Welcome to the thirty-ninth edition of the Borley Ghost Society Newsletter. As my mother used to say, the Society now begins its fourth year. For some, this is birthday celebration number three!

Thank you very much indeed for the various contributions received for the Borley Church Fund. . . .for which we are very grateful. Thank you too for the printout of Newsletters 34 and 37 - they look very good and it is nice to see Joe [Oldham]'s report of his stay here.
I don't want there to be any misunderstanding about the Churchyard. The individual graves in the Churchyard are what Americans call "real estate." They belong to the family of the deceased and are paid for. Their family put up the gravestones and they are supposed to keep their plot tidy. Unfortunately they also die in their turn and in the hundreds of years that they have been burying people there are no longer those families to keep the grave nice. This leaves us to look after the grass around the graves but we are not allowed to move the gravestones when they fall, break, or just tilt over, because they do not belong to us. The Parish keeps the Graveyard mowed and the bushes trimmed, but we can do nothing to tidy the graves themselves. I realise that to those who don't know about graveyards, it can look very untidy but that is the way it has to be. To get permission to move stones is a very long and expensive legal business because the British believe that property (real estate) is inviolable. We don't go down that road unless it is absolutely essential - we can't even bury people in the unused spaces.
What does add to the problem is, of course, hundreds of people over the years walking all over them in the dark, knocking down the stones, moving the stones, and getting them broken. The same applies to the Church fences; there is only the front one left. People lighting fires, holding seances and things, do not always look to see whose grave they are abusing. And because most of the people in Borley were poor peasants, labourers and agricultural workers, their families could not afford gravestones. They are buried there just the same, even though there is no sign of an actual grave and, over the last 1000 years, the whole churchyard has been buried over many times. You can see why we take a very strong line in discouraging people from visiting and using the churchyard in this way. THEY ARE SHOWING NO RESPECT TO THE VILLAGERS BURIED THERE. These villagers' bodies have been entrusted to the Church to be cared for. It doesn't matter if people say, "O they are not really there, they will have decayed." I always ask them if they would like people partying on their grave; they recoil in horror at such a suggestion. Why should those buried in 1501 not be shown the same respect as those buried in 2001? We try to care for our Churchyard and we wish others to do so too.
With best wishes to everyone
Go with God,
The Revd. Captain Brian A. Sampson, C.A.
[This very welcome letter has been added to the website appeal to visitors.]

Marianne attended Mount Allison Ladies' College while living in Sackville, New Brunswick with Lionel. It has changed the name to Mount Allison University, and now has a web site. Their is also a web site for Sackville.

Jamas Enright added the following:
Crisp, Clement. "Streets of whimsy BALLET:" Financial Times. London. Sep 26, 2001. Review of "A Streetcar Named Desire" production by Northern Ballet Theatre. ("The production is more tediously equipped with ectoplasm than anything since Borley Rectory, celebrated in the annals of poltergeists as "the most haunted house in Britain".) Internet version.

My mother is a friend of a woman who is a borley, her name is Maggie. When her Uncle was on his death bed, he told her and her sisters that they were Borleys and they would never get married, so far none of them are married, all in their 40's. When she went for a trip up to Borley, they came up to a road with an old triangular road sign, it had three directions, Borley, Chilsten (i think) and another direction aswell which i cant remember. The taxi they were in took them up this hill towards Borley, they stayed there over night and the next morning they got the same taxi back, the problem was that the road wasnt there, they followed it round to the place they were the other night when they went up the hill. There was no hill, just a field, she asked a local towns person if there was a road to borley, the towns person said there was one straight to borley over where that field was, but it was turfed up over 150 years ago, so u see she went back in time that day. I have more stories of her and the borley place, e-mail me back and i will tell u some more, if u believe me
yours sincerely
Scott Tyc
[By all means, feel free to share. I will pass along your remarks to associates of the Borley Ghost Society for their comments.]

