| Investigation Content |
|---|
| Castle Keep |
| Queens snd Mezzanine Chamber |
| Great Hall and Kings Chamber |
| Garrison Room And Chapel |
| The Galleries |
| All Pages |
The Castle Keep stands on a steep sided promontory overlooking the River Tyne. It is a readily defensible site which has been occupied for nearly 2000 years. Flint flakes and a stone axe head found in archaeological excavations hint at prehistoric activity.
... Head over to Haunted UK for a review of the general history and haunted history of the Castle Keep. Alternatively, use the table of contents to view the reports for each location.
... Head over to Haunted UK for a review of the general history and haunted history of the Castle Keep. Alternatively, use the table of contents to view the reports for each location.
Queens and Mezzanine Chamber
The middle floor of the Keep was designated as the 2nd location and consisted of 2 separate areas with a side room attached to the first of these two areas - The Queens Chamber.
Just on the inside of the the entrance was a fairly large room with a number of display cases telling the history of the castle. To the side of this was another room which contained a mock up of a bedroom from olden times with a couple of waxwork dummies taking up the role of the rooms occupants.
Just down a set of stairs was the Mezzanine Chamber - a relatively small room with absolutely no furniture and only a single small window that looks out onto the streets of Newcastle. On one wall there looks to be a disused and blocked up fireplace.
Group 1 Report : Bekki Derek Jen Susan Shirley Diane Val Sandra
We started off our investigation in the Mezzanine Chamber, We sat and let ourselves get adjusted to the environment, as we where sitting, I felt very heavy headed and a sickness started to creep in. We tried a few call outs and I felt the presence of something in the corner of the room.
I suggested to the group that we try an energy circle, so we linked hands and began to pass energy around the circle. We called out again and one of the guests commented on how she felt there was someone behind her and her hand and the hand of the lady next to her had gone very cold. Myself and a couple of guests could feel the presence of a man in the far corner behind the two guests who had reported feeling cold. I asked one of the guests how tall she was, as I could only see an outline of what seemed like a very tall male.
Pam joined us in the room and not long after she did. We all felt the energy of the young boy Edward, he seemed to come down the stairs and one of the guests reported seeing shimmering lights as he did so. We tried to encourage Edward to come toward the circle, but he seemed very reluctant and afraid of the entity in the corner that we had already picked up on. He wouldn't come any further. He came as far as the edge of the circle and seemed as if he?d liked to have come further, but was too afraid.
We tried asking him to come and play a game with us, by pushing members of the group, But he would not go any further. I felt him moving away from the circle and Pam suggested we try the human pendulum. So we called out for any spirits present to affect a member of the group and as we did so, I felt the presence of the spirit in the corner get stronger and one of the group (I believe it was Shirley) started to sway and fall, she reported feeling sick and said it was ?Over her?, Pam came to the circle and called for the spirit to leave her, it at first seemed reluctant, but I called for it to come to me, which it at first ignored, I then felt it come towards the centre of the circle.
We attempted to talk to it again and on two occasions I was pushed from the front. I felt this presence was very hostile towards women and hadn't liked me standing up to it. After it pushed me for the second time, I decided it was time to close the circle and leave the room. We went up to the queens chamber while people took some photo?s before having our break.
Group 2 Report : Jay Julie Norma Thea Chris John Charlotte Christian
We immediately went down to the Mezzanine Chamber and sat silent in the dark for a short while with Christian sitting on the stairs to act as our early warning if something decided to come and join us.
Norma immediately began to hear a child's nursery rhyme which spoke about coming up and down the stairs. At this point Jay told the group the story concerning the two children who seemingly pop up in the Mezzanine time and time again and how one of them seems to stay at the top of the stairs and other in the chamber itself.
Norma then picked up on a woman who she said she could hear screaming as she thought she was being attacked as though she was being raped. Jay did mention at this point a tale told by a medium on a previous visit by NGI concerning a woman, possibly a servant, who had become pregnant by one of the Nobles or Lords within the castle and how the child had been ripped from her. As Jay was telling this story - we all heard a stone that was either thrown or which dropped from somewhere. We scoured on the floor for it with the torches lit and could not find it, although later we happened too when we tossed it up the top of the stairs to see whether the child up there would throw it back.
Jay began calling out to try and bring fore the 2 children, specifically the one who tends to stay at the top of the stairs. There was a slight drop in temperature but this could have been due to the hot lights which had been on previously, now switched off and thus the chamber cooling down. Christian, on the stairs, did note he could feel an icy breeze at times passing him and Chris, sat at the base of the stairs, reported he was freezing. However, there was a noticable darkness gathering at the top of the stairs which at times seemed to pulse.
After a short while, we gathered in a circle and began an energy raising excercise and once more, Jay began to call out.
There wasn't an immediate response but as we stood in the darkness a couple of us began to look up to the ceiling where we could hear what sounded like dull footsteps walking around. Jay then changed the direction of his calling out to any spirits who may have been walking about upstairs in the Queens Chamber. He asked for them to make a distinctive thudding if they could hear us. After a couple of seconds everyone heard a distinct and slightly louder : THUD THUD THUD as though somebody had deliberately jumped 3 times.
Again, Jay asked for a repeat to make sure that it wasn't something natural and we again heard THUD THUD - one short than previously, but they certainly seemed linked to the asking. Finally, Jay asked again to not only thud but to come and move the gate at the top of the stairs. Once more, we heard a THUD THUD and after a bit of encouragement we all heard what sounded like a short squeak from the gate.
Before leaving a couple of us saw a "lighter" darkness which could barely be seen at the end opposite the stairs which at one point seemed to move to the left of the wall. There was no possible source of light that could account for this "lighter" darkness and nor account for the movement.
