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THE FALCON HOTEL
A Haunted Evening Evening With Haunted Southampton 30TH OCTOBER 2009 With Andy Ford, Ford, psychic medium and Kathy Bavister, Bavister, psychic artist
WITH KIND PERMISSION OF KAREN AND TIM HUTTON, LICENSEES
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Equipment used‌
Torches EMF metres Dowsing Rods Glass and Card Divination Digital Cameras Night Vision Video Cameras Compasses Hygrometers Digital thermometer Two way Radios
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Introduction The Falcon Hotel is a popular public bar at the centre of Fawley, a sleepy Hampshire village that is now, unfortunately, over shadowed by the huge Oil Refinery that was opened in 1951. In days gone by however the focus of the village activity was not modern fuel manufacture and the support of the industry that has overtaken village life – it was a very different affair.
Smuggling was rife – in fact residents of Fawley and its close neighbour, Ashlett Creek, were so tired after their night time excursions that they slept in most days, so earning the area the nick name Lazy Town. The Falcon Inn was possibly at the heart of this activity – a tunnel, dug beneath the former hotel, is rumoured to stretch all the way the Jolly Sailor, another pub close by in Ashlett’s Creek. In fact the whole area is rumoured to have cellars, a tunnel or two and even caves; Eaglehurst House, a fine country residence nearby, has a tunnel in the cellar that was reportedly used as a storage area for the odd bottle or two of dubious origin. Though the Falcon’s tunnel is now collapsed, and the entrance boarded up as it is potentially unstable, it may hold clues as to reported paranormal activity that the
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residents and staff observe almost on a daily basis. Things that move at the corner of the eye, the sense of being watched and even poltergeist activity brought the old 19th century hotel to our attention – and together with some intrepid guests and brave members of staff we spent the night before Halloween investigating the dark rooms and eerie cellars to see if we could discover what – or who – was sending shivers down the backs of those who call this pub home.
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Initial Survey A few days before the event one of our team visited the Falcon Hotel and performed some basic tests to make sure that on the night, all anomalous occurrences could be verified as true one off incidents. All rooms were photographed from several angles, and EMF readings were taken, as well as compass measurements and EVP tests undertaken. During the assessment it was requested if the photograph that hung in the dining area could be covered so as not to influence mediums and guests on the night of the investigation. The landlady also explained that one of the rooms was not going to be available on the night as initially planned.
The front wall of the lounge bar, showing the chair in which sitting patrons feel uneasy.
Almost as soon as surveying commenced it was noted that an area surrounding a chair in the Lounge Bar was giving off an unusually high reading. The landlady was quite intrigued by this and mentioned that a lot of regulars at the Pub disliked sitting in that particular chair – some said they felt uncomfortable and others stated simply that they felt cold. There was no obvious wiring in the area, and at the time security installations were switched off. (As it is quite near the door, they may have affected the meter.) Also there were no obvious light switches next to the chair. This area, and the bar area in general, remained unusually ‘active’ for want of
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another word, both during the time we were there for the initial assessment and also on the night of the investigation itself. One interesting point about this area is that the chair itself sits directly across the area where in fact the entrance used to be. Previous photos, one from as far back as 1909 shows the main doorway to be central to the wall, with a window either side, rather than to the left hand side of the room as it is now. Perhaps the reason that patrons feel so unhappy in that chair is because the echoes of movement through the original door make them uneasy. This of course is only speculation! There were also quite high readings around the area inhabited by the large photo of the previous landlord in the dining area. They could in part however be accounted for by wiring, and also the fact that it hung above a radiator. The rest of the ground floor however produced results that were within normal limits. The Public bar was thoroughly walked, as it is a quite large area, with both the EMF Meter and the compass, but apart from the usual reactions to electrical equipment, wiring, and radiators there were no other readings of note. The upstairs rooms were being decorated whilst measurements were taken so furniture was not all in its normal pace. However the second bedroom also proved to have an unusually high reading in an unusual place – right in the middle of the room. This was consistently high in exactly the same area, unlike the bars’ anomalous readings which seemed to have vaguely moved every time we returned to the area. The other twin bedroom, showed nothing at all out of the ordinary. The stairs also had a specific area which was reading very high on the meters – but again always in the same place – which could be down to wiring or the presence of steel within the construction of the pub. After this it was the turn of the cellars. The Falcon has two cellars – one smaller one used for storage of food, and the other which housed all the beer barrels, pumping and refrigeration equipment. The noise in this area was quite considerable, which meant that any recording or vigils done in here would have to be undertaken with care. The small cellar had a small open area at the left top end of the wall at the back of the room which emitted quite a strong cold draught, which would have to be taken
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into consideration. It is difficult to get accurate temperature readings when there is a continual source of cool flowing air. This also proved a problem in the larger cellar – in that the pumps and cooling equipment would drop the temperature, and also there was the presence of a set of double doors that are used for the delivery of beer etc.