How is it that among the writers and those who have commented on the site and visited it, no one shares my family name. My father with his family immigrated to Canada in 1910. He was twelve years old at the time. The first I heard of the Borley Rectory was while I was a boy in high school some time in the fifties. The account was published in the Reader's Digest. This was over fifty years ago now, but a few features of this account stick with me. According to this account, an "Earl of Borley" abducted a nun from France. I remember this particularly well, because of the argument over the issue that ensued between my mother and father. My father boasted of his royal lineage, while my mother made some deprecating remarks about the depravity of a man who would abduct a nun. To your knowledge, was there ever an Earl of Borley? I noticed with interest, that the abductor (eloper) of the nun was beheaded. Beheading was usually reserved for royalty. Commoners were more likely to die at the end of a hangman's noose. Just curious.
Brian Borley
[We shall have to go through the polling lists to see what we can find! I believe several Borleys inherited a title.]

I have been reading your website and other related websites and have found them very intresting, i was thinking about visiting the Church, how can i go about getting access without annoying the residents. Also how can i get access to the church who is the best person to contact?????
dan@sas-security.co.uk
[Thank you for your interest. The church is open only for services to prevent vandalism, thieves, and disrespect. This has been a result of long-standing problems. If the churchwardens are about, and your request is genuine, they might hear your request, but don't be surprized if your request is refused. You might want to review the appeal to visitors.]

I noticed the picture on the second page of this site. Is that man on the lower right (Bay) window known. Could he be a ghost? Or is he just posing for the picture? He has a mustache--Kind of looks to be smiling--Has a "civil war" type appearance--He appears to have a cowboy hat on. Of the four sections of the window he is on the lower right hand side. It is obviously a human face.
FORSAKENBIJEAUX@aol.com
[Thank you for your observation. Many people write in to talk about that particular image. It is very likely a live resident was present when the photograph was taken, as their were up to 14 children, two parents, several relatives, and many visitors that may have been curious about the camera. It is unlikely the face is related to the United States Civil War, as this home was in a remote area of the English countryside.]

I read you account of the Borley Rectory with considerable interest. Several years ago, I read an account of this location in the Reader’s Digest. According to this account, it was an "Earl of Borley" possibly and ancestor, who had ostensibly abducted a nun from France and taken her to the Rectory. Human perception is such a mixture of objective sensory input and subjective interpretation that it is all but impossible to separate the imagined from the objective. We note, for instance, the clarity with which people can see things that are not there, and hear things that are without voice, under the influence of hypnosis. Anomalies in brain chemistry can have the same impact. The truth may very well never be known, so the Borley Rectory promises to remain quite an enigma, quite a romantic one.
Brian Borley
Saskatoon, Sk.
[Thank you for writing. It was a Reader's Digest book where I first saw the wall writings. Do you know of a paperback Reader's Digest with an article in it, as I collect all such references for my Bibliography? I believe it was Charles Waldegrave who supposedly claimed a French novice - you might be interested in the list I have made up of possible candidates for the various ghosts of Borley. Over the years, we have also heard from various people with the name of Borley, some with genealogical web sites. Please feel free to share in the future.]

We are a French class. We are 13 years old. We have been on your website: the pictures are good. We are working on a project called Castles and Ghosts in Britain. We have got some questions: - Have you got proofs of the ghosts? WHy did you create this website? Have you ever seen a ghost? Can you send us pictures of ghosts? Thanks in advance. We hope you will write back to us soon.
"the ghosts group" Paris
[Personally, I have never seen a ghost. I think many of the "pictures" of ghosts on the Internet are mistakes. I have no pictures I can send you. I created the web site in order to research my genealogy - to get as many facts as I could about my mother and about her famous house. Thank you for your interest!]

I was wondering if you can help? my girlfriend who's Swedish is interested in Ghosts etc, I said that Borley Rectory is the most haunted place to visit in the UK and now she wants to go!? However she said that she would like to camp nearby? Would that be possible? we were thinking of 27/10/01. Can you help?
Many Thanks
Tony Hodge
[Thank you for your interest. The rectory burned in 1939, and was leveled in 1944. New homes have been built over the site, and the current residents are most anxious that people do NOT camp out or poke around. I encourage you to read their appeal to visitors.]

