Southern Paranormal - Investigations
Valentines Mansion Investigation
Saturday 29th April 2006
Click here to see a video clip of this investigation
Introduction
By Kerry Price (London &Essex Team Leader)
Not much was known in the way of paranormal activity at this site as it had ceased to be a home over 80 years ago, however I did learn that cold spots had been felt at the top of the main staircase and also whispering had been heard in the same area.
So with activity reported I thought it was a good idea for us to investigate there.
I visited Valentines Mansion to have a look around on a grey winters day. The mansion stands in the grounds of Valentines Park in Ilford, Essex. It is large a very large building which has won a lottery grant to have it and the gardens restored to their former glory.
Inside the building has many rooms, it would be quite easy for the team be disorientated at this site.
The building has some of it’s original features, a large stained glass window on the main staircase, decorative plastering, a partial freeze on one of the 1st floor windows of a pastoral scene. A restored range in the old dairy not to mention the very grand lantern and porte coche.
It was very atmospheric inside and I couldn’t wait to show the team the building.
Walking around the site I thought that the team would pick up on quite a lot here, not necessarily physical knocks and bangs but, maybe past events or inhabitants as we would be having quite a few sensitive people among the investigators.
It was easy to imagine the building in it’s heyday even though the building was in a state of disrepair and repair. The rooms were mainly large, there were many reception rooms and huge servants quarters and kitchens, dairy etc. I found the back staircase that lead to the servant’s quarters very intimidating, I felt as though someone was behind. In fact I felt uncomfortable in all of the corridor which is accessed through a door on the main staircase marked fire exit. I jumped when a door slammed shut while visiting the servant’s quarters even though I was with someone and it was daytime. I was quite interested to see if anyone felt the same. I also felt that something may be picked up in some of the 1st floor rooms although I couldn’t quite put my finger on what that would be.
I didn’t have the opportunity to visit the old dairy and cellar on this occasion as the door leading to them was locked. I thought that it would be good to investigate as much of the building as possible so would rota them into vigils on our investigation. I was looking forward to visiting them.
History
Much is known of the history of some of the people that resided at Valentines Mansion as the building is going through restoration and the Friends of Valentines Mansion have done much research into the history of the site. However I did not disclose any information to the investigators nor did I tell them if any activity had been recorded at the site.
I do not want to disclose too much information at this point as I hope to take the team back at a later date. The mansion was built in 1688 and has been changed at least 4 times since then.
Some books claim that there has been a building of some kind on this site for many centuries before hand.
There is a well in the cellar and a secret passageway has been discovered.
Ghosts
Cold spots and whispering on main staircase.
Timetable
| 9.30pm | Meet up at Emerson Road gate of Valentine’s Park |
| 9.45pm | Introductions |
| 10.15pm | Unpack & distribute equipment |
| 10.30pm | Break |
| 10.45pm | 1st Vigil |
| 11.45pm | Break |
| 12.00am | 2nd Vigil |
| 1.00am | Break |
| 1.15am | 3rd Vigil |
| 2.00am | Break |
| 2.15am | Séance, Ouija, additional vigils depending on activity |
| 3.00am | Finish |
As usual we started a little later than timetabled as we it took longer to arrange on the night than thought.
Teams & Vigils
Team 1: Alison (team leader), Abbie, Ed, Ken
Team 2: Kerry (team leader), Julie, Wayne, Steve G
Team 3: Steve C (team leader), David, Laura, Louise, Val
Vigil 1:
Team 1- Old Dairy and cellar
Team 2- Servant’s Quarters & Attic
Team 3- 1st floor & Stairs
Vigil 2:
Team 1- 1st Floor & Stairs
Team 2- Old dairy and cellar
Team 3- Servant’s Quarters
Vigil 3:
Team 1- Servant’s Quarters
Team 2- 1st Floor & Stairs
Team 3- Old Dairy and cellar
All 3 teams were on different floors so they could cover as much ground as possible and were instructed to have a good look around during their vigils.
No baseline tests were to be taken as it would take all night to do those alone.
Equipment & Set–up
Team 1:
Camcorder
EMF
Laser Thermometer
Camera
Torch
Team 2:
Camcorder x 2
Laser Thermometer
EMF
Digital Camera
Torch
Team 3:
Camcorder
Digital Camera
EMF
Temperature Gun
Torch
Locked–Off Equipment
2 camcorders on stairs
Dictaphone in cupboard half way up back stairs
Trigger objects in Cupboard at bottom of back stairs on 1st floor.
No activity recorded on Dictaphone.
Trigger objects did not move.
Team 1: Vigil Notes
Vigil 1:Old Dairy and Cellar 10:55pm-11.55pm
End room in dairy
No EMF reading. Average temperature 10.2 c
Alison is given the name Sarah Lockwood.
11pm- Footsteps heard by Ed and Alison ( could have been one of the other groups upstairs).
11:05pm- A tap is heard by all on the drum as the far end of the room.
No other activity reported.
Cellar
Average temp 11.8c
11:30pm-Sound of scuttling along piped, assumed to be a rodent or vibrations.
11:32pm- Alison feels someone brush past her sleeve.
11:35pm- Alison feels someone tug her hair.
- Ken feels a cold breeze temperature rises to 20c from 12c
11:36pm- Tap heard in the corner behind Alison, heard by Alison and Abbie
No more activity reported
Vigil 2:Stairs and 1st Floor 12:20am-1:20am
No readings
12:20am- Alison feels tingly on entering the room (drawing room).
12:21am- Alison and Abbie feel that the wing room (room next to drawing room) has a feminine presence/ambience to it.
12:30am- Abbie feels pressure on her forehead.
12:55am- Alison feels someone push her back
1:10am- Alison picks up a strange smoky orb on camera.