The Small Cellar
The small cellar itself was the ‘office’ Karen used to do her books in. A large amount of material was also present that caused havoc with the compass, so any readings taken from here on the night would have to take that into the account. At the back of the larger cellar was the feature that made the pub so interesting, the tunnel. It is mostly collapsed now, with a lot of rubble strewn around the small open area that is left, (approx ten foot or so), so it was probably not safe to enter. There is a hatchway built into the partition that separates the tunnel from the rest of the cellar for inspection purposes and it was decided to leave it open during séances etc so the area could be observed, but otherwise it would be left alone. Two EVP experiments were undertaken in order to provide a baseline for any future experiments of this type. The first one was done in the second bedroom and produced no results. The second however, performed in the small cellar, was silent until the last question which was ‘If you would like me to leave, please answer and I will go’, to which there was a distinct very small sound as if saying the word Yes.
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Again there is no evidence to suggest that this is the correct interpretation, just a subjective opinion.
The Large Cellar, with the hatch to the crumbling tunnel in shot.
Outside the Pub is a yard at the back where it was meant to have extended in the past. (There is now a car park for the modern houses that have sprung up there). The yard itself showed nothing out of the ordinary, despite the landlady saying that sometimes things seemed to move around out here. The front of the Pub has a street light very close to the wall at the end of the Public Bar, and telephone wiring entering the same corner of the pub; however the light made no difference to the readings, either during the initial survey and on the night as it was just out of range. The telephone wires are attached to an area that was part of the pub’s private flat so again had no bearing on the night’s investigation. All the rest of the pub – the kitchens, outside garden and also the hallways, proved negative to all equipment. All results were taken down and stored so that on the night our information could be used a guidelines for the investigation proper. With the survey over all that was left to do was to gather our wits and prepare for the nights events.
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Meeting and Greeting On the evening of the 30th October we arrived at about 9.30pm to begin setting up the equipment. Due to the loss of one room for the investigation it was decided not use the remote camera for trigger object observation in this instance. Andy Ford, our Medium for the night and Kathy Bavister, our psychic artist arrived at about 10.15 and we proceeded to tour the pub and cellars, so that they could gain an impression of the premises without others to distract them. Both Andy and Kathy find this pre-investigation walk round invaluable – it gives them time to find their way about and also allows them to ‘attune’ themselves – when walking around with a large group they have described it as if trying to find one radio station amongst many that are playing all at once. As we went round the various rooms Andy and Kathy related to me the information they were sensing – for instance in the Small cellar Kathy felt as if her throat was being restricted and didn’t like the area at all, or the stairs. Andy felt in the large cellar that he was gaining information that went back much further than the actual age of the pub itself, as if from the 16th century. Outside in the yard both Andy and Kathy were taken aback – they felt that the pub should have extended out much further than it actually did and that it would have been on two floors. While we were outside we were joined by a member of staff who was on a break. Andy felt that he was being given the name Fred, but as he said it he immediately corrected himself and said that it was not Fred at all but Frederick, that the gentleman did not like having his name shortened. At this moment Andy, Kathy and I heard, very loudly, a bicycle bell being rung. The staff member however did not appear to hear it. What is interesting about this fact is that there is no road behind the fence that surrounds the yard. Also significant is that back in the early 1900’s a landlord of the pub – a Mr Frederick Bryant, expanded upon an idea that was first extolled by Arthur Waterman a few years earlier (he hit upon the idea that cyclists touring in the New Forest may need somewhere to stay and advertised the Falcon as a cyclists accommodation) and set up a cycle hire business at the Pub. Andy and Kathy felt that the pub itself was also possibly used as a meeting place – a focal point if you like of village life. There are rumours of dances being held and it
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is recorded that Mr Waterman senior used to hold meetings for the Lodge of Foresters – a kind of Masons’ group – related to the Verderers of the New Forest. They both mentioned that there had been a big Country Residence near here – of course Cadland House that had been knocked down in the thirties had been the residence of the Drummonds who back in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s had had a grand scheme to modernise and rebuild Fawley. Andy also got the impression that there had been a hanging near here – he could see in his mind’s eye a gibbet and felt that judgement had possibly been carried out here. As time was getting on we moved back into the Lounge Bar to start the walk round proper with all of our guest investigators, who had arrived and were eager to get the evening under way.
