The term "paranormal" is a huge and diverse subject. It may include: Anomalies, Angels, Demons, Channelling, Ghosts, Hauntings, Out of body experiences, Telekinesis, Witchcraft and so on. We have read about the problems associated with the term "Truth" in previous chapters, and by now hopefully you will have developed some idea in your own mind of what the term means to you. The following case study will challenge your original ideas of truth as have the readings. Is what people see and believe themselves the truth? Is it the truth only to themselves and not to others? Topics such as the paranormal deal with the term truth, and rely on your ideas and beliefs to determine what is and what isn't true to you.
Our readings on the paranormal have dealt largely with paranormal behaviours, and the stories that go with them. I have chosen to conduct my tutorial presentation on a case study of Borley, and in particular the Borley Rectory. I have enjoyed the research that I have done, and have found it very interesting, and I hope that you will also.
SITE:
Located in the Essex countryside, approximately 60 miles SE of London, is the location of Borley, and the site of the infamous Borley Rectory, reputed as the "Most Haunted House in England". Despite thorough and intense investigations, including those conducted by expert investigator Harry Price, there has been nothing particularly unusual found about the Rectory that may accentuate it from other locations experiencing paranormal activities.
(OVERHEAD 1 - Borley Rectory)
The red brick building that had been Borley Rectory was built on the site of Borley in 1863 by Reverend Henry Dawson Ellis Bull, where he and his wife Caroline resided and raised 14 children. It was destroyed by fire in February 27/28 1939.
It may be inferred that this was a building fated from the start due to the unfortunate history of its location. When it was built, there were already rumours regarding the surrounding area. Also on the location, is the Borley Church, which dates back much further than the rectory. It has been found in an article in the Doomsday Book, a reference to what was believed to have been a Borley Manor prior to 1066, and a wooden church built around a similar time to the Manor.
An interesting fact that I came across was that on record in the Dissolution of Monasteries, there is mention of vessels and a large treasure once held by the Priory. These were not confiscated as would have been expected, and have to this day still not been accounted for, despite large searches of the area, including the use of metal detectors. Are the artefacts there and just very well hidden, have they disappeared or where they never there in the first place?
HAUNTINGS:
OVERHEAD 2 - Candidates for the ghosts of Borley
Reports of paranormal behaviour make up a long list, including the following: Books appearing out of nowhere, ringing of bells, ransacking of locked cupboards, footsteps, cold patches and wailing in cellar wall.
In 1362, a Benedictine monk and a nun from Burres nunnery attempted to elope by horse drawn coach. The couple were apprehended and sentenced to death. The monk was hanged or beheaded, and the nun bricked up alive. There have been numerous sightings of the pair, particularly the nun by a number of people. The nun is often seen walking in daylight along a stretch known as the "nun-walk"(this sighting has become the most reported spectre at Borley. It has been said that tunnels now connect the two sites. The nun has also been said to have become a regular visitor to the nursery, where the children began to expect her. A Nursemaid left in 1886 because of ghostly footsteps.
On July 28, 1900, three daughters of Henry Bull sighted the nun. They assumed she was human, and approached her to welcome her as a guest. She had gone. Similarly, two men saw a "woman in grey" walking towards the lake. She disappeared suddenly, and they hurried to her aid assuming she had fallen into the water. Again, she had vanished.
She had been regularly sighted at one of the gateposts on four separate occasions by a carpenter. In 1956, the following photograph was taken by Thurston Hopkins:
OVERHEAD 3 - Two Worlds
Members of the Bull family either died or moved away, and in 1928, the Rev. Guy Smith and his wife moved into the rectory. They also reported sightings and apparitions, including objects being hurled at guests, illumination in unlit rooms, sightings of the nun and a phantom coach. But the most interesting were utterings of the words: "Don't Carlos, Don't" (Carlos being the nickname for Henry Bull, who died in the Blue Room of the manor in 1892). Henry Jnr, aka Harry, also died in the Blue Room. Before his death, he had threatened to throw mothballs after his death, and had claimed to have had communications with spirits.
1929 saw the introduction of specialist Harry Price on to the scene upon request by the Smiths. He was required to carry out a full investigation into the strange happenings. He, his reporter and his secretary all witnessed poltergeist activity, spontaneous displacement of objects, strange odours, cold spots and the sounds of galloping horses. Price was later found near an incident of "poltergeist activity" with a pocket full of stones. However, it is highly unlikely that he contributed to any further false instances.
