 men at the top of the stairs with me.
Kerry hears noise from the O’Leary Gallery.
Kerry and Paul hear footsteps.
Mandy feels cold at top of 2nd flight of stairs.
Kerry moves down the stairs to the bottom of the 3rd flight.
Paul and Mandy hear a noise.
Mona moves further up the stairs as she feels colder nearer the bottom.
Orb on camcorder between Kerry and Paul.
Leeanne feels draught.
Paul feels someone in corner by the O’Leary Gallery.
Kerry feels that she is in someone’s way as though someone is walking down the stairs holding onto the banister.
Paul feels a female presence looking over the railings at the top of stairs.
Paul asks if female haunts the stairs and Leeanne confirms.
Mandy feels cold again.
Orb on camcorder between Kerry and Paul.
Kerry and Paul hear footsteps ,Kerry thinks that they are on the stairs behind her. No record of this activity before.
Paul hears footstep at the top of stairs.
Cellar 1.25am-1.50am
Kerry feels basement was a scullery.
Paul feels that someone was captured/imprisoned in this room.
Paul feels energy in the corner where the coal store is.
Orb comes from that corner towards Paul.
Orb then goes from Paul back to the corner.
Paul feels burning sensation on legs as though he has been scalded.
Naked eye orbs did not show on camcorder.
Kerry smells straw.
Paul and Mandy swap places.
Orb near Mandy right to left 3 times.
Mandy feels presence and Paul confirms.
Orb on camcorder.
Mandy feels a tickling sensation on left hand side.
Kerry and Paul both smell straw and Kerry comments that when she smells it she is drawn to the alley area of the cellar, far/bottom end.
Mandy sees orb come from corner coal store.
Kerry calls out.
Orb from corner on camcorder.
Orb near Mandy’s leg on camcorder.
Mandy feels pressure and a creeping sensation and both her and Paul feel a suffocating sensation.
Orb off camera between Mandy and Mona.
Mandy feels something touch her leg.
Kerry feels that she shouldn’t raise her voice when calling out as it is impolite.
Mandy feels as though someone has been buried alive in the cellar.
TEMP-reading registers at 107.5 and then goes back down.
EMF-None
Orb on camcorder near Mandy.
Mona has the sensation of being pulled backwards.
Mona and Paul swap places and Paul feels that someone is trying to turn his around to face the wall. He goes giddy and feels as though the room is moving.
Vigil 3:Furbished Attic 2.05am-2.30am
TEMP 15c back wall ,19c side walls and 20c by door.
EMF -None
2.33am Paul calls out.
Kerry hears 3 footsteps.
Paul hears a knock and senses movement in the room and the floor.
Mandy is hot.
Paul hears hissing noise.
Clicking/tapping noise to the left of Kerry and Paul.
Knock to right of Paul.
Something small is heard drop to the floor (stone?).
Paul expects something to come from the right hand side towards the un-furbished attic.
Another noise to Paul’s right , thinks small stone is thrown at him.
Fanshawe Room 2.32am-2.40am
TEMP by door 19c , rest of room 20c.
EMF-None
Kerry’s camera turns itself off , switches it back on and works fine.
Paul calls out and an orb is caught on camcorder.
Paul feels betrayal in this room between 2 brothers and is something to do with a woman. Affair?
Orb on camcorder.
TEMP to right of Mandy drops to 17c.
Kerry feels sick and feels as though she is walking up the staircase.
Mandy hears noise by Paul’s feet , Paul hasn’t moved confirmed on camcorder.
Servants Parlour 2.41am-2.50am
No significant readings or activity.
Team 3
Vigil 1:Fanshawe Room 12.05am-12.30am
12.10 Very eerily quite
12.20 Alarm sensor keeps going off even though no-one is moving , it stops flashing every time someone asks out.
No activity so move to cellar
Cellar 12.30am-12.50
Gary feels uneasy about the bottom part of cellar.
Calling out .
Things start to be thrown against metal , pebbles/stones against metal. This happens several times.
Light anomalies caught on camera.
Shuffling sounds heard.