There was also an instant where 4 people seemed to hear something which sounded like "Ugh".
Group 3 Report : Claire Phil Kathryn Susan Gillian Sheena Wendy Julie
We stood in the Queens chamber for 2 minutes and a few of the guests said they felt it was 'spooky',but that could have been becuase they hated the mannequins.
We then went into the mezzanine. Straight away a guest said she didn't like it in here one bit and felt slightly scared. This guest was the only person not have sensed/seen anything (except for hearing the 'taps' in the chapel and feeling slightly scared in the Kings Hall,which she put down to 'getting carried away in the 'moment'). She said this as soon as she came in here.
I felt energy all at the bottom far end and I went and stood there. We then all stood in a circle in this area and did the 'twitch'. The guest to the right of me said she felt as though someone was stood behind her and asked people to look for her as she didn't dare look. No one could see anything.
I felt my right wrist at times getting 'freezing' then returning to normal. About 7 out of the 10 times I felt this the guest on the right of me felt this too. I saw energy coming from the stairs and saw a small 'figure' shape come and enter the circle from between the 2 guests opposite me.
Whilst I was watching this the guest to my right said ''has something just come into the circle from over there?'' (she indicated the area I had been watching). I said yes, although I had not said this until she had mentioned it. It then seemed to go and for a few minutes it felt flat.
A few of the guests said they felt cold (more than usual but a general coldness, not local to any area). I then saw a different energy come and stand in between the 2 guests opposite me. It stayed here. I asked them if they could feel anything but they could not. I then saw it go and stand behind the guest to the left of these 2 (as I faced them).
She became all black and when 'it' moved around her I could see areas of her lighten and darken. She said she could feel nothing. I then saw this energy go to the other guest (to my opposite right) and I could see specific areas where it was touching her, especially on her right shoulder and side. She could not feel anything,either in general or on any of the specific areas I mentioned. The guest to the right of me then said she could see a big black shadow over the face of the guest this energy had gone around first.
Neither I or anyone else could see this and the guest could feel nothing. I carried on calling out but it started to feel flat so we stopped and all sat down so we could 'listen and feel' and also because some people were tired from standing.
Whilst we were sat several times very clear noises were heard by all of the group. Each time a noise was heard I asked everyone if they heard it, to which they all said yes, and also if they had made it, to which they all said no.
There were 3 noises only some of us heard and several stomach grumbles from different people so I've not included these but the definite noises heard by all we could find no cause for were:
3 clear 'sighs' from the bottom of the stair area.
a female 'singing' from upstairs. When I heard this I thought it was another group but the guests and Phil said it couldn't possibly have been because where they heard it from there was no one there. It sounded like 'proper' singing, although only briefly. I cannot comment fully on this as I was focused on energy elsewhere in the room, although I did hear it clearly.
5-6 'bangs/thuds' were heard from upstairs and I went to check there was no one there. The room above was empty as was the big hall area and there was no other sound to be heard.
1 'clink' was heard like a small stone had landed (because of the stone floor and the little bits already found there, it was impossible to say what had caused this).
Everyone apart from me heard a 'shuffling of feet' on the steps.
Everyone apart from me heard 'the metal gate clank/bang'.
Each time a sound was heard I thanked 'spirit' and asked if they could make another sound for us.
We heard another sound within 30 seconds, although they all seemed to be slightly different. Neither I or anyone else could sense any energy during this time. Then the noises stopped and we sat discussing what we had heard.
As we left this area Phil said a few times he had heard 4 clear footsteps (but faint) walking around in the room upstairs. He didn?t say anything to see if anyone else remarked on it. I never heard them and the guests didn?t say they had. Phil said he clearly heard them.
Group 4 Report : Mark Carol Gail Liane Angela Michelle Aileen Jean
A very strange incident happened in this room (Queens Chamber). After we all did the usual getting adjusted to the light etc, sadly in this particular location the lights off the cabinets in the main foyer are very distracting, one of the guests noticed Liane's hands. I have NEVER seen this before. and it was quite bizarre. Liane's hands were black and grey in colour. At first it was thought it was black dust that she had got off the walls, so she tried to wipe them clean, but to no avail. As much as she wiped them the colour of black and grey would return to the surface of her hands, it was certainly not dirt, that was an absolute fact. It was reminiscent of my dead bodies in the anatomy lab, Liane's hands in all intense and purposes looked 'dead'. Liane was also very very cold, so were her hands (naturally), Michelle who was cold in the Main Hall, but she warmed up in the rest of the locations, also went very cold in this room too. A light was seen by a few guests by one of the 'dummies', underneath a table, which had a silver goblet on top. To be honest this could have been 'normal' as opposed to abnormal light been cast on the goblet itself, like I have already mentioned, the lights off the cabinets in the main foyer are 'very' distracting, so the chances are this was them casting shadows etc.
We decided to move down to the Mezzanine area from the Queens, and this location apparently (with the previous group), had been quite a hive of activity. We did do some calling out, nothing untoward occurred, but then one of the guests, Angela who was probably the more sceptical of the group, suddenly commented on being extremely cold. Angela had NOT felt cold in any other locations that night, but she had to sit down at one point because she was freezing. I must admit I did not feel cold, neither I don't think did Mark, Mark will be able to comment on this personally, but I'm not sure if the temperature in the room dropped either.