- team hear a noise on the middle room behind them on the stairs.
1:14am- Alison is given the names Josephine and Tyler
- Footsteps heard on landing as team sitting on the stairs.
1:15am- Abbie is given the surname of Johnson.
- As Abbie say’s Johnson a tap is heard below on the stairs.
1:18am- Average Temperature 13.4c
- Alison & Abbie get the impression of children running up and down the stairs (little blonde boy).
1:20am- Abbie has the image of a man and woman walking slowly up the stairs and can feel a breeze ( could be from window).
-* Team here a door banging upstairs and assume it is another team upstairs.
- Ken could feel the stairway was always busy with adults and children.
1:25am- Footsteps heard across the landing at the top of stairs
- Cold breeze felt flowing down the stairs.
* When we later spoke to the group who were doing their vigil on the floor above us we were told that they didn’t slam any door.
Vigil 3:Servant’s Quarters 1:50am-2.50am
End room 14.6c
1:50am- Alison felt someone grab her shoulder.
- Abbies legs feel heavy
- Everyone is short of breath.
1:55am- Abbie & Alison don’t feel as though we are not wanted up here. Not wanted.
1:57am- Abbie hears a thud from the corridor
- Abbie and Alison feel cold breeze ( guys don’t feel anything).
2:05am- Ken feels something touching his hair.
2:10am- Ed felt and heard someone coming up behind him in the corridor.
2:12am- everyone hears shuffling in the end room, Abbie wants to run out.
No more activity reported.
Team 2: Vigil Notes
Vigil 1 : Servant’s Quarters 11pm-12 midnight
11:00am- Wayne hears a groan at cupboard on landing half way up the back stairs.
11:05am- Team move to room which has ladder leading up to attic.
-EMF readings 2mg room leading to attic, 4mg by attic door/outside wall
- Temperature 12.5c in attic.
- Kerry calling out, increased orb activity but, put it down to Steve and Wayne being in the attic 1 floor above us ( Kerry & Julie).
11:25am- Move to room 22
-Wayne’s camcorder picks up orb (ref point 22.25)
-Wheeze heard by all of the group.
11:28am- Kerry feels breeze around her legs.
11:30am- Julie hears 3 knocks at top of back stairs.
- Orb caught on camcorder by Wayne.
- Cold breeze felt by group at top of back stairs.
11:40am- Move to room 19
- Orbs seen and cold breeze felt.
11:45am- Move back to top of back staircase.
- Kerry asks out, no response
11:50am- Kerry feels cramp in stomach and feels sick.
Vigil 2: Old Dairy and Cellar 12:20am-1:20am
12:34am- Temp Cellar 10c, Dairy 7.5c and Pantry 6.5c
12:48am- Wayne and Kerry hear a scream
- Kerry calls out hello and hears a faint reply hello.
12:52am- Kerry goes to get ouija board while team move from cellar to old dairy. On her way back Kerry hears a womans voice in the cellar so assumed that the rest of the team had not yet moved off. No-one was in the cellar. When she starts to make her way to the stairs she hears a noise on the stairs and calls out hello and hears someone say hello back, again faint.
- Steve is given name Taylor
End of camcorder tape.
1st part of séance yet to be transcribed
Ouija in Old Dairy end room
Kerry calling out
Q: Is this the same house you lived in?
A: YES
Q: Did you live here all you life?
A: No response
Q: Were you married?
A: YES
Q: What is the 1st letter of your wife’s name or spell her name out?
A: S U D
Q: Please spell again.
A: R D S
Q: Please tell us who you are
A: G T
Q: Please spell out your name.
A: G E O
Q: Is your name George?
A: YES
Q: Did you have any children?
A: YES
Q: How many?
A: 4
Q: Please tell us how you died.
A: T V
Brief break
Q: Are you still here?
A: YES
Q: Did someone kill you?
A: YES
Q: Are T V yours killers initials?
A: Yes
Q: Did your killer live here?
A: No response
Q: Did someone murder you?
A: YES
Q: Can you spell out your family name.
A: D T U 4
Q: Were you buried nearby?
A: J
Q: Can you use our energy?
A: T
Q: Does your family name begin with T?
A: Yes
Q: Will you be contacting other people here tonight?
A: Yes
Q: Who was on the throne when you were alive?
A: H
Q: Is H for Henry
A: E
Q: Please move planchette to YES if H is for Henry
A: YES
Q: Did Henry stay here?
A: YES
Q: Who did he stay here with?
A: F
Q: Is that the 1st initial of her name?
A: F
Q: What is the 1st letter of her surname?
A: G
Q: Are you the brother of that lady?
A: Movement from planchette
Q: Did henry have an affair with this lady?
A: Please give us the 1st initial of your sons name
Q: Q
End of ouija
Vigil 3: 1st Floor & Stairs 1:20am-2:20am
Nothing much felt on this vigil.
Pending viewing of camcorder footage.
Team 3: Vigil Notes
Vigil 1: 1st Floor & Stairs 10:55pm-12 midnight
No reading 1st room
2nd room 12.5c
Louise feels colder in this room than the last
3rd room- Val’s batteries die. No EMF Temperature 12.5c
Steve picks up that this room was a children’s bedroom for 3 children.
Val & Ken call out
Steve’s mobile phone goes off
Move to next room on stairs.
EMF 5mg in 1st left hand corner of room, constant reading.
Steve sees man walk through doorway and feels lot’s of movement in this room.
Room feels very cold.
Steve believes that the man that he saw is not happy that we are here and that the man is of very slim build.
David feels uncomfortable and leaves the room.
Steve looks out of the window and sees someone walking in the grounds whom he believes to be spirit and is given the initials of A D.
Val feels cold and shivery.
Team move to next room.