Something/someone small is playing with Gary’s right knee.
Calling out.
Team ask if this is a little girl, something thrown in response.
Shuffling sound heard from the area of Justin’s feet , Justin is not moving.
Something pulls on Justin’s left trouser leg.
Vigil 2:Furbished Attic 1.10-2.00am
Sounds of animals heard in the walls .
All feel very calm and homely.
No activity so move to un-furbished attic.
Un-furbished Attic 1.35am
Orbs picked up on digital camera.
1.40am –something is thrown or falls from ceiling.
Gary asks out.
Harri asks out-something thrown or falls near water tank.
Gary asks out- something again is thrown or falls.
-asks if they want us to leave
-something thrown in response
No response when asked a second time.
Justin & Gary comment on drop in temperature around legs.
Something thrown again when asked if there is still a presence here.
Something thrown again.When camera is moved the throwing starts again.
On inspection the items are small pebbles , these are moved away from the area.
Gary asks out again and another stone is thrown.
Asks if spirit is happy and 3 stones are thrown from different direction.
Gary changes battery.
Gary asks if still here , another stone is thrown.
Tell spirit we are leaving and another stone is thrown.
Vigil 3:Period Room 2.15am-3.05am
2.15am Gary and Justin both feel uneasy.
2.25am Orb caught on camcorder.
They are given the name , Justin believes that he has a connection with the Period Room.Maybe a study?
Justin feels that the same spirit that was in the attic is with them in this room.
2.30am-Start of ouija experiment.
Q:When were you born?
A:1756
Q:When did you die?
A:1825
Q:Did you live here?
A:IS
A:IS SHE DEAD
Q:Who?
A:EMA R
Q:Who is she?
A:(None)
Q:Did you live here?
A:NO
A:MAN IN BLACK
Experiment ends due to lack of time.
Ouija in Industry Room 2:55am-3:25am
Harri, Justin and Gary had success with the ouija board during the evening connecting with a gentleman called Simon(believed to be Fanshawe).So at the end of the evening I decided that the Ouija should continue but, the venue would change to the Industry Room as Paul had expressed an interest in conducting a vigil there.
Sitters at the board: Harri, Paul, Justin and Mandy.
Harri asks out...
Q: Is Simon there?
A: YES
Q: Do you promise not to thrown stones at us anymore?
A: Yes(planchette reluctant to move).
Q: Were you spelling out man in black in previous session?
A: ALGX
Q: Please repeat
A: ALUM
Q: Repeat
A: ALHUAN
Q: Are you trying to spell out the man in black’s name?
A: NO
Q: Please confirm that your name is Simon
A: YES
Q: Paul asks. Can you confirm that the name that you were trying to spell out is Alan?
A: Planchette moves to the spirit figure on the ouija board.
Q: Is Alan spirit?
A: NO
Q: Is there a connection with anyone in the room?
A: YES
Q: Is person at table?
A: YES
Q: Can you move the planchette to the person?
A: Planchette swings off board towards Justin.
Harri say’s ‘this is Justin’.
A: NO
Q: Who do you think he is?
A: JAMEV
Q: Repeat
A: JAMES
Q: Confirm the name is James
A: YES
Q: You think Justin is James?
A: YES
Q: Who is James?
A: Brother
Group ask Leeanne if Simon Fanshawe had a brother named James. Answer no.
Q: Is James your brother?
A: YES
Q: Did James have the same parents as you?
A: AV
Q: Repeat
A: AV
Q: Did you have the same parents as James?
A: NO
Q: Harri asks. ‘Did you have same mother?’.
A: RA
Q: Question repeated
Planchette lifts and then….
A: DOUA
Q: Was James related to you by blood?
A: BAD
Planchette moves around board, Harri asks Simon to stop moving the planchette and it stops dead.
Q: Was James Bad?
A: YES
Q: What did James do that was bad?
A: EMA
Q: What did he do to Ema?
A: KILL
Q: Did he kill her?
A: YES
Q: Is that why you are so angry and upset?
A: YES
Q: Who was Ema to you?