We had been told by the previous group that a child's presence had been felt on the stairs area, and I must admit at one point this particular area became very dark indeed. Angela in particular, called out to what we 'all' thought might be the spirit presence of a child on the stairs. Apparently according to the previous group, it appeared to them that this little child, whom it was thought to be a male child, would not come any further into this room so stayed on the stairs, which may account for the darkness in this area. I went to the bottom of the stairs and called, looking up at the stairs as I carried this out. At first nothing, but then the stairs appeared to darken at the bottom four, it was then that I felt a cold, what can only be described as a breeze effect, around the bottom of my legs. It felt as though someone was wrapping their arms around my knees and legs area. It would be lovely to think this could have been (possibly) this little boy spirit looking for security and comfort, who knows!!!. The lights came on at this point and it was time to leave this location, sadly.
... Head over to Haunted UK for a review of the general history and haunted history of the Castle Keep. Alternatively, use the table of contents to view the reports for each location.
Great Hall and Kings Chamber
The uppermost floor in the Keep was classed as Location 3 and consisted of one main room - The Great Hall - which had a number of little rooms attached to it, most notable of those was the Kings Chamber.
The Great Hall was a large room with little in the way of furniture - a couple of display cases at most. In a side room, the Kings Chamber had a small amount of furniture and a small corridor leading off to what was once upon a time, a lavatory.
Up a set of stairs and through a small open doorway there was a small empty chamber with a pitched black corridor leading to another blocked toilet area.
On an even higher level, overlooking the Great Hall, was a passageway that was known as The Galleries. This passage circumnavigated the Great Hall and allowed people to look down on the Great Hall. The stairs up to the Galleries also led to the roof of the Keep.
Group 1 Report : Bekki Derek Jen Susan Shirley Diane Val Sandra
We moved onto the second location and waited for the lights to go out. We let ourselves adjust to the environment, then some of us went into the Kings Chamber and tried some call outs, but got very little, I sat on the box I had sat on earlier to see if I could provoke a response. Although I felt a slight hostile atmosphere, I got nothing else.
So we went back into the great hall, where some of us decided to set up the Ouija board, We grounded ourselves before starting by calling out for any spirits in the room to come forward. At first we got nothing, but then something started to come through:-
- It spelt out FU and started to move toward the C
- I asked if this was who I thought it was (Someone we had come across on previous visits)
- It replied Yes then
- I asked if this was Derek to which it replied Yes
- We then asked if it had anything to tell us and it started to spell PIS and move toward the S again
- Did he die here? No
- Did he live here? No
- Did he work here? Yes
- Did he have anything else to tell us.
- He then started to spell out SHALL I SAY and after a bit of struggling he spelt out EDGIN.
- We asked if this was his surname and he replied Yes.
- We asked if he wanted to say anything else
- which he spelt out the word COFFINS
- We asked him what he wanted to say about coffins, he replied I DUG THEM UP
- We asked why PEDDALAR
- We asked if he meant he was a peddler, he replied Yes
- We asked what he peddled in, and he started to spell out BQD
- We asked him to start that word again Which he started to spell out BOD, but the lights then turned on and we where distracted
- we asked if he was still there, but he seemed to have left
- I believe he had been trying to spell out the word bodies.
Group 2 Report : Jay Julie Norma Thea Chris John Charlotte Christian
In truth, we got very little whilst in the Great Hall - bits and pieces, but nothing major.
At first, everybody split up and explored all the little rooms which connect to the Great Hall before we all got together again around the Ouija Board.
It did appear as though there was a lot of unconscious movement of the planchette as it jerked around randomly to begin with but after a little forceful encouragement to have any spirits direct it towards Yes if they could hear us, it did begin to move constantly in that direction.
However, it stopped instead on "B" and then moved over to "1", "2" and "2" again before the random jerkiness came back.
While we were doing the board, we heard the floorboards creaking in a circular fashion around us as though somebody was walking around where we sat. Norma, who was sat with her back to the Kings Chamber, had previously said she had felt an icey breeze come from this room as though somebody had just come into the Great Hall and on a couple of occasions claimed she felt cobwebs over her face and that something was tugging the collar of her jacket.
We never felt we were going to get much more from the board and so instead tried a little table tipping. However, the table did not move at all. Jay got the sense that something was watching on asking What ARE you doing?. We stopped our attempt after a while.
We entered the Kings Chamber itself and Normal immediately got drawn to the corner to the left of the doorway where she felt uncomfortable. Jay mentioned that a man who didn't particularly like women was known to inhabit this room and so Normal herself began calling out to him to try and have him remove her from the room.
At one point, Julie commented that the corner oppopsite to where we were was getting darker and darker and when Jay went to investigate, Norma suddenly cried out. She heard what sounded like somebody scraping their feet 3 times behind her and pushing into her.
Later, when we left the Kings Chamber, Jay thought he saw a dark figure standing in the doorway of the Kings Chamber when somebody else was randomly waving their torch around. It was quite possible the shadow of an object or person, but it was something we couldn't replicate even though everybody remained stood exactly where they were.
Group 3 Report : Claire Phil Kathryn Susan Gillian Sheena Wendy Julie
We sat in the Great Hall and Pam asked for any spirits to come forward. After about 5 minutes she and some of the guests felt as though the doorway to the Kings room was darkening.Phil said he could feel this too. Pam went over and then came back saying it was horrible and dark and strong.
I couldnt really see or feel anything so I went over and stood next to the glass case in the doorway. I then sensed energy strongly in the doorway and coming towards me. Pam said that she could see a dark energy coming to 'overshadow' me and that I should move but I felt fine and stayed where I was. I could feel this energy but this is what we had come for so I was going nowhere.
Pam and 2 of the guests said they could see me 'changing'...I ad gone all black,they couldn't see 'me',just that I was a 'tall black shadow'. I could sense the energy strongly now and I shouted for it to ''come on'' repeatedly...I felt as though it 'had to build' or what was the point?
Pam was telling me to move away but I wanted it to 'come on' ,although I didnt really know what ''coming on' entailed. My voice deepened and got s'tronger' as I shouted this.