Steve believes that a secret has some significance in this room and has uneasy feeling.
Get’s the impression of either a dining room or a study area.
Val sees someone outside in the grounds.
No EMF readings.
Vigil 2: Servant’s Quarters 12:20am-1:20am
Temperature in 1st room
1st room feels like a bedroom
Move to next room
Room 2 Temperature 19c
Feel energy of a northern man in charge of waiting staff.
David feels movement behind Val and hears shuffling feet outside the door.
Move to next room.
Feels colder in this room, temperature 17c.
Move to next room.
Temperature 16c, No EMF readings
Steve is given the name Conner or Callum.
Steve sees a carpet lining the floor of the corridor.
David feels uneasy in the corridor.
Team move to the next room.
Steve believes that the room has a link with nurses. The nurses don’t want to enter the room and appear to be looking in.
A door slams on it’s own.
Laura and Louise feel someone behind them as they walk down the corridor.
A light is flicking even though all the lights off, it wasn’t noticed on the way in.
All the group hear footsteps( high heels) about 5 footsteps.
Group feel that someone is following them as they move down the stairs.
Vigil 3: Old Dairy & Cellar 1:50am-2:50am
1st room temperature 11c
Next space 10c
Small cubby holes 10c
Big cubby holes 9c
David say’s that it feels like a crypt
Val say’s that it reminds her of a cemetery with coffins in the wall
Steve believes that bodies were once stored in the bigger cubby holes and has links with a medical hospital.
Louise feels that the space has been used as a morgue.
Light’s is seen in bigger cubby space on floor & ceiling.
Hole goes up somewhere and that is why the light comes in.
Steve calls out, no response
People feel out of place in this room.
Val’s stomach churning.
A strange noise was heard which was hard to describe but, was building. All left the cellar as they were scared.
Personal Reports
Kerry’s Price – London & Essex Team Leader
I had a strange mixture of feelings when I knew the team were going to investigate Valentines Mansion. Excited that I would be wandering around this lovely old building at night and also worried that we wouldn’t experience anything as little activity has been reported here.
It seems that I need not have worried.
During my teams 1st vigil in the servant’s quarter’s we experienced inexplicable EMF readings which were picked up around the attic area. We also felt uncomfortable on the top of the staircase and a groan was heard by Wayne. I had felt very uncomfortable on this floor on my initial visit and was hoping that this would be picked up on.
This area had such a strange atmosphere, I felt as though I was unwelcome and the space felt very territorial. The feeling of unease was not helped by some of the spaces feeling cramped.
The strangest experience I had of the night was in the cellar.
I had gone back to the hub to get a ouija board and said that I would meet the rest of the team in the old dairy. When I returned I could hear a female voice coming from the cellar and assumed that it was Julie.
No-one was in the cellar, I moved towards the stairs and heard a shuffling noise so called out hello. I heard a faint hello as a reply.
I had heard someone say hello a little before while we were in the cellar, it was noted but thought that maybe it could be an echo. This was tested and ruled out.
The cellar had an odd feel to it, maybe because I knew that there was a well in the cellar and an entrance/exit to a secret passage that had been uncovered during building work.
The stairs proved un-eventful for me. I didn’t really feel anything untoward. However all the activity I felt could take place here was in the corridor that led from the fire exit on the landing and the servant’s quarters. Something does not feel right with this area. Maybe it is the changes in the architecture that make it feel a little off kilter, whatever it is it unsettles me.
After typing up the team’s vigil notes I noticed that all the teams felt uncomfortable and unwelcome in the servants quarters and the rooms/corridors that lead to them.
At least 1 person in each team felt that they had someone behind them or following them.
It was also interesting to note that people who don’t usually pick up on anything and people on their 1st investigation felt that there was activity here and experienced something.
I do not know if I could say for sure that the mansion is haunted as I do not think that we have spent long enough investigating it.
I do believe that we have uncovered some memories and past experiences and maybe a un welcoming spirit or 2 but, I think that we have only just scratched the surface.
Luckily we have been granted a 2nd visit to Valentines where hopefully more will be uncovered about the people who lived at this
Val Butler – London & Essex Team
What a night ! After our greetings and base line tests had been done we all split into our teams. In our team number 3 was Steve, DWhat a night fter our greetings and base line tests had been done we all split into our teams. In our team number 3 was Steve, David, Louise, Laura and myself Val, and so it began, a glorious old mansion to investigate. Out 1st vigil was the stairs and 1st floor. We all took up different positions on the old staircase. Steve calling out but nothing was heard, he came across a lady in white walking down the stairs. EMF reading was 5 temp. 14 1/2 all around. Switching the lights of at the top of the stairs Steve noticed it was sparking, maybe an electrical fault. One tap was heard but apart from that no other incidents happened here.
So on to the 1st floor. 1st room with 3 windows temp 13 1/2 emf 4 all lights out Steve and Val calling out. No reply. Steve talking to someone but didn’t say who it was but said he had his hair pulled. No one else felt anything.
Room 2 Steve calling out temp 12/ 1/2 felt quite warm in here. val calling out. no response. Steve called out temp felt as though it was dropping. Steve talking again to someone Steves mobile phone rings. Val saw a red light on the mantelpiece. Val calling out again. nothing heard. Louise, Laura and myself felt calm and comfortable in this room
Room 4 emf reading 5 room felt cold Val felt something in this room Steve felt someone wasn’t happy that we were here. Val didn’t like this room at all felt a persistent presence. In the the left hand corner Val had emf reading of 5 all the time and Val was drawn to the left hand corner all the time. Val felt that a man quite tall was standing in this corner watching all of us. she felt that he was dressed in smart brown chequered suit tight trousers from the knee down and he had a small goat like beard. this man stayed in this corner the whole time.
he had his arms folded just looking at us. Louise didn’t like the room Laura felt uncomfortable.