I was looking at the picture of the floating brick in the doorway. I can tell that it's not floating. It's a piece of lumber or debris sticking out from the side of the doorway from behind the wall. That section of wall is very dark and nearly blends with the dark room in the back, so that the brick looks like it's floating. How can you ghosthunters not see this? Look on the picture - where is the doorframe? It doesn't show the doorframe, but there has to be one there. But in fact it does show a little doorframe, if you look closely. And that little bit it shows lines up with the edge of the so-called brick. Seeing this now convinces me that the Borley house may not really be as haunted as they say. If there is a ghost there, I think many myths have also come from there. And that some of you ghosthunters don't know how to recognize fake photos.
stelcha

My article "Magicians Who Endorsed Psychic Phenomena" is now available online. It was originally published in the Linking Ring, the monthly magazine of the International Brotherhood of Magicians. Contrary to the beliefs of "skeptics," many of the most eminent magicians in history have endorsed the reality of psychic phenomena.
Sincerely,
George P. Hansen

Sorry to bother you but I got your address on a book review on Amazon.com. Just wondering if you have any knowledge in getting rid of spirits, or know where I can find that information. Your help would be very greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Pam Pasciucco
[Thank you for thinking of me. I leave exorcisms and such to local clergy - whatever denomination you choose. In the meantime, you might find a support group via one of the web sites I used to maintain (it has become too complicated to keep it current, what with sites popping up and disappearing every day). You might find some solace inside many of the books in my annotated bibliography as well. Just out of curiosity, which book review at Amazon.com were you reading?]

In order to entertain myself on a Saturday afternoon, I clicked in on Google. Looked up Ghosts and Hauntings, UK, and lo and behold: Borley Rectory! I bought the first book on the subject in the US some 25 years ago, having already read copiously about the Rectory. Even if it is no longer existing, I esteem this to be the finest ghost story in the world, not only dealing with a haunting but also with poltergeist activity. Being in England at the moment, I now even know how to find it and may just drive down to see if there are any vibes. I am hardly that lucky, only with persons. I am a scientist by profession and "should not believe" at all. However, if we turn the inexplicable down to be rubbish, which 80% of it is, we would be some sad scientists. I embrace everyone who has a keen eye and an overt mind. Myself, having had a couple of very strange experiences, like my Mother before me, and also hailing from a family of ghost afficionados (my great grandfather is the most famous ghost in Norway - the Brown Man - also appearing in a Rectory where he terrorized his parishioners for quite a few years....), I have been told some tall tales. Some of them are very, very scary and the way they were told, I do believe that analyzing exactly the wording, I detect a superb authenticity in it all. Furthermore, why on earth should we get old and boring? The day I start knitting, my husband will have me put away! Thanks again for sharing and keep up the good work! What the world needs right now, not to go into any political rhetorics of the Blair/Bush kind, would be wondrous signs to keep us prevailing. And hoping. I wish you a good week end.
Yours sincerely,
Else Margrethe Holst (pt West Yorkshire)

You used to have a lot more interesting things on your site, which I cannot find now. For instance, where is Mrs. Cecil Baines' account and who the hay is Mrs. Cecil Baines. . . who WAS Mrs. Baines? A next door neighbor? Where did she get all that juicy information? Also what happened to Adelaide?
I first heard about Borley Rectory, again many years ago, when I was in my teens, I think. I read Harry Price's book and it certainly gripped my imagination. Apparently now he has been discredited to some extent. I simply cannot understand the continuing interest in Borley Rectory -- after all, the ruddy place burned down sixty years ago, and I've read a lot of nonsense about it -- there never was a priory or nunnery there -- was there? Yet those pictures of a tunnel are very fascinating, I wonder if that was ever investigated further. There are plenty of other locations with well-documented paranormal happenings. What about Raynam Hall? That photo "ghost descending a staircase" is a real classic.
Mrs. J. H. Harvey
(An English Lady)
[Yes, several things have been deleted from the web site - because of thieves. Too many other web sites were posting my pages without any accredidation of any kind. Books too. Mrs. Baines was a collaborator of Harry Price, and was working with him on the third Borley book when he died. Alan Wesencraft knew her, and I will ask him to respond to your inquiry. Adelaide became a nurse and lives in England. My sole focus is Borley, although I do run across other fascinating cases as a result of my research.]