I wanted to turn and look behind me.
Phil and another guest were saying they could see a dark shadow on the steps.
Pam turned het attention to this and said I should too.
Both she, Phil and 2 of the guests said the could see little lights in the darkness.
I 'strode' (only was I can describe how I felt I moved) over towards this area and at first I couldn't see anything unusual. Then I saw it and it 'hit' me with a 'wave of energy'.
It was a dense solid blackness but in this blackness I could see shapes and figures shimmering. I could see one coming down the steps towards me.
Pam was saying this too and was shouting for it to go back and for me to go back but again I felt that although this was a bit stronger than the energy in the Kings Room it was ok and it was only its 'strength' that was unsettleing,and this is what we had come for.
I felt a big injustice that we should 'ask' these people to come forward and share things with us only to run off screaming when they did,and whatever happened I knew I wasnt moving this time.
Pam was saying the energy was coming towards me and Phil and the other guests could see an area of darkness. I then saw from the dense energy a clear shape of a figure (slightly drawn out by a silvery colour; I said it looked like a silver 'readybrek man',and then laughed and said this was funny as I'd mentioned about Ready Brek earlier in the night when stood in almost the same area.)
I couldnt get anymore details visually,only that it was taller and slimmer than me,very thin. (I said it was 'like manhattans', and what I meant by this was I was seening it how Ihad seen the bloke thing coming down the stairs in manhattans,the same sort of 'energy figure',however it was a different colour and nothing like that)
I started shaking and felt 'bent' over'.
Pam came over and said for it to leave me but again I said no,I wanted it to come stronger,I was ok and this is why we were here.
I felt the ball of light in my stomach pushing upwards and stupid noises started coming out of my mouth again. My legs were shaking violently by this time and I was almost bent over double. Pam came and stood behind me and asked it to leave but again I said no.
I then started to move 'violently' backwards and forwards. As much as I am loathe to say this cos I know I'll get stick for it it was as though I was being bent over and 'entered' from behind quite violently by a man.
I felt nothing sexual or any other sensation either physically or energetically, but the 'movements' and 'position' I was being 'held' in (I couldn't move from this position) seemed to indicate this.
Also the movements got faster and faster (as can be the case in those moments) and then as my legs suddenly 'spasmed' it suddenly stopped and left me. (I can only say this was a very similar 'movement' to a man 'finishing off' in those circumstances).
I then stood up and felt fine.
At no time did I feel anything other than the sensations I described, no emotions or other sensations.
Pam said the energy had gone and Phil and the guests said they could not see it any longer.
We then split into 3 smaller groups.
Phil and I went into the 'dead end passage' room and stood.
As soon as we went in I felt as though I couldn't breathe deeply enough however I wasn't gasping for breath.My chest felt very heavy.
Phil said (as I was feeling this and thinking about it as he said it) that his chest felt really heavy as though there was a great pressure on it.
This lasted in both of us for about 2 mins then stopped. We both said it had gone at the same time.
I then sensed a younger male energy to my right (in the doorway down the thin passage) and he seemed to by holding his hand out to me 'so I could join him in a dance'. I wanted to hold my hand back out to him and had a strong urge to laugh.
2 guests then joined us and we stood in a circle.
Then one 'jumped' and said she had seen a black shape move to the right of her and she moved to stand in another area.
I sensed nothing else and left.
I went to the Kings Room and stood in the doorway.
Pam and the guests again said they could see lights and energy around this area.
I entered the room with Pam. She said Bekki had said something to her 'that no one was able to sit on the chest' in the far right corner, so she went and sat on it.
Almost as soon sa she sat down the jumped up and ran over to me saying a man had shouted at her to get off it.
We stood in the doorway just inside the room.
Pam said she could see and sense a dark energy in the far left corner of the room near the fireplace.
She said she felt as though it was stood and wanted us to go.
I looked at her and I saw she had a dark veil over her head and face.It was very dense, more like a thick material than a 'gauzy' one. I blinked, shook my head, moved slightly, looked away and looked back again yet still I could see this as clearly as I could see anything else; it was not made from 'energy'.I felt I could have touched it. Pam seemed smaller and I said what I could see.
I then noticed she was shaking slightly and then I realised she was quietly sobbing. I put my arms round her and asked if she was okay.
She was speaking very quietly but in between her sobs she said she felt as though she had a dark shroud' on. She didn't say anything else,she just cried and asked for it to leave her alone.
I then briskly rubbed all round her to dispel any energy around her and after abour 1 min she said it had gone. She then left the room.
As she did I was aware of a guest behind me in the doorway. I moved slightly to let the pass, and I wondered who it was as they had a strong 'aura' which felt very nice and warm. As I turned to see who it was (they felt 'familiar') I saw there was no one there.
I asked Pam and the guests who had just been in the doorway and they said no one, only Pam leaving it. I had been aware of 1 definite, but I had thought there were 2 guests stood behind us and one who had enter the room who I had moved to let pass when Pam ahd just left. They had been looking at this are all the time so would have seen if anyone was there. I had felt this so strongly I just presumed it was a guest,or at least a 'real person'.
2 guests then came over and stood in the door with me and Phil joined us.
One guest stood to the left of me more towards the centre of the room.
The energy now felt very different, rhythmical. I felt as though someone was being comforted,or 'lulled' to sleep.
I felt as though I was swaying and I could see the guest to the right of me swaying.
I remarked on this and she said she didn't feel as though she was moving at all. The other guest and Phil both said they could see her moving and swaying.
We seemed to be swaying in conjunction with each other. None of the others in the room/doorway could sense this energy however the guest continued to 'sway' until the lights came on.
I stayed in this room for a while as I felt it was still full of energy. It felt a nice,peaceful,soothing energy energy.