Steve felt 2 people in here and was talking to someone a lady who was having an affair. David had left this room.
next room a lot warmer feeling here. Val calling out. Steve felt this was a bedroom/study overlooking garden. Louise felt as though someone had a complete self contained flat in this room. Val sees someone run across the garden all look but no-one there. this room had glass panelling on the walls the 3rd window on the right is where Val was looking out when she saw a figure running. no other sightings here
next room 22 deg emf normal everyone comfortable in this room.
next room temp 19 all round Val calling out emf normal. Steve thought a northern family here. waiting staff used this room. Steve feels that the people dont understand why we were here. we are in the room with 2 windows to the front Val hears a shuffling of feet outside the door. no other activity here
next room with 1 window temp 17 Steve calling out. we all feel ok in here. Steve feels a guy in this room nothing else here
next room floor dodgy in here temp 16 small room with small window emf normal Val calling out David back now Steve feels a Scottish man here and gets the name Conner or like that everyone ok in this room Val feels a bit shut in.
into the corridor now Louise and Laura look behind them at the same time said they both felt someone walking behind them Steve calling out. again Louise and Laura look back together and again say someone is following us.
another room sorry got lost in dark as to where we were large room 1 window by door 2 windows far right. quite comfortable in this room val calling out. nothing unusual here. Back to the hub coffee drunk we make our way to 3rd vigil the dreaded cellar.
I say dreaded as I am not comfortable in underground places.
We all entered a mysterious place white walls cold horrible. Steve started calling out with the light only from a torch nothing heard the 3 girls stayed together Steve and Louise went into the 2 side parts as we saw lights but they came from a window above. with all lights out now Steve called out again after 20 seconds silence there came a quiet gurgling sound that grew louder and louder Steve shouted for us all to get out him being the 1st one followed by David and us 3 girls. to me and Louise it sounded like someone drowning. a few moments later all except me went back down in the cellar and they found a well in the floor. nothing else happened down there. Why did we all run I dont know we were there to find the unknown not to run away from it. Back to the hub and all started to pack up. A truly remarkable place and a very interesting evening was had I hope by all. cant wait for all the reports on this investigation.
Julie Harwood – Dorset & Hants Team Leader
All I can say is wow, what an amazing building and it felt such a privilege not only to be asked to join the London & Essex team but also to have the chance to investigate it. I was in a team with Kerry, Wayne & Steve G and our first vigil was in at the deep end, up in the servants quarters on the 3rd floor. On climbing the back stairs to the floor I felt an air of expectation. It was everything haunted Mansion films were made of. Wayne went down to film in the doorway and he was sure he heard a groan. The 3 of us were stood a whole flight of stairs away from him and we heard nothing. He was sure the groan had come from right behind him.
We went on to explore the other room on the floor, one of which had another secret door to the attic. I had the EMF meter for most of this vigil and I have to say we did notice some strange fluctuations in readings in a couple of the rooms. One of the rooms was the room with the attic door, where the meter peaked at around 2.0, then dropped right down only to peak at 4.0 minutes later. Being 4 people that like to look at the scientific side as well we spent time trying to locate a source of the readings however were unable to do so. As the walls in this particular room were stripped back to brick, mid renovation, so we were able to rule out hidden cables etc. We did call out in this room and we caught some orb activity on camcorder, however with bare walls and an open ceiling in parts we can not rule out the high possibility that these were dust particles.
Towards the end of this vigil we went back to the top of the staircase and while myself, Steve & Wayne remained at the top looking down, Kerry went to stand half way down. Kerry had been fine for the rest of the vigil but when on this level felt very threatened and at one point felt so much like there was someone behind her, had to turn and put her back to the wall. What was interesting was that up where we were Wayne was not only feeling cold (when the rest of us were nice and warm) but as he looked over the balcony he had a strong feeling that someone was behind him watching us. The only other thing we experienced in the attic was the sound of a woman screaming in the distance. Kerry and Steve did not hear it but myself and Wayne did. Considering we were in the heart of Ilford on a Saturday night I am happy to put it down to people on the street and nothing of paranormal nature.
After a quick break and some fresh air we moved on to our next vigil which was in the cellar and on the ground floor. I have to say the cellar fascinated me. Usually my experience of cellars is of dark, dank, musty places but this seemed different and had a very different atmosphere to the rest of the mansion. We had a good explore of the cellars and just as we were leaving Kerry heard a noise on the cellar steps. She shouted hello and was sure she heard a female reply. I shouted hello and heard nothing which to me was good as I ruled out the possibility of echo. We then moved on to the old dairy room where we decided to try a ouija board. The planchette started moving soon after we opened the session but it did not seem to move strongly. We did get some bits and pieces from it which can be seen in the transcript of the session (Group 2) however it did get slower and slower until it was barely moving. This is the most interesting ouija board I have ever done. Not because of the information gained as that in truth was minimal but because of who we were with. I know for a fact that all four of us our very sceptical about the ouija board and results gained from it and because of that I trust the 3 people I was with implicitly. This leaves me with the question to answer of why the planchette was moving. I know none of us would push it intentionally to deceive the other 3 and I knew none of us had our fingers on it heavily enough to even push it subconsciously, (which is what I usually put it down to). At some point in the experiment we all took our fingers off and the planchette carried on moving at the same pace. So what made it move? I have no idea and to date that had been the first Ouija experiment to make me question what was making it move.