Just been on the site! Excellent. I have been fascinated by the Borley legend for many years. Also very interested in the character of Harry Price. Please add my e-mail address to any list.
Richard Haighton
[Thank you for your interest. I will pass along your e-mail address to associates of the Borley Ghost Society, some of whom may write to you. The only mailing list we have is for registered associates of the Society.]

hi im marion my self and my boyfriend and son are all intresed in paranormal investegation we would like to investegate borley church becouse we all think that there is still paranormal acctiverty there could you help us do something like that .we all visited borley in aug 1999 we can not investigate any thing becouse the gate is all ways loked it seems funny but therse never no servise on sundays we do believe that there is something up there even thow the resedents of borley says there isnt becouse we have all ready witnesed a vechal that looked like a car it was getting dusk.it came up the hill towards us then went back down and reversed up the hill againg torwords us it stoped and we saw the sranges thing a figure with a white face no driver it stoped for a min and then went back up the hill but the thing is it glided so if you could help us in any way we would be grateful yours faithley
miss marion schofield
[Thank you for your inquiry. The residents of Borley are kind, sensible people, but they are very tired of vandals, thieves, and rowdies desecrating the church and their private homes. It might help you to read over some of their remarks I've received over the years. It is the firm conviction of the residents that IF their ever were any ghosts, they have long since left. I appreciate your honesty and sincere efforts.]

I hope that you will be able to help me with my enquiry. My name is Beth Timbrell and I am a final year television student at Westminster University. We are currently wanting to make a documentary on the subject of legends and myths. After searching through the internet I found your site on Borley refectory which i found extremely interesting and is really what we are looking for. The project is still in its early stages of pre production but i was wondering how practical it would be for us to come and have a look round the refecotory and interview yourself and maybe others who have had any sitings. We are also thinking of getting in contact with some paranormal investigators to understand there approach to things and ideally it would be great if we could find people willing to come a long with us and have a look round the refectory and to demonstrate how they would go about looking for presences. I would really appreciate a reply and then maybe we could discuss thnigs further once we know what your position is and exactly what we are looking to achieve for our final piece. I hope you will be able to help us.
I look forward to hearing from you
Beth Timbrell
[Borley Rectory burned out in 1939. The remains were destroyed in 1944. Private homes have now been placed on the former property, and no public reports of alleged hauntings have been issued by the residents. In fact, the villagers are most adamantly opposed to the constant negative attention. You may want to review my appeal to visitors. As far as researching the history of the site, I have prepared a CD-ROM that may assist you, The Ghosts That Will Not Die. If you are interested, I can give you a special student rate.]

Needless to say - another brilliant edition! It amazes me how this story NEVER shows any sign of flagging. . . .
With best wishes,
Richard Lee-Van den Daele
[I often wonder if it would have gone away if a certain someone hadn't started digging in 1994......]

Scott;
I was most interested in your correspondence in the Borley Newsletter. I live in the next parish, so I'm very conscious of the visibility at 9.00pm in the summer, particulary as I'm a keen gardener and like to stay out as long as possible on summer evenings. On July 28th, the 'official' figures for sunrise and sunset are:
sunrise 5:18 AM
sunset 8:55 PM
It was certainly after sunset that the Bull girls said they saw the nun. the exact time is open to debate, but it would have been some time after nine. Maybe it was a bit unfair of me to say it was a full hour after sunset. There is some light around after sunset in July, if the weather is clear (not always the case!), but it is not nearly so easy to distinguish objects. What I found amusing in the Price account was that he 'neglected' to record that the sightings to which he, and so many others after him, have attached so much importance, happened after sunset!
Andrew Clarke

Steve Kompier - Founder of GhostInvestigations.com was on the Discovery Channel the second week in October. The network aired a piece on the Whaley House in San Diego that he did for them a few years back.

If you would like a profile page made especially for you, just tell me a little about yourself and attach a JPG photo to an e-mail.