Getting Under Way After introducing ourselves and our two mediums we went through the legalities of the evening before commencing the walk round with our guests in tow. This is an important part of the evening – it helps attendees orientate themselves to the area and gives them an overall ‘feel’ for the place – they can then decide which area they would like to investigate and also they can navigate their way around in a safer manner – with a clear idea of the whereabouts of fire exits, toilet facilities and refreshments. As the Pub was still open we started at the top of the building, in Bedroom1.
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Bedroom 1
23.40
Temp 19’C
Though the temperature in this room was not particularly cool most people said they felt quite chilly in here – one guest in particular stated that she felt very cold where she was standing. Andy said that there was an energy in the room – that people might well feel as if they are being watched here. As he said this, the light in the room flickered significantly – something that the landlady had said was not a usual occurrence in this bedroom. Apart from this Andy and Kathy did not feel anything else out of the ordinary, so we moved on.
Bedroom 2
23.50
Temp 22’C
During the initial walk round Andy had felt that this room had a dense, heavy atmosphere; he felt now that his heart was beating quite quickly in sympathy with a spiritual presence. Kathy had felt quite uncomfortable in this room and was not at ease in here, even now. Both mediums felt that someone may have passed over in this room, perhaps with heart problems. Andy felt that there may be a spirit becoming interested in what was going on, male in gender and that we had attracted its attention. He explained that in moving from room to room in a group, our very presence and the fact we were actively seeking out spiritual beings will encourage some who, though had always been present, may have been quite intent on keeping themselves to themselves. We can also act as a source of energy upon which they can draw to enable contact. The EMF meter – which had previously been indicating a field in the middle of the room during the initial assessment did not react at all this time. It is of course entirely possible that there was some electrical device switched on before that it was reacting to but the area directly below the room is occupied by the dining area, with no particularly powerful devices in use at the time. As we left the room and headed down the stairs, Andy felt that the lobby walls were not in their original position, that it was too small and that one spirit in particular would like the walls to be moved back to where they were. As he said this the lights
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flickered three times very distinctly. Kathy felt that we were in the presence of a store keeper or housekeeper – perhaps a nanny. Andy also felt that his heart was speeding up again –and that the gentleman that had been present upstairs had followed us down.
The Lobby and stairs
The Back Yard
00.02
Temp not recorded (Uncontrolled environment)
Back outside the name Frederick again came to our mediums attention. As well as the steady impression regarding the fact that the building used to be bigger, both gained the sense of lots of land and a farm being connected to the Pub. Andy had the feeling that one of the former owners was very well off and well respected; he could sense stables in the area. Andy also revisited the sense of choking and the feeling that a gibbet was hung nearby. The EMF meter which had been fairly settled, reacted when being moved around the area – especially around the fence. However time was ticking away and we moved back indoors to investigate the lower level.
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The Small Cellar
00.09
Temp not recorded (Uncontrolled environment)
We couldn’t all fit in the small cellar so some remained out in the stairwell with the door open. Andy said that he felt that the cellar originally might well have extended further beneath the bar area – something the landlady had always wondered. As we were talking the light seemed to brighten. Kathy in particular seemed to suffer from a choking sensation and began to cough quite profusely – she found in fact her breathing was quite restricted. This was something that did not resolve until she left the vicinity. Other than this Andy and the guests present did not sense anything else and we moved into the other cellar.
The Large Cellar
00.14
Temp not recorded
(Uncontrolled environment)
The Large Beer Cellar
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Both Andy and Kathy felt that this room had a link to contraband; that the impression of smugglers and smuggling went back long before the Pub was built. They both felt that a lot more than has been recorded went on – and that there was a special reason why this cellar/pub was involved. It was at this point I revealed the existence of the tunnel to them – they were very interested and at the same time disappointed that they could not enter the area. Andy felt that there may have been a coat of arms link to the smuggling – and though not directly linked, the Drummonds were the builders of the pub as well as a lot of the surrounding area. The names Daniel and Samuel were thought to be significant, in the case of the coat of arms, and Andy felt that we were again being observed. With the time getting on the pub had now closed, which left us able to explore the bar areas upstairs.