Our last vigil was on the first floor. We walked from room to room and tried calling out as we stopped in most of the rooms. Unfortunately we had no audible responses however in one of the rooms (the largest one with the big fireplace – apologies for not knowing its name) Wayne was filming and was sure he saw something move behind Steve. He thought at first there was a mirror and it was in fact Steves reflection but on investigation there was nothing there that could have reflected Steve. Although I did not feel or experience anything on this floor the room that made me feel the most comfortable and to me had the strongest atmosphere was the old nursery room. We then sat on the balcony over looking the staircase and tried calling out but unfortunately the noise from the security guards tv and the other team downstairs was very distracting and although we heard a few taps in response to questions and at one point Waynes camcorder turned itself off, it was hard to hear any further responses.
The rest of the groups then joined us for an impromptu séance on the balcony. Alison opened it and after a short while Steve C could sense someone stood in front of him, someone he felt he had encountered earlier in the night. I find it very difficult to trust a lot of mediums however again I trust Steve C implicitly and do not doubt what he says. I was sat to the side of Steve and just before he said he could sense someone there I could feel a strong cold breeze pass across my face coming from Steve C’s direction. He felt as if someone was pulling his hair and at one point as silly as it sounds (as Steve has very short hair) I was sure I could see bits of his hair move. However this could very well be a trick of the light as Steve was illuminated to me by the camcorder light the other side of the balcony and so in reality if someone had moved near the light it would have caused what seemed like movement around Steve. I did take a picture of Steve when he said he could sense someone in front of him and there is indeed a massive blur/orb right in front of him in the picture. He also sensed that this person was a man, slight in stature and build and also got the name Edmond or Edmondson. It will be interesting to look into whether this name has any connections with the mansion.
All in all a great night. Not only did it give the 2 area teams a chance to work together but it was such a joy to investigate such a beautiful building. If you look beyond its disrepair you do see its true magnificence which one day I hope will be lovingly restored to its former glory.
While my personal experiences were limited (if existent at all) I believe the investigators that attended gained a lot from our visit and I look forward to being able to return to the mansion in the future. My thanks go to Essex & London Team Leader Kerry for arranging such a fantastic investigation and for inviting the Dorset & Hants group to share it and also to Anna and... For allowing us time to investigate this wonderful location.
Abbie Holding – Dorset & Hants Team
Vigil One
Our first vigil was in the dairy rooms and the Cellar. We started in the end dairy room, and after we had got over the initial shock of seeing a mini coffin in the corner the vigil commenced. I sat down on the floor in the middle of the room, Alison called out, we all listened for a while but didn’t hear anything other than the cars on the road outside or the occasional faint footsteps of the other groups. After about ten minutes Alison called out again, and straight after she had finished speaking we heard a loud shuffle coming from one of the corners, we shone the torch but saw nothing apart from some holes in the wall. There is a high probability that it was just mice shuffling around. I felt perfectly comfortable in this room and in no way uneasy, and I think so did the rest of the group so we decided to head down to the Cellar.
As soon as we entered the cellar I was immediately fascinated by the two concave rooms (that looked as though they were once food storage rooms), and was intrigued as to why they were concave unlike the rest of the cellar that had flat ceilings. After examining the brickwork at the end of the rooms it became clear that the room carried on through like a tunnel. To me the tunnels felt as though they were of great importance to Valentine’s mansion and whatever the tunnels were used for whether that had been for sending messages, escaping quickly or just a water passage the house could not have survived without them. We turned the lights out, and after about ten minutes Alison felt someone brush past her sleeve but none of us where near her at the time. She called out but nothing happened, then after about another ten minutes we all heard a profound tapping along one of the old pipes, we felt the pipe to see if it could be from hot water inside, but it was cold. Just as we were about to leave Ken went really cold, his hands felt icy to touch but no one else felt cold and the room temperature hadn’t changed.
Vigil Two
Our second vigil was on the first floor and the stairs. We walked into the ‘Drawing Room’ and I felt a sharp pain in my head, which increased as I walked into the adjacent room. This room I have renamed ‘West Wing’ room had a very feminine ambience to it, you could almost picture period ladies sashaying around the room in their corsets and gowns, gossiping about the ‘gentlemen’ in the room next door. We walked around then settled for a while in the ‘East Wing’ room at the other end. In this room I could picture a large four poster bed up against the wall. We then went and sat on the stairs for the last ten minutes of the investigation, Alison called out but we heard nothing, but Alison came up with the names; Josephine and Tyler and after a while the name Johnson came into my head. We all got the feeling that the house was always occupied by lots of people and children and the feeling on the stairs seemed to reflect this. About 5 minutes before the end of the vigil, we heard noises coming from one of the rooms on the first floor. Alison and Ed went to investigate just after they left we heard 5 prominent steps across the floorboards, I assumed it was Alison and Ed but when they came back they informed us that they heard it as well. Also at this time we heard several slams from one of the doors in the floor above, as there was a group still up their we assumed it was the group. We discovered when they came back down that they kept opening a door and leaving it then it would be slammed behind them.
Vigil Three
Our final vigil was in the Servants quarters upstairs, as I was walking up the stairs (which weren’t very long or steep) my legs felt really heavy. The atmosphere was incredibly dense and there was a lot of dust up there as well, which made me feel heavy and effected the chests of Alison and Ken. We wandered around and ended up in the rooms on the ‘East’ end, for the whole investigation so far I had not once felt uncomfortable but the urge to go back down stairs increased and I felt very uneasy. There were a lot of dark rooms and little alcove areas that were definitely playing tricks with my mind. Whilst standing in one of the rooms I heard a large crack from one of the floorboards in the room that we were in but no one had moved. So I moved around the room pressing on all the floorboards to see if I could make the same noise again, but when I stood on them they didn’t seem to make the same cracking sound that we had just heard. As we were standing in the corridor Ed suddenly jumped and said he heard and could feel someone walking up behind him but there was nobody there. All I can say is that I was glad when this vigil ended.