Planchette points off board
Q: Who was Ema?
No movement
Q: Who was she to you?
A: AM then points to Justin
Q: Who is Ema?
A: BAD
Q: Is Emma bad?
A: A KID
Q: What was your relationship to Ema?
A: AKAP
Q: Harri asks,’why have you followed us around all night?’
A: MAN IN BLACK
Q: What do you want from the man in black?
A: STFDR
Q: Is Justin the man in black?
A: YES
Q: What do you want from the man in black?
A: TO RUE
Q: Do you want him to be sorry?
A: YES SUGEFR
Q: Were you trying to spell out suffer?
A: YES
Harri say’s ‘Justin isn’t James’
A: AKILM
Q: Paul asks, ‘if Justin said sorry would that help you?’
A: NO
Q: Kerry asks, ‘Is there something that we could do to help you?
A: WIY
Q: Repeat
A: WHY
Q: Because you are unhappy, do you need our help?
A: NO
Q: Does Justin look like James
A: NO
Q: Kerry asks, ‘Did Justin used to be James?’
A: YES
Q: Do you think that there is anything that you can do to make him suffer?
A: YES
Planchette moves around rapidly.
Harri calls to Simon, ‘No-one can understand the pain you are in...
A: HE CAN
Q: James may have been able to understand but, Justin isn’t James
A: YES
Q: He was James in a past life but, he isn’t James now he is a good man
A :NO
Q: Justin would never hurt a woman
A: HE DID
Q: I know James did...
A :NO
Harri calls for Simon to be calm as the planchette is moving very quickly around the board.
Q: I have lost and know what it feels like.
A: HE WOULD
Q: Justin has lost too.
A: HE SHOULD KNOW BETTER
Q: He should know better than what?
A: HE
Q: Repeat
A: HE KILLS
Q: Was Ema your wife?
A: NO
Q: Was she your sister?
A : NO
Q: Was she your lover?
A: YES
Q: Did you trust James with Ema?
A: YES
Q: Were you close friends with James rather than brothers?
A: BLOOD
Q: Did you both have the same mother?
A: NO
Q: Did you have the same father?
A: NO
Q: What is James’ surname?
A: REPLE
Q: Repeat
A: REPLE
Planchette moves to goodbye
Q: Why did you say goodbye?
A: BAD
Q: What can we do to make you understand that Justin isn’t James?
A: WAS
Q: I know he was but, he isn’t now believe me...
A: AM NOT
Q: What can we do?
A: WAIT FOR
Q: Wait for what?
A: WHAT GOES AROUND
Q: James hurt the woman you loved, do you plan to hurt the woman Justin loves?
A: NO
Q: What do you mean by what goes around?
A: I WILL WAIT
Planchette lifts
Q: Did James live in this house?
A: NO
Q: Did James live nearby, in Barking or Daganham?
A: NO
Q: Where did James live?
A: LONDON
Q: What happened after James killed Ema?
A: HUNG
Q: He was hung?
A: YES
Q: Do you think he paid for what he did?
A: HE
Q: Repeat
A :HE KILLED MORE
Q: How many more?
A: TON
Q: Could you move planchette to a number and not spell it out?
A: 10
Q: Can you confirm that James killed 10 people?
A: YES
Q: Were they all women?
A: YES
Q: Were they all women he knew?
A: NO
Q: What is Ema’s surname?
A: RILEY
Q: What is James’ surname?
Planchette ceases to move and no more response out of board.
Personal Reports
Steve Crouch
Séance
I remember sensing a presence behind the circle and when Paul said the first name of Simon I got the surname Fanshawe. I had not researched the property before and I thought that was an unusual name, but when I found out it was a family name associated with the property I knew we were going to be in for a good night.
I then asked about the picture above the piano which Simon said he liked and had been moved recently, which the curator confirmed that a painting had been moved from above the piano.
Vigils
I can recall that I got the sense of a mariner with the family name Grosvenor, I think I said the first name was Thomas. I got the sensation that he had lived in the rafters of the property and was almost the kind of character that legends are made of. I got the sensation that his face was disfigured. As I sensed further I got the sensation that his face had been altered by fire, his skin had been burnt in a ship fire. His spirit resided in the loft spaces.