Dining Area
00.23
Temp 22’C
Once we had all settled Andy began by saying that this area had the feel of a manor house – that it may have originally been used as a drawing room. He said that it had changed significantly – that while some walls had been pulled down others had been rebuilt and that a wealthy ‘well to do’ owner with links to the sea had once been in charge. Links to the seas in this case meant Trading – with the involvement of tall ships. He felt drawn to a plate on the wall – with the name George becoming significant, and said that when eating in here quietly you may well have heard the noises of heavy horses, with their tack, moving around outside. Whilst we were in this area, despite that fact that it is not closed in – the temperature rose by 2 degrees – from 22’ to 24’. I understand that there were a lot of people in the immediate facility but this was a fairly large area and there are no walls to keep the heat in.
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Lounge Bar.
00.35
Temp 25’C
Again in this area Andy felt that things have been significantly altered, as in the structure/décor of the room. After a few minutes concentration he said that he felt that the staff and mangers of the Pub would in this particular area feel as if someone was stood behind them, that they might feel as if their mind was playing tricks on them and that they might see things out of the corner of their eyes. He felt that this might happen especially after the pub had closed, when there was no one else around, late at night or in the early hours of the morning.
The Lounge Bar
He also felt that things may be moved around – not furniture but small items– and one member of staff had mentioned that she had seen a lighter travel the length of the kitchen counter, just through the door from the bar area. This being the area that the EMF metre had shown activity on previously in the initial survey, I switched it on to see if the same kind of readings occurred, and sure enough the EMF meter showed field strengths of up to about 7-8 milligaus, and not in the same place as before – near the chair. Most groups who undertake paranormal investigation maintain that un-substantiated readings of up to 8 milligaus can be evidence of spiritual activity, but any parapsychologist will tell you
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that this in itself is not actual proof of spirits but only indicates that there is an electromagnetic field being generated where there was none before. What is unusual about these readings is that they did not stay constantly in the same place. At the beginning of the evening they were near the chair where they had been in evidence on the initial survey, but now the readings seemed to be nearer the centre of the room, and almost as we continued the walk round they seemed to move with us across the bar area. Andy also felt that there were two distinctly different energies in the pub, and that the energy he had sensed upstairs was a separate individual from the one downstairs, who he felt was a person he named ‘George’. He also felt that the energy was very interested in us and in the activity in the pub generally, and that he was the one that staff might encounter the most. That being recorded, we then moved onto the last room, the Public Bar.
The Public Bar
00.46
Temp 26’C
The Public Bar
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As we entered Andy reiterated what he had said in the walk round – that this was the most altered area of the building. He and Kathy felt that this area of the pub was were the ‘commoners’ would have drank – that the lounge bar contrasted greatly in atmosphere, and would have been reserved for the more ‘well to do’ patrons. There was an air of spit and sawdust, with the sense that the décor would not have been as grand as the other areas. Both mediums also felt that there would have been more activity in the pub in the other side, in the ‘frontage’ area. Also they both agreed that ‘George’ was much more in evidence in the other bar, but then Andy had the impression that ‘George’ was in fact the spirit of a regular who had passed recently – in the last 20 – 30 years, and that in his time would have been well known to the staff and other customers as being a part of the furniture in the other bar area. Karen, the landlady, later confirmed that there had been a gentleman by the name of George who had passed in modern times, who had in fact liked to sit in the chair in the other bar that was so disliked. The flat above, Kathy felt, may not have shown much activity - that the beings that staff had felt the presence of would not ordinarily intrude on the family home that sits above the Lounge and Public bars. The walk round finished with, it was time to take a break and then commence the experiments/séances that would hopefully shed some light on the strange goings on at the Falcon Hotel.