Group 4 Report : Mark Carol Gail Liane Angela Michelle Aileen Jean
Once the lights had gone out, Mark & I led the group in to the Kings Chamber. We felt this was the better location, rather than the Main Hall, as the Hall location was too noisy with other groups moving around the Gallery area above. This Mark & I felt was quite distracting, so we decided the Kings Chamber, which is just off the Main Hall was a better proposition. The group and ourselves, quickly got adjusted to the dark and we let things settle down a bit before actually calling out.
In the Kings Chamber, one of the guests Michelle felt very cold, even though no one else in the group felt like this at the time. However, another 2 guests felt drawn to, what they described as a "gravity pull" towards a cabinet, which had a gravestone enclosed within it, in the corner near the Kings Chamber loo area (on your right hand side as you 'enter' the Kings Chamber). Unfortunately, apart from that gravity pull towards the cabinet, this was the only thing to be felt in this room. We carried on calling out, including a number of guests, but this particular location was very quiet, so we decided to try another location.
Well Room & Room off with toilet:
A number of the guests had ventured in this particular location on their own, and all of them said that they felt nothing unusual, or that they certainly didn't feel anything untoward in this area. As a group we did collectively enter the Well Room, but we all felt that this location was also very quiet. From there we took the group into a room off the Main Hall, which is next/near to the Well Room and up some stairs. Now this location the last time I was at the Castle Keep, I have to admit my hackles rose in this particular area, as if I was being watched -and for me to say this, you know there has to be something in it. Again this area didn't disappoint.
This room was very dark so we all had to get adjusted to the light first. Because this room is quite confined and narrow, the group had to be separated into different parts of the room. A few guests were stood in the corridor area, closed off by what looks like a cell door, and others in the corner area where the toilet is situated. The rest of the group including myself and Mark, stayed in the main area of the room. It was at this point that activity started to occur. One of the guests a young girl called Liane, suddenly felt very cold, and commented that she felt that someone was standing near her. This was in the corridor area of the room, Liane was standing near the cell door at this point. Another guest then commented on seeing red or blue dotted lights (can't remember what colour), but they weren't that of a laser torch either, and I must admit a few other guests commented at different times that they could also see these lights too.
Mark & I thought this would be a good opportunity to do a 'Circle', to help build up some form of communication using our own personal energy. We did this, and Liane again felt that someone was next to her, as she went very cold down one side. This was felt also by the guest standing next to Liane, which makes it appear that the spirit or whatever, was standing by her side. Again lights were seen in the centre of the circle by a number of guests, and there was a distinct drop in temperature felt by certain members of the group as well. Sadly the lights came back on, so we had to leave this location, but we all felt this particular location was the 'most' active.
... Head over to Haunted UK for a review of the general history and haunted history of the Castle Keep. Alternatively, use the table of contents to view the reports for each location.
Garrison Room And Chapel
The ground floor of the Keep consisted of two main areas - the Garrison Room and The Chapel.
The Garrison was a fairly large open room with a pillar reaching from the floor to the rood. Situated around the room was a number of 'headstones' with various descriptions on them, a couple of stone statues and a storage cupboard. There was also a blocked up fireplace in the room. At the top of some sone stairs was another room known as The Pit which it was said used to be used as a holding room like a small cell.
Down a very short passageway was The Chapel area. Upon first entering, you enter a small room off the side of the chapel, which contains only a small font. Passing through an open doorway you enter the chapel proper. This is the most lit area within the whole Keep with large arch shaped windows looking out onto the streets of Newcastle. There is no furniture in the chapel at all, its completetly empty, other than a few Norman headstones that have been moved and stored here from a nearby cemetary.
Group 1 Report : Bekki Derek Jen Susan Shirley Diane Val Sandra
When we first went to the Garrison room some members of the group including myself and Derek and a few guests went up to the old pit room at the top of the stairs, we realised the door to the old condemned mans cell was open, which it had never been on previous investigations, but thought nothing of it, Derek closed it and we went down back into the main room.
We tried some pendulum dowsing. One guest tried but got nothing, another one started and got a female coming through, but had to give up as her arm ached from holding the pendulum. I took over and once again got a female, I suddenly got a flash of a vision of a young girl been attacked by two or three men, so we asked if that had happened to her and she said yes. I felt she had perhaps been raped prior to being killed. All questions we asked seem to point to this too.
We went into the Chapel briefly, but I was reluctant to bring the Ouija board in because of a previous experience, but I suggested to Derek that he could do it with the guests and that I would stand at the doorway ready to run. They attempted the board, but got nothing although I did get the feeling that the energy in this room was not even going to entertain them as it didn't agree with the board. One of the group took an amazing photo in this room of what looked like a moving light next to some ones leg.
Group 2 Report : Jay Julie Norma Thea Chris John Charlotte Christian
Disappointingly, the Garrison was the quietest of all our locations. Jay always looks forward to the Garrison as he seems to think it is the focal point of all the castles activity, but tonight, sadly for our group, there was very little to report.
There were a couple of occasions when the entrance to the room went darker and darker which usually heralds the arrival of something coming into the room but just when it seemed like something would, it left.
At one point, we tried a human pendulum and asked any spirits present to choose one of the participants to work with and to communicate through. Nobody was chosen as their was no obvious movement from anybody beyond the norm, although Jay reported his right arm was freezing. Not just cold, but freezing - so much so that his skin was burning with the cold and he had to step out of the circle to put his coat on to warm up.
We split into two groups - one entering the Chapel led by Julie and Jay took four of the group into the pit room where we sat in the darkness and called out but got nothing in return.