In the period room I got the child’s name of Elephant! Which I then got as a nickname and her real name was Ellie, or that was what her brother called her as there were two children inhabiting this space. I also got the sensation that the room was distorting. I also sensed that the crib and rocking chair had been seen to move by themselves.
When I went to the cellar space the sensation of a scullery was overwhelming, which was confirmed by the curator.
Conclusion
The whole house and museum was an amazing property that I thought was excellent. We only had a chance to grasp the tip of the iceberg and would love to come back and spend some time in other rooms that we were shown around on the initial walk through. I would like to thank all the staff that helped make the vigil a possibility.
Mandy Bradley
Arriving at Valence House on Saturday night, I felt very excited about the night ahead and for good reason as it was a great night!
After catching up with everyone, I got to see the last few rooms on the tour. After a break we went to the O’Leary gallery for the séance.
At the beginning of the Séance I was not aware of anything in the room, but Paul picked up on a man named Simon and Steve picked up on the name Fanshawe, Simon was one of the owners in the 15th century?
Paul then said that someone had entered the room behind myself and Mona, I could feel a presence on my left side, so I mentally encouraged it to come forward, telling it not to be afraid. Paul then said that it was a child and so I encouraged it more. All of a sudden I could feel it all around me and I got the feeling that she was sitting on my lap? After a few minutes she left the room and everything became hazy looking within the circle. Both my self and Harri could not see each other’s feet, Justin then left the group to take a picture and then the haze disappeared. After that the room went still and no more presences were in the room.
After a quick break we split into our teams. I was in team 2 with Kerry, Paul, Mona, Leeaane and Maureen. Our 1st vigil was in the period room. This room felt very intense when I was in it earlier with Kerry and it hadn’t changed.
Paul immediately picked up on a lady in the room who seemed to be ill and in isolation.
She was moving all around the room and at one point standing behind Mona, looking down at her. Kerry then came to the side near the window and after a few minutes of sitting there the chair behind her started moving. I thought the chair was a rocking chair as I could see it moving the way a rocking chair does. It wasn’t a rocking chair so I don’t know what I was picking up on. The chair was moving and making noises rhythmically and so I was definitely getting a sign that there was someone in the room. Not much more was picked up on in the room. Orb activity picked up on camcorder and digital camera.
Another quick break and we move onto our 2nd vigil on the staircase. Straight away Paul picked up on a lady looking over the banister at the top of the stairs, which he also mentioned earlier in the evening. I could feel to my left side, but nothing came through other than orb activity so we moved on to the cellar.
There was plenty of orb activity around the area where Paul was standing in the cellar and he could feel a burning/scorching sensation down the back of his left thigh. He came out of there and asked me to stand there instead and again there was a lot of orb activity. The only other feelings I experienced in the cellar was a tightness in my chest, almost like a crushing sensation and a restriction to my breathing which Paul also experienced.
Towards the end of the night we went to another room for the ouija board. I found this amazing as it is the first time that I have done this and it’s actually worked. We were talking to the spirit claiming to be Simon Fanshawe who had it in for Justin for some strange reason. He was very spiteful and nasty towards Justin.
Val & Ken
We were both eagerly awaiting our visit to Valence House Museum our 2nd investigation. When we arrived we had a very warm welcome. We all set to work and I helped Gary unpack his equipment which included 3 fully charged Walkie- Talkies but, to our surprise one of them went flat.
Ken helped to do baseline tests. When all work was done we were given a tour of the house by our host Leeanne.
I did not feel comfortable in the Fanshawe Room, my legs turned to jelly. In the Dagenham Room Ken’s batteries died in his camera which were new, He replaced them and they too died.