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Experiments What follows is an account of the experiments and, just as important, the experiences of the hosts, bar staff and guests during the course of the night. Events were recorded by video camera, digital camera, tape recorded, and I have also included accounts written by the guests themselves. It should be said at this time that a number of personal encounters occurred throughout the night, which we will not be detailing, apart from to say that they happened. People can, and did, become very emotional when this happens, as it invariably does, and this type of personal experience we believe should be kept confidential. Our Medium Andy Ford believes that we bring our own loved ones with us and that they will take any opportunity to make contact with us, so we do warn our hosts and guests that this can occur. We also make it clear that if anyone is uncomfortable with what is happening they are in no way obliged to continue and may break off at any time. Our aim is not to frighten but to investigate any strange occurrences, and offer, if possible, reasonable explanations. I have tried where possible to give times and any data recorded, and to include as much detail as possible. Occasionally times may be overlapping from one experiment to the next, but we sometimes had several happening at once.
Small Cellar
01.10
(Temp not recorded due to uncontrolled environment) I, Kathy and four other guests squeezed us into the small cellar used as an office to conduct a vigil. There wasn’t a lot of space, but we all found somewhere to stand without bumping into each other, turned off the light and commenced ’calling out’, a technique that involves the whole group keeping very still and focusing on encouraging spirit contact. A night vision camera, temperature recorder and digital cameras were use to help record any interesting occurrences, as well as note taking.
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Group of investigators crammed in the Small Cellar, using night vision photography.
One person mentioned the fact that they could feel a draught against their face but I explained that there was a cavity at the back end of the cellar where a considerable draught had been noted on the initial assessment. Kathy commenced the vigil, asking if there were any spirit people in the room. Over the course of about 20 minute’s alternative members of the group asked out, to see if there was any response. There were a few who mentioned that they felt that they may have been touched – however it must be born in mind that the room was very small and as people shifted their feet and turned or twisted in the room to see if anything was happening it is entirely possible that they inadvertently touched each other. There was also a lot of background noise that made hearing slight noises very difficult. After this time a brief discussion was held, and it was agreed that not much was going to happen without some kind of catalyst so a glass was fetched and attempted a séance using glass divination. There was already a small round wooden table in the cellar so someone fetched a glass from the bar and proceeded to ask for glass movement. Initially there was little movement – the table was quite rough and did not easily enable to glass to slide around, but as we continued the glass did appear to ‘want’ to move – under those in contact with it the glass seemed to ‘twist’, as in turn in a circle under our
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fingers without moving too much around the table. The result of this was that the glass kept tipping over rather than travelling round the table as has happened in the past. Interestingly it did not actually tip enough to actually fall – rather it seemed to ‘lean’ and then recover. However responses were not forthcoming – there was no definitive movement in reply to any questions asked, the glass as it were appeared to just be moving without a particular purpose and after another 25 minutes or so the experiment was abandoned, and it was decided to move on to the larger cellar. It was interesting to note however that Kathy, who had obviously suffered from the sensation of a tight throat and coughing previously in that area had no discomfort this time, unusual in itself in that if there had been some chemical in the area or substance such as room freshener present as the cause of this then she should have reacted in the same way the second time around.
Public Bar
01.15
Temp 18.4’C
A séance was held using glass divination, with four participants. They started off by asking if there were any spirit presences in the room, and if there were could they indicate by moving the glass around the table. In response the glass appeared to move – initially slowly but quickly gaining in speed. Once it seemed to be moving faster they then asked for responses to questions in order to validate who was directing the glass. What followed as basically a question and answer session – with rational and coherent responses that appeared to indicate that the intelligence behind that movement was that of a lady called Alison? The glass then went on to appear to communicate that Alison was very nervous of another spirit that was present in the Falcon, that had caused her harm, and that she would not go into the cellars. The glass then appeared to slow and then stop for a moment, where upon it commenced moving again more deliberately. The group thought that possibly another spirit had taken control of the glass, so restarted the question and answer session.
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Again the responses seemed to be both relevant and that of an intelligent being. Indications were that the participant this time was male, and when asked for initials the responses were F and W, and that his name was Fred Waterman. There are records of a Fred Waterman, having been born to the landlord Arthur Waterman in 1899. On checking the thermometer it was noted that the temperature had dropped by two degrees from 18 to 16. People around the table felt their hands were becoming very cold and then the temperature dropped by another degree. Questions were then asked and answered in quick succession as follows: Asked if Fred worked in the pub – glass went to yes. Asked if he died in the pub – glass answered yes. Asked if he died in this part of the pub – indicated yes again. Asked if he went into the cellar at night – again yes. Asked if he liked the ladies – answered yes very fast! They then asked how many spirit people were in the Falcon that night and the glass indicated 9. One of the staff members who were participating then asked if it was Fred who she felt watching her at night and he indicated yes again. By this time the group was feeling quite exhausted so it was decided to go to a break and come back later on in the night. Fed and Alison were thanked for their efforts and the séance ended. NB - Getting actual pictures/recordings of alleged spirits has always been difficult most are blurred indiscriminate shapes and all are open to the subjective interpretation of those beholding them. One firm piece of evidence that we can document are temperature changes, especially as this is something that the individual or group cannot influence, and therefore can be usually counted on as an independent indicator of environmental change. Documented cases and investigations into places that appear to be paranormally active tend to include the drop, or even occasional rise of temperature. Therefore it is important to document all temperature changes if we are hoping for proof of a manifestation.