The Smith's moved out of the house within a year, due to the stress of the great publicity the house had begun to receive, and "due to a lack of amenities" as a result of this publicity.
October 1930 saw the beginning of what was to be the greatest period of paranormal activity during the period of Borley Rectory, when Rev. Lionel Algernon Foyster, his wife Marianne and his daughter Adelaide moved into the rectory. It would appear that Marianne herself was the preferred target, as many of the attacks seemed to be aimed at her. The activity was accompanied by attacks on Marianne. She was assaulted twice - once struck in the face, the second time being flung from her bed after an exorcism. Price voiced his concern that these attacks were becoming violent. Interestingly, there were notes written on the walls addressed to her, some asking for help. Visitors to the house witnessed these, so Marianne could not have been responsible. The attention she attracted may have been due to her kind and caring nature (She was a social worker). During the stay of the Foysters', Price claimed there to have been at least 2000 separate incidences occurring.
OVERHEAD 4 - Wall Writings
Foysters left the house in 1935 due to the ill health of Lionel. In 1937, Harry Price leased the house for a year, in which to carry out further study, but the activity seemed to have died down.
OVERHEADS - Borley Church Yard, Behind Borley Church
Captain Gregson was the last person to live in the Rectory before it burnt down. He and his family lived in the house for a brief time before it was burnt down. In his article on the Borley Rectory web site, Gregson described himself as a "sceptic" and unwilling to believe in the hype that surrounded the building.
"I can only repeat that I am not superstitious, that I have neither belief (nor much interest) in "Ghosts". But I am obliged to believe the evidence of my own eyes and ears, and I should be foolish indeed to condemn the evidence of the 100 or more living witnesses who bear circumstantial evidence to the strange happenings such as these to which I have referred."
The locals will say that the stories are also nonsense, but when invited to stay there, they blatantly refuse.
An interesting fact that cannot have been a hoax is the two cocker spaniels Gregson had during his stay at the Rectory. "They refused to enter the courtyard even in the daylight. Each went mad with terror at something they sensed beyond the threshold of the courtyard, and died mad."
After a séance on March 27th, 1938, a message was received that "Sunex Amures and one of his men" would burn down the rectory that night. On February 27th, 1939, a fire broke out at midnight, destroying the rectory completely. Capt. Gregson had been unpacking some boxes when an oil lamp overturned and caught fire on some books.
OVERHEAD 6 - Borley Rectory April 5, 1944
It was reported on the night of the fire by several individual witnesses that Gregson was accompanied by two strangers - a gentleman with a baldhead and a long robe, and a lady in a grey cloak. These sightings were told by complete strangers that were unaware of the tales surrounding the location.
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EVIDENCE FOR:
* Many sightings * Photographic evidence * Tape created from inside the sealed church in 1974 clearly showed footsteps, doors closing, a male groan. This is the most convincing evidence yet. |
EVIDENCE AGAINST:
* Desire: If you want it enough… * Mass hysteria caused sightings * Massive hoax eg: Harry Price * Enough evidence to bring Price's conclusions to disrepute |
INCONSISTENCIES:
· Could the wall writings have been done by Marianne herself? Handwriting tests and witnesses prove that she could not have done it, at least in sane mind.
· Coaches were very rare in England during the 1300's when the nun and monk attempted to eloped.
· Bricks expensive in these times also. Why brick her up, why not just ostracise her and let her starve? These two points were apparently discussed in detail in a newspaper of the 1930's.
· Harry Prices' huge input into the publishing's and investigations of the Rectory. He had been accused of fraud once before. But it would seem almost impossible considering the history prior to Price's introduction to the scene, and the huge number of witnesses, some oblivious to the legends surrounding the site.
CONCLUSION:
I believe it is highly unlikely that these events were fraudulent due to the great amount of evidence collected, the great number of observers involved and the great time span over which these events occurred
The site still holds a mystique for parapyschoanalists.
The site has since been cleared, the ruins picked over by resident and tourists. Three new houses have now been erected on the location. Prior to this, the grounds had stood empty for over 40 years, between 1939 and the 1980's. During this time, and even now, there have been no further reports. The ghosts may have achieved their goal and moved on. They may have relocated to the church across the road. Or the locals may just be so tired of the publicity that they are not saying anything further.
Now that the Borley Rectory no longer stands, it is unlikely that the complete truth will ever be known
Unless other wise specified, all material and photographs have been obtained from Vincent O'Neil @ www.borleyrectory.com/.
*Vincent is the adopted son of Marianne Foyster, and has dedicated his life to the research of information concerning the Borley Rectory.