Group 3 Report : Claire Phil Kathryn Susan Gillian Sheena Wendy Julie
When we went down the stairs about 2 thirds of the way down I felt 'energy' suddenly,as though I has walked into it.It made me 'shake' physically and I had to fling my arms about and shake them to get it off me.Not because of anything I was aware of,this was just how I felt it physically and had the urge to 'shrug' it off down my arms and out of my hands. It continued in the room at the side of the chapel and lasted about 30 secs but was very strong and 'light'. I asked if anyone else could feel anything but everyone said no.
Phil and I showed the guests the rooms whilst the lights were on.When we went in the Pit room everyone remarked how cold it was.However there was a door at the end which led into a little store room which was full of 'junk',and in this room there was a small door which was slightly open which looked like it was an external door,so we put it the coldness down to this.
As 2 guests had asked about protection on the Gallery when the lights went out we stood at the far end of the garrison in a circle and used a white light visualisation as well as calling on our spirit guides for protection. We then sent the 'twitch' around. I called out and asked for any energy/spirit present to come and make itself known to us in a way we would be aware of,to come and communicate with us and tell us a bit about itself,and its connection to the keep. I felt at times as though there was faint energy but it didn't last long the few times I felt it.
Phil saw a 'white flash' on the pillar in the centre of the room. I didnt see this but about 2 mins later I saw a bright white large flat circle of white light flash briefly at the top of the pillar. Phil didnt see this but one of the guests said they had seen a flash at the same time. At one point I felt the energy suddeny 'change and for about 1 min it felt very strong and 'dark', and my voice changed when I was calling out,however the energy left as quickly as it had come.
Phil said at this time the stairs to the pit room 'darkened' for about a min, although no one else could see this. Phil on my right was saying the right side of his neck felt cold. The guest to his right said his hand was trembling and at first it had felt very cold but suddenly she felt it 'start to burn'.Phil said he felt like he was burning up.
This feeling left him and we decided to try the Ouija board.
Before we did though we were trying to work out where the flashes had come from on the pillar when the guest said she had seen a yellow flash on the external door in the corridor,(not the pillar), about a foot above the top 'hole' where light was coming in from the streetlight outside.In the dark we had presumed we were talking about the same area but once we put the torches on we realised she had been indicating a different area and had not realised we were talking about the pillar in the centre of this room. Phil went and checked this.
All the guests and I put our fingers on the credit card planchette. Although it was quite difficult to 'push' the card (I demonstrated this before we started)it was slightly jumping all the time we were doing it which I believe was caused my the guests fingers not being steady etc. I called out but felt nothing and apart from the movement from our fingers the palnchette didn't move. I said I felt we would get nothing doing this now and we all moved into the Chapel.
The Chapel
(The lights were still on in here so Phil went and got them turned off).
We stood in a circle down at the end with the tombstones in.
We sent the twitch around again and straight away I felt Phils hand trembling. I remarked on this and the guest to his right said she could feel it was 'freezing cold' and 'shaking'. I called out and both I and the guest on Phils right felt his hand go very hot very quickly. He said he felt as though he was burning up,although he felt very cold.He said he felt a cold breeze on him constantly but his neck felt red hot.
Another guest said she had a pain in her leg. I asked if this was normal for her and she said no, unless it was because of 'all the standing'.
I then heard a noise like a small 'click/tap',like a very small pebble landing on the roof of the chapel. This was followed by another more towards the back of the room then another in the corner behind Phil and I.
After I heard the first noise I asked if it was spirit doing this if they could do it again, then I heard it again;I asked again and heard it again. It was like a small pebble was hitting stone quite hard and making a 'clink' or 'tap'.
All the guests and Phil heard this, but they all agreed that the sound came from the corner behind Phil and I every time. No cause was found for these noises. On looking on the floor in this area it was impossible to say if anything had fallen from the ceiling etc,however I have not heard this before in the Chapel.
I carried on calling out and felt my voice wanted to 'change' and deepen. Phil said he felt really horrible now, freezing cold but burning up and the right side of his neck was hurting him. The guest who had said her leg was hurting now said she felt as though she couldn't move it from the thigh down.It was her left leg and she felt as though from below the knee it was stuck out at a funny angle, as though she had a 'gimpy' leg. She said this was not common for her and she had never felt it before.
I left the circle but joined the link up and went around taking temperature readings from everyone. I took redings from everyones backs and legs. The coat temperature reading ranged from 21 - 25 degrees (the readings were lowest on the people who were originaly to the right of me and highest on those to the left of Phil). The leg readings ranged from 16 - 19 degrees (with the same pattern of a lowering of the readings in the same area as with the coat readings).
Phils neck where he said it felt 'strange' had a reading of 29 degrees constantly and his head gave a constant reading of 25 degrees. Phil said he felt so awful he had to leave the circle and sit down. I felt his forehead and it was very cold but he was dripping in sweat,as though he'd been doing a lot of exercise and had just stopped. We all stopped the circle and Phil sat in the window behind him. Just before he sat down the guest to his left felt his forhead too and confirmed he was freezing,clammy and dripping in sweat.
One minute later he said he felt normal again,and when I felt his head he felt 'normal' (warm but not hot) and there was no sign of any 'sweat', his skin felt smooth and clean. The same guest felt him again and also confirmed this.
He said he had not felt this anywhere else except in the garrison and as far as he was aware he was not ill.He said he felt fine now.
I gave the 2 pendulums to 2 of the guests. I talked them through how to use them and they both experienced them swinging. I called out for them both to swing for 'yes' and they both swang in a definite direction (although not the same as each other). I asked the both so swing for 'no' and they both immediately started to swing in another definite direction (again,not the same direction on both pendulums though).