David Ireland – Dorset & Hampshire Team
We just came back from the valentine’s mansion on Saturday and I can honestly say I have never had an investigation quite like this one. Im not going to do this report like my others because it would drag out to long!
Me, Alison and Wayne arrived early and met up with Val and Ken (London and Essex team) outside the mansion. We then met Kerry and the rest of the team arrived shortly after. We set up base camp in a room on the ground floor, set out all of the equipment and went through the introductions because there were some people that hadn’t worked with the London and Essex team (myself for example). Anyway after the introductions we all got into our teams and set off to the first vigil areas. I was a little nervous because my team was made up entirely of London and Essex members so I didn’t know how they worked on an investigation. Team three consisted of Me, Steve crouch (London and Essex medium), Val and two of Vals relatives who I think are now new members. Our first vigil was the 1st floor and stairs. We sat ourselves down and Steve protected the group before we started. He explained to us that as a medium this was something he felt he needed to do at the start of every vigil which was fine. He started getting information straight away. Me and Steve both picked up on a lady at the same time who came out of one of the doors upstairs, down the stairs but didn’t go any further than the first set of stairs. I said to Steve it comes across as though she is almost skipping down the stairs like she is happy. Steve felt she was stumbling down the stairs because she had either been injured or had something wrong. Steve and Val began to call out for the spirit to come forward but we didn’t get anything. We then moved up the stairs into the rooms on the first floor. When we entered the first room Steve walked straight through into the joining room saying that he couldn’t stay in the first room. I myself didn’t pick anything up so we decided to move into the next room. I stood by a window that was in front of a long hallway joining both rooms. I was transfixed on the far doorway and felt an intense fear and emotion. Steve began to call out which brought me out of the “trance”. He began to ask if there was any spirits could they move the chandelier on the ceiling. I was stunned to find that when I looked up the chandelier was swinging quite rapidly!. Steve then began to get a clear picture about what happened to the lady on the stairs. When I was in the “trance” I saw a man bounding towards me very angrily which is why I felt quite fearful. Steve began to come up with quite a graphic account of the information that he was being given. Check Steve’s report as im sure he might put it in there.
We moved onto a room where I then had the worst experience of my life. In the time that I have been an investigator with Southern Paranormal I have never had anything quite like it. We moved into another big room that was joined to another. Steve began to sense that the room had lots of people walking back and forth throughout it. I didn’t sense this when Steve did so I was unaware of what was to happen. Steve and I then picked up on the presence of a man who was tall , slim and very gaunt in the face. He was also very intimidating to people. I then told Steve that he didn’t intimidate me and carried on looking around. My senses then became very clouded I felt very claustrophobic and felt as though I was pushing through hundreds of people. I tried to walk into the joining room but was pushed back by something in the doorway and that was the end of the first vigil for me.
Nothing to report In the second vigil which was in the servant’s quarters.
The last vigil was in the cellar which was very interesting for me. I first entered the cellar and the first thing I said was it looks like a morgue. It had holes in the walls where they would put the coffins almost. We turned the torches off and began to call out. Steve got his hair pulled and we heard quite a loud shuffling. We carried on calling out then got the fright of our life when we heard this gargling noise almost like someone drowning. It began to get louder and louder and we decided to leave. We went back in there afterwards (minus Val) and called out again. The same thing began to happen. Steve’s hair was pulled again and we began to hear shuffling again. We left because our time was up.
Valentines mansion is an absolutely beautiful building which when it is fully renovated will be spectacular. This mansion is definitely haunted and it was an absolute pleasure to work with Steve and the other members of London and Essex and I hope I have the pleasure again soon.
Steve Gilbert – Dorset & Hampshire Team
Our Investigation of Valentines Mansion was reminiscent of the one at Marwell Hall because as you go from room to room you cant help but wonder what it might have been like when it was lived in. However they both share the same fate in that they have seen better days decor wise. Not that this detracted from an otherwise sound investigation of all the Mansions levels. It became apparent that this environment would produce a high level of "orb" or anomaly photographs and from speaking to others in the 3 teams this was so. I myself captured many - in particular on the staircase.
Aside from this I didn’t witness any unusual occurrences on the night and nothing was recorded on my locked off video camera.
The ouija board always offers something different even if nothing happens and I’m still very sceptical of its merit to ghost hunting but there were some interesting snippets of information gathered which I wait to see if have any relevance to previous occupants of the Mansion.
All in all a good investigation and many thanks to all involved for allowing us access.
Ed Ashton – Dorset & Hampshire Team
From the outside, Valentines Mansion was a magnificent, grand looking building. The kind you would expect to see used in a lavish period drama. It was such a shame that this wasn't the case on the inside. It hit me as soon as I walked in that the whole place just seemed to have an air of neglect about it and needed some serious renovation work in order to restore it back to it's original glory.
However, despite this, Valentines Mansion seemed to be the perfect place to investigate. With its grand staircase, dark cellar and creepy attic, it appeared the ideal location to encounter paranormal activity.
Each team was given a whole floor per vigil to investigate and because of the size the actual building there were certainly a lot of areas to explore.
I found the attic to be the most interesting. A long narrow corridor led from one side to the other with a number of rooms leading off. The entire area was enveloped in pitch-blackness making it a very unnerving place to be. I observed almost straight away that Alison did not like it one bit and seemed to hesitate from entering certain rooms almost as if she knew that there was something bad in there or something was pushing her away. I can also remember her saying that she felt as though we weren't wanted here. This was the same with Abbie who was equally overcome with unease. I myself personally had a very unsettling experience when for about 2 seconds I had what I can only describe as an overpowering sense that there was someone walking up behind me whilst I was standing in the corridor, even though there was no-one there! This was probably nothing more than psychological, but at the same time very unpleasant!