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Bedroom 1
01.40
Temp 21/C
A séance using dowsing rods was carried out by two people, having ‘set the rods’ for a response of crossing for a positive answer, and pointing apart for a negative. When calling out they had an ‘immediate’ response – the rods indicating that they were in contact with a lady who died in child birth in the year 1700. Though we have at this time no records of whom or what occupied the area at this time, it is entirely plausible that this kind of tragedy may have occurred, medical care and knowledge being what it was then. In any case we have no way of disproving it either. On further questioning it was determined that the child also passed away in this event. As the session went on one of the participants felt as if they were experiencing chest pain, but not their own, and also felt a little short of breath. This resolved almost as soon as they stopped questioning so the session was ended. The temperature throughout remained constant, and there were no other anomalies reported.
Large Cellar
Approx 02.00
Temp not recorded due to uncontrolled environment Moving to the large cellar made filming and recording what was said very difficult as the noise of the pumps was considerable – any videoing done in here had all speech practically drowned out. Also the large number of beer barrels and pumps made anything but a vigil out of the question. However, determinedly, we commenced a vigil and remained in there for about 20 minutes. The group remained as still as possible, and attempted to call out to any possible spirits present to make contact. Again, noise levels made it very difficult to hear any kind of response but there was a moment, captured on night vision camera , when me and one other member of the group felt suddenly that we had either heard or seen something – one of those ‘corner of the eye’ moments. This is obvious as first I, then another member of the group, suddenly turned and focused our attention on the area of the cellar where the old tunnel is now blocked off. I cannot honestly say now why I suddenly felt that I was being observed; only
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that I became quite uncomfortable with the sensation of the tunnel at my back and turned to make sure I was not going to bump into anyone, only to find there was no one there. Remember that this vigil was conducted in darkness – the only light coming from the screen of the video camera I was holding and the indicators on the equipment in the cellar. Others in the room felt or heard nothing unusual, but all agreed that the area near the tunnel was eerie, with no one feeling at ease with their back to it.
Night vision shot of ongoing investigation in the Large Cellar.
Photos taken in both this and the smaller cellar during both vigils revealed nothing unusual on later examination.
Lounge Bar
02.18
Temp 21’C
Using glass divination myself, three guest and Andy conducted a sĂŠance using glass divination in the lounge bar. Though the temperature was quite warm on the thermometer and remained constant throughout we all felt very cold, in fact one of the guest commented how cold it felt and that her hands were especially cold.
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Pictures were taken during the course of the séance and shown below is one of the bar with what appears to be an orb in the upper left hand area next to the wicker basket.
There are many theories on the actual nature of orbs in photographs – some say that they are merely reflections of dust particles caught in the flash, others purport that they are insects or water droplets, but those who believe in the spirit world claim that they could be the spirit in a kind of ‘pre-manifestation’ stage – as pure energy without form. Whatever these images are they seem to be present in one photograph and not in the next even though there are sometimes less than a second between them being taken. As the séance continued however it became apparent that this was of a personal nature to those participating and so I stopped filming and let events unfold for them unobserved. Afterwards those involved were adamant that what occurred was
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genuine contact and, though emotional, were only too pleased to continue with the investigation.