We repeated this exercise 3 times and the pendulums gave the same 'answers/swings' so I then proceeded to ask if there was spirit with us, to which they both said 'yes'.
I asked if it was a male and they both said no.
I asked if it was a female and one said yes and one said no.
I asked if this person had lived at the Keep and one said 'yes' and the other no (same answers from the pendulums as to the last question).
I then asked if they had worked here and one said 'yes' and the other 'no' (but they gave the opposite answers to the last 2 times,ie the pendulum which had said 'no' was now saying yes and vice versa).
We decided to stop this now as our time in here was up and we were getting conflicting 'replies'.
Phil said he felt 'totally okay now, it was as soon as he left the cirlce he felt fine' and the guest who had had the 'gimpy' leg said as soon as we had stoped the circle she felt fine.
Group 4 Report : Mark Carol Gail Liane Angela Michelle Aileen Jean
Pam joined our group for this last location. We started off in the Garrison Room. Before the lights went off, 2 of the guests Jean & Angela commented that they felt a funny sensation by one of the pillars. It was a pillar that was located near a set of inscribed tomb stones. When Jean stood by the pillar and faced the wall where these tomb stones lent against, she felt very cold down one side. When Angela stood staring at the same area of wall against the same pillar, she felt a tingling sensation also. They both asked me to stand there to see if I could pick up on this, which I obliged but sadly I felt nothing.
When the lights went off, we all sat in a sort of circle, well as much as we could, and waited for the darkness to settle. Pam sensed a spirit immediately in this location. She said the spirit on the stairs coming from the Pit Room was that it an adult male, whose name was Jacob. Apparently according to Pam this male spirit hated women, so with this in mind, and the fact that poor Mark was the ONLY male present, we 'as' a group had a field day with Jacob. Both Pam and I goaded Jacob, and a few members of the group felt a definite drop in temperature when we did this. There was a definite sighing sound heard at one point by nearly all of the group, including me. However, this could have been activity from outside, as this location has a door that leads out on to the main street. Mark being the only male in the room, we got him to counteract Pam & me, hoping this might bring Jacob further into the circle, the male bonding scenario.
Pam then said that we should move in to the Chapel, which we all did. Pam told Mark to stay in the Garrison Room, and I stood at the entrance of the Chapel. Pam called out to Jacob to come and follow us into the Chapel, and Mark also called out to him from the Garrison Room. Pam said she sensed a presence, I presume Jacob near me at one point, but to be honest I felt nothing untoward at this stage. We went back into the Garrison Room and I went up to the Pit Room with a few of the group, Pam did a seance with those who wanted to do it in the Garrison Room.
The Pit Room for was extremely quiet, although a guest did hear footsteps a little later (possibly) coming from the stairs out of the Pit Room, heading towards the Garrison Room.
When the group investigations had been fulfilled, we all went back to 'our' favourite locations. Both Mark & I stayed in the Garrison Room, and another 2 guests from another group called Lorraine & Doug heard a coin drop in the Pit Room, where there are a set of ladders going down into the basement. Lorraine (brave soul) ventured down the ladders to the said area below, to see if she could locate the coin, which she couldn't. Also the door of the store room was open, and it had been closed earlier. However, the door was easily opened so it could have just not been closed properly in the first place.
... Head over to Haunted UK for a review of the general history and haunted history of the Castle Keep. Alternatively, use the table of contents to view the reports for each location.
The Galleries
Overlooking the Great Hall and at the highest level in the keep are a series of passageways that was known as The Galleries. These passageways circumnavigate the Great Hall and allowed people to look down on the Great Hall. The tight stairs that lead up to the Galleries also led to the roof of the Keep.
It can be echoey up here and noise from the Great Hall can travel upwards, however, once you can discern what noise is coming from where, its quite easy to determine any noises their source.
Group 1 Report : Bekki Derek Jen Susan Shirley Diane Val Sandra
This was our final location and the least active, we experienced nothing in this location despite other groups seemingly doing so.
After Investigation - Packing Up
While putting the chairs away, I went into the side room, used for storing the chairs, which had an old gate on it. I opened this wide to ensure we could move around it with chairs and as I turned away I saw it slowly close, I assumed this was just the way it fell, when I had let go of it, but as I said something to one of the team, I turned around again and it was wide open. It is possible it had swung one way, but shouldn't be able to sping back naturally.
Group 2 Report : Jay Julie Norma Thea Chris John Charlotte Christian
The Galleries were their usual dark and spooky. At first, though, people made their way up to the roof and we spent a few minutes just taking in the sights. On previous visits Jay had been uncomfortable up here - not one to be usually affected by heights, he'd always had the sense that he'd wanted to run and jump off, but tonight he felt fine.
When we went to the Galleries proper, we all spread out in groups of twos for a while and sat or stood in silence just listening.
Jay was wandering around just making sure everyone was okay. At one point John thought he caught a couple of things on camera. One of the objects we ruled out as a small plastic covering that was attached to a small piece of scaffolding, but there was definitely something else in the darker reaches of the photograph that we couldn't identify. Jay then walked off and around the Galleries to where Norma and Chris were.
When he arrived, he found Norma in a bit of a tizz. Both of them had been looking out over one of the balconies and had saw Jay walk past the opposite opening in the Galleries - to be followed a second or two afterwards by a smaller, darker and what looked to be a hooded and cloaked figure that floated behind him. Jay had seen, heard or felt nothing, but both Norma and Chris had seen the dark figure following Jay.
There is a story of people being followed around the Galleries when they walk and so we all grouped together and headed to one of the corners where we would each walk alone around the galleries - if the figure had been spotted - it meant that this particular spirit was doing his rounds tonight.