Whilst I would probably debate that the building is indeed haunted, I am looking forward to reading the other teams reports as I know they had a few interesting results which will make good reading.
In the mean time, I can only hope that the restoration work being carried out on the house eventually does it the justice it deserves.
Wayne Blyth – Dorset & Hampshire Team
On our arrival, the building looked like it had a lot of potential. It was not to disappoint.
After meeting the rest of the group, myself, Julie, Kerry and Steve proceeded up the stairs to the attic for our first vigil. Whilst crouching in through a doorway, I thought I heard what sounded like a groan. Unfortunately no one else in the team heard it, and I would be willing to discount it as possibly a sound from another team downstairs, or from one of the resident security guards. We therefore decided to stay in the area and ask out. I believe a few orbs were captured on cameras etc. I actually experienced several cold breezes across my arms a few times. We went further into the building, exploring every room and cupboard before eventually trying g our luck again at the top of the stairs. It was here that I got the distinct impression that someone was standing behind me, but it could be down to the fact that there were long dark corridors behind us, which obviously would make anyone feel uneasy at two o'clock in the morning.
After a quick break, it was on to our next vigil. For us it was down to the cellar. We again had a tour of the area, observing a few smells, sounds etc, such as what sounded like a scream which both Kerry and myself heard, although at opposite ends of the cellar.
We settled on the dairy for our Ouija experiment. This proved quite eventful with the planchette moving on request and several pieces of information being put forward. It goes without saying, obviously, that no one in our team, did, or even would, move the planchette deliberately. Again it was time for a break.
Vigil 3 saw us go to the middle floor and a maze of rooms to explore. The only things to report here are that in one of the rooms, I would swear that I saw a shadow moving behind Steve as he was standing near the door. I only observed it through the view screen of the camcorder, and will report whether anything has been filmed in due course. What I do know, is that when I looked without the aid of the camera, I found no light source that would cast a shadow in that particular spot. On moving to the balcony we decided to sit and call out. At one point, my back became extremely cold and Kerry informed us that cold spots were commonly reported in that area.
After another break it was back to the balcony for a group vigil. I cannot say that anything happened on this last vigil, with the exception of Steve Crouch picking up on a few things yet to be corroborated.
Conclusion: A fantastic location, for which Kerry should be congratulated for getting us the investigation. It would be very easy to get lost in the mansion even in daylight. It is just a shame that it is in general disrepair. It will be even better when it has been renovated to its former glory. I am sure that, as a whole group, we would all jump at the chance to return.
Alison Blyth – Dorset & Hants Team
On arrival I couldn’t get over the beauty of the building. We arrived at about 9pm so it was still light enough to enjoy the full extent of it’s glory. It reminded me of Osborne House and the type of houses used in period dramas. I was looking forward to getting inside to see the fantastic rooms and hopefully pick up on the way the owners used to live.
We all entered at about 9.30 and I must admit I was excited and rearing to go. As we walked through the entrance to the hub we passed what can only be described as a fantastic stairway. There was a nice warm atmosphere on this level and I felt comfortable here, in fact the whole group seemed to be uplifted.
My first vigil was in the Dairy room and cellar area. Abbie, Ed and Ken joined me. We felt comfortable in this area, but I seemed drawn to the window area in the dairy room and I felt extreme sadness. My eyes began to sting as if I had been crying for a long time. It was a girl of about 10 years old and she gave me the name of Sarah. After a short while I was also given the name of Lockwood. I could only assume that the surname related to her, but I cannot be sure. We called out and few taps in response to our calls but we cannot be sure whether this related to vermin due to the building being unoccupied for so long. We ventured out into the cellar area. This was a sharp contrast to the dairy room as one it was an open space and two it was lighter here. I got the distinct feeling that small piglets were kept here alive until such time that they were needed for slaughter. We heard a few taps on the pipes near to the well, but couldn’t rule out that maybe vermin had caused them. I also felt something brush past me and touch the top on my head but I have no explanation for this. No names were given to me here and I didn’t sense any energy in this area.
Our second vigil was on the first floor. The room directly at the top of the stairs was amazing and I could picture grand functions taking place here. Quite a contrast to the lower floors as you could sense the wealth of the occupants. I was given the name of Henry, but no surname. He seemed to be dominating the room but didn’t really seem bothered of our presence here. The room adjoining the main room to the right as you faced the window, seemed to have a heavy female presence and I could visualise the women being sent here after dinner to leave the men to have their cigars and port in peace. I was given an image of women sitting on a window seat with their needlepoint doing samplers. I felt a little tight chested as if I was in a bodice, which would be pulled in tight restricting my normal breathing pattern. I liked this room but felt it had been altered as the wall which lead to the corridor seemed out of place. It seemed to masculine and hard lined .I took a peek out of the door and the stairs were new, not in keeping with the rest of the house so felt they had been added at a later date.
The next room in this area was the room to the left of the main hall. This had a strong masculine feel to it in contrast to the other room, so I felt that this is where the men would come to chat away from the women. I imagined the walls being in a dark oak with bookshelves incorporated into the walls. These were educated men and of high status. The period reminded me of pride and prejudice era. I am no good with dates I’m afraid, but they wore breaches of a tweed sort of fabric!
We moved on to the next room, which I felt was a master bedroom for the lord and lady of the house. Again the mouldings in the walls would have been a dark oak and a four poster bed would have been here with rich velvet drapes. Still quite a feminine room but I could imagine a warm room with a roaring fire. I was given the name of Josephine and later Tyler. It felt very French and flamboyant here.
The next room had a different feel to it as I could strongly sense children playing and caught sight of a small boy in light blue breaches with cream trims. He reminded me of Peter rabbit in the dress sense. He had blonde curly hair and was aged about 5 years old. Quite a bonny boy happily playing. He was also of money as his clothes were clean and neat. The other rooms which lead on from here also seemed to be occupied by children and the far room seemed to belong to a person who kept them all in order. An older woman who seemed to meld into the background but kept the children in order.