Large Cellar
Approx 02.30
Two of our ‘daredevil’ guests, armed with nothing but torches, took it upon themselves to investigate the tunnel area. Initially they both stood outside the hatchway, calling out, to see if they could detect any noises or movements, but as the noise of the machinery was overpowering anything they might hear, they (and for this I apologise) opened the hatch and proceeded to climb inside the tunnel opening. There they proceeded to hold a vigil for about 30 minutes. The noise level was much reduced in here, and both individuals were much more able to hear anything occurring. During this period both men believed that they saw flickering lights inside at the end of the tunnel, (despite the area being in total darkness), feelings of being observed, and at the last they remain convinced that they heard scraping and dragging noises coming from further down what remains of the tunnel. At this point their nerve broke and they made a hasty retreat, for ‘a large coffee and a cigarette’ as they said. Since no one else was foolhardy enough to attempt this I have no further evidence to offer from this area or verify the accuracy of their findings, and having no record of their experience other than their word on it I cannot definitely say this was paranormal activity. For one thing the tunnel might have been occupied by rodents, and also there may have not been good insulation between the above floor and this part of the cellar - I am unsure of the exact whereabouts of the tunnel’s location in relation to the upper floors of the Pub - so I cannot say whether external factors may have caused the noises. But what ever happened in there was enough to give two seasoned investigators cause to scramble out in haste, and as paranormal investigations are as much about what the individual experiences as about actual recordable data, their evidence is therefore valid and note worthy.
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Public Bar
03.00
Temp not taken during this experiment.
This vigil was conducted to follow on from the previous séance, when it was believed that contact had been made with Frederick Waterman. For this séance, however, it was decided to do things a little differently. Four people stayed in the bar, using glass divination, two people went down into the large cellar room and one stayed outside the door to the cellar. The group in the bar had a two way radio, as did the individual outside of the cellar door. The idea was that those in the bar would ask for things to happen to those in the cellar, without them being aware of what was actually being asked. The two inside the cellar would then call out to the person with the radio if they experienced anything and he would then radio the group in the bar and let them know of their experiences. This way the only ones who knew what was happening were those in the bar, and no one else could overhear what was being said. Remembering from the previous séance that Fred had ‘liked the ladies’, two women had gone down. Initially the group in the bar started asking out to see if any contact could be made. The glass started moving and it was quickly established that the intelligence that they felt they were in contact with was Fred again. The next part of this experiment took about 20 minutes: using a glass for communication has its drawbacks! There was also the fact that the glass seemed to have its own agenda – it kept moving to the only lady left in the group upstairs. When being asked if Fred would like this individual to go down into the cellar as well, the answer was yes. After she had joined the other two downstairs, Fred was asked if he could affect those in the cellar, to which again the answer was yes. The first thing that was asked to happen was if Fred could touch one of the ladies in the cellar, specifically upon the hair or the head. About thirty seconds later one of the girls came out of the cellar, convinced she had felt someone touch her on the head. Encouraged by this, Fred was then asked if he could make any noises down in the cellar for the girls to hear. Remember that this cellar was particularly noisy, with pumping and refrigeration equipment. There was a wait of about thirty seconds and
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then one of the girls came out to report loud tapping noises. They also felt very uneasy. The last thing that was requested to happen was that Fred was to touch one of the girls on the shoulder. There was a wait of about two more minutes and then all three ladies came out of the cellar - one of them reporting that she had been touched firmly on the shoulder and they all felt like they were being watched and became quite uncomfortable with this, so the session was ended. That they felt that they had experienced everything that had been asked to happen in itself is fascinating – it was just a shame that the experiment did not last longer in order to give a better sample, for control purposes if nothing else. Never having attempted this before, it was uncertain if all or any of the requests would be answered. Clearly this was the case, and as such provided very good results, even though they were subjective. Being the devil’s advocate it could be said that those involved were aware of the nature of the experiment and therefore more likely to respond in kind, but the odds on which particular action would be requested and responded to in the right order are quite high.
Séance in Lounge Bar.
03.18
Temp 23’C
During this séance the EMF meter was used throughout. The bar had proven an unusual area previously in that EMF readings did not seem to want to settle into any particular pattern, no matter where in the bar the readings were taken, if lights were on , off, or central heating radiators, or in fact mobile phones or any other equipment. At the beginning of any investigation we always ask if the managers/ owners have anything on that can be turned off – and also for all mobile phones to be turned off in order to not influence the meters we use. So as the séance commenced the EMF meter was directed to the area that had, on the initial survey, proved quite active – the chair by the original doorway. Initially the readings – though present – were nowhere at the same level as they were before. But as I travelled around the bar the readings did go higher – and then again surprised me as they seemed to have disappeared when returning to that same spot. Whatever was causing the levels to fluctuate did not appear to be in the same place – in fact before the séance was over the source of the readings seemed
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to move around several times. Eventually however they seemed to settle – a little in front of the chair that they had originally been highest – and co-incidentally – or not? – next to the table where we were conducting the séance.