When we got to the corner where we would start - Jay immediately felt a dark presence. He was quite on edge and as the others arrived they also felt a strange feeling in this area of the Galleries with Pam, who had joined us for this location, claiming she could see the man standing there.
The first brave explorer went off into the darkness and as he did, the presence seemed to go with him. When he returned after his circuit he claimed he could hear a noise behind him as he walked, similar to a hand repeatedly slapping against the wall.
Others went on their trip but it appeared that not everyone heard much. Shortly, the presence returned to where we were waiting and many could feel it once more amongst us. Norma then went off walking and as she did, the presence once more seemed to go off with her.
Again, on her return, she claimed that she'd lost her balance at one point as though seemingly shoved into the wall - this had confused her because this happened in one of the lighter part of the galleries and she'd have thought it would have happened in the darkest of corners. She could see the wall, but could do nothing to prevent herself being pushed into it.
In all, 4 of our group reported something strange happenning when on their circuit and it was indeed strange that 2 of those people set off on their circuit when a strong presence could be felt where we were gathered and which seemed to follow them when they began their travels.
Group 3 Report : Claire Phil Kathryn Susan Gillian Sheena Wendy Julie
Whilst the lights were on Phil and I briefly walked around the gallery and went on to the roof whilst the lights were on to show the guests this area.
Whilst walking on the galleries I asked if anyone specifically didn't want to know anything about previous things experienced here. I said I wasnt going to tell them anyway,but was asking because if they picked up on things or specific areas I might confirm things if they tied in, so didn't want to do this if it was not what they wanted. They all said they were ok with this.
Whilst up on the roof the lights went out. I asked the guests who had done this before, all but one person said they had been on an organised ghost hunt before. I asked if any of them were sensitive or mediums but they all said no.
I suggested for the first 20 mins we went down onto the galleries and all split up into smaller groups or 2's or 3's and went and sat in an area and got used to the noises/feel of the place as well as listening etc.
I went and stood in the corner that has no light source and the small step near it (for the purpose of the rest of the report I will refer to this as the 'dark' area).
I felt fine whilst stood here for 5 minutes.I noticed that the passage towards the steps seemed to be darkening but I put it down to my eyes.
I then moved to the stairs (that lead to the open door to the roof) and down the next corridor where I passed 2 guests who were sat listening. I passed Phil a bit further along.
I went into the next passage and came across more guests etc until I had eventually done a circle and was back at the stairs which lead up to the locked door to the roof. As I passed the guests they all said they were experiencing nothing 'paranormal'.
I sat on the stairs leading up to the door and Phil was in the doorway of the corridor leading to the passage which goes to the other staircase. I heard movement from the top of the stairs where I was sat,which sounded like there was someone on the roof. Phil said he had seen people going up the stairs down the corridor so I went to the top and shouted through the bars on the locked door to check who was up there.They said they were all up there maybe except one,and I counted 5 people. When I went down Phil said he'd seen a white flash in the corner of the corridor away from the stairs.We went to investigate and could find no cause for this.I checked the gallery quickly for guests but there were none. Whilst I had been looking Phil said he'd seen 'white flashes' in the dark corner, for which no obvious source could be found. Whilst there Phil remarked how dark it was, although it just seemed to be normally dark to me.
We stood for a few mins and Phil said he could see the corridoor towards the open stairs 'darkening on the right side'. I could see this slightly but I do think what I saw was my eyes, as oppose to anything else.
I said I could smell a scent here like perfume. To me it smelt a bit like the perfume 'poison' mixed with something 'fruity', like peach. Phil couldn't smell this. I checked it was not his deodorant I was smelling and this had a totally different smell all together. Also I had been stood close to him at other times and not smelt this. The smell then went.
The guests came down from the roof, where they said they had experienced nothing 'odd'.
We spread out again and I went round to check what people were experiencing.
In the corridor which faces the locked stairs and the dark corner 2 guests said they had twice seen a 'yellow flash' down there directly under the red security light (at the dark corner). They presumed it was a torch but when they looked no one was down there.
I went and sat on the stairs that were locked again on my own. I went into a meditation almost straight away (not related to the keep so I wont put the details here) for about 15 minutes.
Other Things Of Note :
Phil said he was stood in the dark corner with 2 of the guests and they all thought it was very odd it was so dark and they could not see their own hands in front of them.They all felt a bit 'spooky' in this area.
Ten minutes into the vigil two of the guests who I came across when sat in a window alcove just past the open stairs said they'd heard a constant dripping water sound.They had not checked this and they didn't tell me until after this vigil. They had not noticed it anywhere other than here. A few 'orbs' were captured on camera by the guests I believe.
Phil said that he hated being on the roof,he felt like he was going to fall off. He said this was odd as he has a good head for heights and previously worked as a satellite dish fitter being up high on ladders with no walkways etc. I asked him to go back up and see if he felt the same. He said he did,and that for him this was very odd.
I said that I'm terrified of heights and cant even go up a ladder into a hayloft. However I didn't feel scared at all on the roof and could stand at the edge and enjoy the view,which is very odd for me.I had not thought anything about this,or indeed noticed it until Phil mentioned how it made him feel.This has always been the case here.
Group 4 Report : Mark Carol Gail Liane Angela Michelle Aileen Jean
Unfortunately, this particular location was very distracting for us. Claire and Pam's group were in the Main Hall below, and there was a lot of activity going on down there. Apparently both Pam & Claire (in particular Claire) had connected with a spirit/spirits presence and, this I have to be honest, gave the Gallery location a negative air, sorry. As a group we couldn't concentrate, we were too busy watching from above at the going ons down below, and because we couldn't get quietness for the obvious reasons, calling out was fruitless/pointless at this stage. We decided to leave this location and we wandered off to other locations e.g. top of the Keep, other little alcoves on route etc.