We split into teams to do our 1st vigil of the night. Our team (team 1) was Steve, Ken and myself and our vigil was in the attic. Steve felt pressure on his chest and images of a bearded man and naval flags. Ken felt someone in the far left corner. Steve called out and felt a mist in the far right corner. Steve was cold and saw a red dot ¾ of the way down the attic. I saw a light in front of a board about ½ way down the attic. Suddenly my fully charged torch went off and came back on some seconds later. Steve picked up on the letter C a fire and male disfigurement. I felt that something of a sinister sexual nature had taken place in this room. I (Val) started calling out and both myself and Steve heard a whistle. Steve called out again and had a pain in his chest. I had the name Anne or Annie coming through and Steve and Ken both shivered. Steve picked up on the name of Thomas and the word Grosvenor . Steve saw a light going to the door. Throughout the vigil Ken felt drawn to the left side of the attic about ½ way down but, couldn’t say why.
Back to the hub, another break and the 2nd vigil on the staircase where we were joined by Brendan (staff).
The locked off camera was put in place, prayers said and so we started the vigil. Brendan stood at the bottom, Val 2nd flight , Ken 3rd flight and Steve at the top. Steve called out . Ken and Steve hear a knock. Steve called out again and we heard another 2 knocks. I felt a really cold draught around my neck which lasted throughout the vigil. Steve was thinking of a lady in white when we heard a knock from downstairs. Ken went to investigate and felt a cold draught go past him.
Val calls out, no response.
Steve and Ken decide to go to the cellar and I return to the hub as I am afraid of spiders.
In the cellar Ken and Steve hear heavy breathing and Ken was drawn to the space where the whalebones are.
Our 3rd vigil in the Period Room was altogether different. Steve set up the camera while Ken did a temperature check. I felt as though there was a young boy and girl in the room. I came up with the name George and Steve came up with the name Elle. He thought that Elle was a nickname of Elephant and started to call her by that name. George I felt kept coming close to me a sweet little boy. All was quiet so I started talking to the children when we all heard the abacus beads move on the frame. Steve asked for the children to knock on the floor but, no response.
Finally we watched Harri, Mandy, Justin and Paul do the ouija board where they were in contact with a spirit called Simon.
A thoroughly interesting evening. Thanks to everyone.
Gary Gas
Valence House was the second in all of the investigations that I have done with the Southern Paranormal UK team, and what an amazing night!!
Apart from this building looking extremely large and old, it has a weird spooky feel around the place.
After having the introduction tour, we all went into the large meeting style room on the first floor and held a séance. During this the group had a number of different feelings, but I seemed not to feel anything at this time.
Following this we split off into groups, I was with Harri and Justin, and the first room to visit was the gallery room (opposite the gift shop). In this room, there was no real activity, apart from the alarm sensor indicating activity in the room, when nobody was moving.
We then moved down into one of the cellars, which has low ceilings, and raw, undecorated walls. The cellar brought a number of strange incidents including the throwing of stone, and a number of orbs, all of which were captured on video.
There was also a point in the cellar where I could feel the back on my knee being pushed inwards, which scared me immensely. While in the cellar, we called out several times and found out that the we were communicating with a little girl, who some of the group members had felt was present during the séance earlier.
After finishing the cellar, we moved into the attics. We went into the furnished attic, and all agreed that there was absolutely no presence. It was strange that we all felt so comfortable in this room, that we could have fallen asleep, which is weird as we were in an old spooky house, yet we felt secure.
We moved into the unfurnished attic, and instantly found an illuminating contrast, from the previous room. It was cold, dark and had a damp feeling. We all felt very uncomfortable in this room but felt that it was vital for the investigation that we stayed in here.
After a few minutes in the room, small stones, similar to the ones in the cellar starting getting thrown. After clearing the board that we were sitting on, another was thrown, always coming from the direction of Justin.
We then moved on to the Period room on the first floor, again this room felt weird and uncomfortable. It was in this room that we did the first Ouija board of the night. Harri was the main communicator with the spirit. It was slow to start with, and Justin made a comment stating that we were communicating with a ‘stupid’ ghost, at which point a stone was thrown into the side of his head. There was no where in this room that any stone could have came from!!
Among other nuggets of information, the spirit we had contact with kept saying the words ‘MANINBLACK’ – MAN IN BLACK. Justin was fully dressed in black clothing.
