Stephen D. Smith experience at Borley - 24 June 2002
THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS
or, more correctly, through the leaded glass.
Three friends and I travelled to Borley, arriving in the churchyard at
6.24pm. It struck me that this figure was also the date (i.e. 6/24) but, to
be honest, that was the only "curious" thing about the trip. It was a rather
warm day but there was a notable breeze, so the heat wasn't sticky or
oppressive. One of my companions knew absolutely nothing about Borley;
another had heard of it but had read nothing on the subject; and the third
had read just a little about it.
The churchyard was somewhat more overgrown than when I was last there (in
the late 1980s). We wondered among the graves, looking at the usual
headstones - such as the Bull family's - and noting the surprisingly recent
dates on some others. Three of us had cameras and just about everything was
photographed. I took my digital camera, so I'm the only person, thus far,
to see the results of these pictures - and there was absolutely nothing of
note on any of them (100 pictures in all). After a couple of hours, we
drove to Long Melford in search of liquid refreshment and food. When we
returned, at about 11.20pm, some strange noises were heard and curious
perfumes wafted on the air but all of these were due to the curry we'd eaten
in Long Melford!
On this occasion, both in daylight and at night, Borley seemed quite unlike
any other time I have visited it. The atmosphere was somehow calmer and
lighter. To be honest, I don't know, at this moment in time, if I shall
return there again. Something tells me that either I have changed or Borley
has and, therefore, perhaps it's best for me to remember the place as it was
on this visit? This seems to have been a kind of closure for me. Perhaps a
few ghosts - either mine or Borley's - have indeed been laid to rest.
My first picture shows the results of me snapping a photo through a leaded
window on Borley church's north side. Inside the church it is possible to
see some pews, the south-west door, and a red fire extinguisher!
Pictures 3a & 3b show that Robert Duffy's picture of "a face looking over the top of one of the gravestones" is an illusion created by another
gravestone behind the ones he photographed.
Picture 4a is a photograph snapped in 1999 by David Bamber,
and 4b is my version of the
same shot.
In my picture, one of my fellow "ghost hunters" is standing at
the spot where there is, as Bamber says, "A figure in white against a dark
background". Tim Faithfull enhanced Bamber's image and says: "The figure
seems to bear more than just a coincidental resemblance to the image of
Harry Price in his lab coat - looks a similar height and build...it is also
possible to make out some facial features...It could also easilly be a robed
monk - either way, from the enhanced quality it is safe to say that this is
definately a figure."
If this is a "figure", it's about two feet tall (my friend is six feet
tall - compare his height to that of Bamber's "figure"). It should be noted
that my friend is standing almost flat against the wall that separates the
graveyard from the adjacent residence, Borley Place, so it is not possible
that the "figure in white" was further away from the camera (because it
would then be hidden behind the wall).
All of which goes to prove, in my opinion, that sometimes a photograph is
just a photograph.
With best wishes,
Stephen D. Smith