The stairs were interesting and I caught an orb on camera here. It made me smile as I could sense the children gazing through the staircase watching the guests walk up the stairs. I only felt this at the side of the stairs nearest to the rooms away from the main hall. It was as if they had snuck out of their bedroom to be nosy after bedtime.
Our final area was the top floor. I felt uncomfortable here and the rooms were not as grand as on the other floor. I didn’t pick up on anything in particular as I think the feeling of being on edge was down to the rooms being in a state of disrepair .
All in all a good night. I was privileged to have been invited to this beautiful building and would love to visit again after the restoration has taken place. It will be nice to see it back to it’s former glory.
Thank you for letting us visit, it was a great pleasure.
Laura Brown (Essex)
We arrived at the mansion and were introduced to everyone as this was mine and Louise’s first trip. Then we were split in to teams and in our team (No 3) was Steve, David, Louise, Val and myself Laura. Our 1st vigil was the stairs and 1st floor. We all stood and sat in different places on the old staircase. Steve opened the vigil and called out but nothing was heard, he saw a lady in white walking down the first part of the stairs. We took an EMF reading which were 5 and the temperature was 14.5 all around. Me and Louise felt quite comfortable in this room. When the light was switched off at the top of the stairs Steve noticed that it was sparking (could have been an electrical fault).
We then moved on to (what I think was the drawing room) the 1st room. The temperature was 13.5 and the EMF was 4. There were no lights in this room then Steve and Val began to call out but no reply. Then Steve called out and the pendulum hanging on the display in the middle of the room began to spin. The room to me felt quite eerie and I didn’t feel as comfortable as I did on the stairs. Steve started to talk to someone but didn’t say who it was but said he had his hair pulled. No one else felt anything in this room.
Room 2, Steve began to call out. The temperature was 12.5. Val called out but no reply. Steve called out temp felt as though it was dropping. Steve talking to somebody again. Val saw a red light on the mantelpiece. Val called out again but there was nothing. Louise, Val and I felt calm and comfortable in this room.
We moved on to room 4. The EMF reading was 5. The room felt cold and Val felt something in this room and Steve felt someone wasn’t happy that we were here. Val didn’t like this room felt that there was a constant presence in here. Louise did not like this room and I felt very uncomfortable. Val moved to the left hand corner of the room with her EMF and took reading of 5. Val described a tall man and that he was standing in this corner watching us. She felt that he was dressed in Tailored, brown chequered suit with tight trousers from the knee down, and that he had a small goatee. He had a negative posture with he arms crossed and staring at all of us.
The next room we moved on to felt a lot warmer and a lot more comfortable than the previous room. Val began to call out. Louise felt as if someone had a complete self contained flat in this room and there was a lot of objects in this room but Steve disagreed. Steve felt this was a bedroom/study which was very private. Val sees someone run across the garden so we all look but no-one there.
The next room had a temperature of 22 and we all comfortable in this room. We did not feel a presence here.
We all moved on to the next room which had a normal EMF reading and a temperature of 19 so it was nice and warm in here compared to the other room we had previously been in to. The room has 2 windows to the front and Val hears a shuffling of feet outside the door.
Steve felt that a northern family lived here and waiting staff used this room. Steve senses a presence and that presence does not understand why we were here.
The next room had a temperature of 17. Steve called out and feels a guy in this room. We all feel comfortable in here.
The next room has a temp of 16. Steve feels a presence of a Scottish man in here and gets the name of Conner. We all decide to move out on to the corridor as we felt that there was more activity out there.
We move out in to the corridor all in a line with Steve at the from and me and Louise at the back. At the end of the corridor we notice a flickering light. The others are talking amongst themselves and I was talking to Louise and then we both look behind us at the same time and felt as if there was a presence following us from a far. It didn’t feel a threatening presence just as if someone was watching us leave from afar.
We all go back to the hub before moving on to cellar. In the cellar Steve started to call out, I left my torch on as I was a little bit scared as it was very eary, but nothing was heard. We all turned our lights out this time and Steve called out again. After a small silence there came a quiet gurgling sound that grew louder and louder. Steve shouted at us to run with him being the 1st. Me, Louise and Val felt like it was a sound of someone drowning. After we had cleared the area and where in the light we all (except Val as she did not feel comfortable) went back in to the cellar but nothing else happened.
As it was mine and Louise first ever vigil it was very interesting as it was very new to us. We had a very enjoyable evening and cannot wait until the next trip!
Ken Taylor
I met some of the members of the Southern Paranormal outside of Valentines and thought how impressive it looked somewhat scary as well.The investigations started at 9.30pm my team number 1 included Alison,Abbie Ed and me. and our 1st port of call was the dairy and cellar. It did look creepy and cold. Alison had the name of Sarah and then the noise of footsteps was heard by us all in the far end of the dairy but nothing unusual happened. In the cellar I heard another noise this I put down to a rat scurrying around Alison said someone had touched her arm and then had her hair pulled while I felt a cold breeze by me but nothing else occurred here. We then went to the stairs and 1st floor I heard a noise behind me on the landing and footsteps while I was sitting on the stairs. I felt as though this area was very busy with both adults and children playing. no other feelings here. We entered the servants quarters, I immediately felt very short of breath Alison and Abbie felt a cold breeze and then I felt as though someone had touched the top of my head cant say hair as I haven’t got any. The sound of shuffling was heard at the end of the room. I felt as though I was being watched along the long corridor but didn’t notice anything unusual. Back to the room where we all met up again I felt as though there was more to this mansion than what I had experienced. All in all a good evening