1970s experiences at Borley
The two motorway construction men were well aware of Borley's reputation; as their work placed them only some 25 miles away from the village. They decided the two of them would hold an all-night watch there. Equiped with folding chairs and provisions for the night, they obtained permission from the bungalow owners to position themselves on the nun's walk. According to their account of events, the "walk" was then planted on either side by low ornamental hedges. Seating themselves between these hedges they commenced their watch. At some time during the night one of the men saw the figure walking along the walk. Recounting their story in the morning caused a great deal of interest from the local newspapers, and articled appeared in them. This was followed up by a television interview; John Nicolls remembers seeing this on national television. If anyone recalls the media coverage that might relate to this sighting, please contact Vincent O'Neil. The visit of Nicolls with his daughter in 1973 was not so eventful.
Reports courtesy of John Burrows
As a ghost hunter I do remember the BBC documentary on Borley. It's been shown twice - once in the 70s and again in the mid 80s. Both times it was shown its caused a revival of interest though it also brought crowds of the wrong people to the place who turn up after the pubs kicked out and caused disturbances and sometimes vandalism.
The construction worker who saw the nun was a man called Jeffery Groom-Hollingsworth. My uncle - who is also a keen ghost-hunter (and utterly obsessed with Borley!) - met Jeffery a few years ago and became quite friendly with him. He found him to be a very down to earth man and seemed not the sort of bloke to make stuff up. On his first visit to him, he allowed my uncle to interview him which was recorded on tape - which of course we still have. Unfortunately Mr Hollingsworth has since passed away.
Roy Potter was the other man who also saw the nun at the same time as Hollingsworth (though from a different angle). He was a skeptic who apparently threw a brick through the nun to make sure she was a ghost! He lost contact with Jeffery and his whereabouts is unknown.
After the sighting of the nun, they were joined by BBC sound technician Denny Densham who my uncle and I both met. We found him a very nice man and totally genuine. We kept in contact with him until his death several years ago. It was he who suggested recording in the church. It was after they got those amazing recordings that through Denny it was shown on BBC2 - something he told us he regretted, as it brought the wrong kind of people who messed it up for the ghost hunters and people genuinely interested in Borley.
Darren Jarvis