Agreeing that this would be a good area to explore further, we decided to do a Ouija board as a group, which proved to be very interesting.
We found out that Justin resembled a friend / brother of the man who had a connection with the house. Justin was known to the spirit as James, and it was alleged that James had killed 10 women, including a lady called Emma, who was Simons lover.
This house proved to be an extremely haunted house, and is full of mystery. I would be very keen to re-attend this house to do more investigating. I would like to thank all of the staff and volunteers that made this night happen, and kept us well stocked with tea!
Kerry’s Report
I awaited this investigation with much anticipation and was excited when the day finally arrived.
On my initial visit to Valence House I was very surprised by the information that I picked up on, which I was later to learn had similarities with information that was picked up on during the vigil’s. Also, by the age of the building and the many accounts of occurrences in the building.
When I entered the house I was greeted by the smell of wood smoke, I had not smelled it when outside so was puzzled as to what it could be.
On a tour of the building myself and Leeanne walked past the stairs and I felt a draft to the back of my neck. Leeane confirmed that cold spots have been felt in the area.
While in the furbished attic Leeanne told me of a visit in the previous year by a medium who said that there was a male spirit in the attic. At this point I had the feeling that someone was there and I had an image come to my mind. It was a man who had lots of facial hair. He was wearing either an army great coat or a naval long coat. His nose was very distinctive, that of someone who likes a drink.
The strangest thing about his appearance to me was that he was black, not his skin colour but, the whole of him appeared to be covered in soot or dirt.
I also got the impression that he appeared to be a tramp but, he was not and was a man of some standing. I felt as though this presence came from the un-furbished attic next door. He was at the far end of the attic. Leeanne confirmed that was where the medium had sensed the spirit and an orb was captured at the same time.
I was also filled with unease the moment that I had stepped past the beams which are approximately half way down the attic.
During the night many things occurred which I believe to have relevance to the haunting’ s in the house and while reading the vigil notes taken on the night I was struck by many similarities.
The previous visit by a medium had come up with the presence of a man in the attic, this was also felt by me on my 1st visit. Steve, Paul and Justin all felt the same thing during their vigils. Other information also quantified was that he had lots of facial hair and had naval/military connections.
A female presence was picked up on the stairs during mine and Steve’s vigil’s. There is a woman who is reported to haunt the stairs and the period room. The ghost has been recorded as being seen as long ago as the turn of the last century.
I felt that I was in the way when I was sitting on the bottom of the top flight of stairs as though I should move. Leeanne has since confirmed that 3 people have fallen down the stairs from this point one of which broke their arm. They all said that they felt as though they had been pushed!
Steve also picked up that someone had fallen down these stairs.
While in the basement both myself and Steve had the impression that the cellar was once a scullery. We also both felt(as well as Gary and Ken) that someone was in the far part of the cellar(the alley).
Harri’s team had stones thrown at them throughout the night. Paul thought that he had a stone thrown at him while in the attic.
Steve’s team picked up on children while in the period room and a child’s presence was also picked up on during the séance.
Harri thought that she saw something move between the windows 3 times, movement has also been seen by Leeanne in the same area.
Paul also picked up that there was a large chair in the O’Leary room which was confirmed. He also picked up that the Period room was once a woman’s bedroom and where the bed was, all confirmed by Leeanne.
Steve picked up that a painting had been moved from above the piano in the O’Leary Gallery which was confirmed.
I picked up on the smell of wood smoke on my 1st visit. Paul also picked up on this in our vigil in the Period Room. Leeanne confirmed that there had been a fire here. She also later confirms that although there are no records of a fire at the site, the English Heritage found burnt timbers in the attic while carrying out a survey of the building.
The ouija was also used with much success however none of the information that came out of this can be confirmed at this time as much more research needs to be done in this area.
It was a great night, the teams put in a great effort.
I believe that there is much more to uncover at Valence House and would very much like to investigate this site further.
Many thanks to Paul Wayman for attending this investigation and Leeanne Westwood and the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham for allowing us to investigate at Valence House.