Andy Ford conducting a séance with guests.
As the séance commenced it was made apparent that we were talking to a child – the name Luther was suggested by one of the guests – apparently this name had come up before during the night – to which the answer was yes. During our research we had come across the name Luther – but this was for a son of one of the Mr Waterman’s – who was an adult. Over the next 25 minutes or so the tale unfolded of a young boy who had a friend whose name began with E and was older than him, who had died in the tunnel beneath the pub whilst trying to get away from something. His parents had not apparently lived in the pub, and someone called Fred had caused his death – along with the death of ten others. When asked to spell the name of his friend the glass went to the letters E O M E, and then also spelled out I A M C N D. When asked if he had something to tell us the answer was yes – but establishing what proved futile.
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At this point it was decided to take a break, which we did for about 10 minutes, but then as the séance went on it became apparent to one of the guests that this had become personal to them so recording and note taking ceased.
Séance in Large Cellar
03.50
At 03.50 a fairly large group of investigators – nine in all – went down into the large cellar to conduct a vigil, using Night Shot video camera. Individuals began by calling out, asking for noises, movement or for individuals to be touched to indicate spiritual activity. The hatch door to the tunnel was opened, and one bright spark asked for the door to be closed again. The amount of noise in the cellar was – as usual, considerable, and if any noises or movement were made, they were not heard on or off camera. Neither was anybody touched, and the hatch remained stubbornly open. Disappointed, the group left the cellar for refreshments, with two of the guests taking part remaining at the top of the stairs to the cellars, discussing what their next move would be. No one went past them down to the cellars to do anything, and about ten minutes later it was decided to conduct another séance in the smaller cellar, using glass divination. As the group descended the stairs commence this experiment, one of them remembered that the hatch had been left open, and went into the large cellar to close it. To his surprise, the hatch was closed, and all who had been involved in the previous séance denied having shut it. Both individuals that had remained at the top of the stairs were adamant that no one had passed them. So who closed the hatch?
Glass Divination in Small Cellar
04.45
(Temp not recorded due to uncontrolled environment.)
Two guests entered the small cellar to re – attempt a séance in the room where previously the glass had not moved freely around but preferred to twist and tip. With them they took a night vision video camera which they set up opposite the table on a stable surface, to record the event. Asking out began and as before, the glass did not seem to want to move, preferring to lean over, or tip, again not falling.
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The glass - tipping, but not falling.
After about 15mins the guests were joined by a further three, hoping that their energies may just help things along. But, again, the glass seemed reluctant to behave. In previous séances undertaken by myself and other guests in previous investigations, the roughness of the table has not been an obstacle to it moving around; it just meant that the glass was jerky in its movements. After about 15 minutes more – the guests asked for one more big movement and they would leave. With that the glass twisted, tipped and finally fell over on to its side, before proceeding to roll around the table. It was caught before it fell off, but attempts to recreate the movement failed – it seemed that the table was quite level and the glass did not roll by itself to that extent, unless given a hefty push. It must be said that the level of the table was not checked – a tip for future investigations.
Other Observations As the investigation unfolded, guests were asked to write down as many observations as possible. Paranormal events are extremely subjective, and it can be said that more experiences will occur when a group of individuals get together with the sole purpose of hoping to encounter ‘ghostly’ happenings. The individuals
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concerned are more likely to consider any unusual occurrences as paranormal in origin than not, without considering the fact that events may have more mundane, scientific explanation. However, the same can be said of those sceptical of spiritual existence – that they are far more likely to be able to explain anything unusual as having an environmental or physical cause. So we ask for anything that the guests feel note worthy to be recorded, so that we can perhaps shed light on those events that have reasonable ordinary causes, and also point out those anomalous events, that appear to have no basis in explainable phenomena. These notes have written as the night progressed, mostly without times or other data that can identify the event, but as individual observations are valid representations of the experience. Notes written include: EMF readings at the bottom of the stairs and first floor – over 10 milligaus. (Though there were high readings recorded half way up the stairs in the initial survey, those at the bottom and at the top on the first floor landing were all within normal ranges.) Guest feeling cold on her hands when she went to the cellar during the radio experiment. When she moved her hands became cold again. It was confirmed that those upstairs had asked Fred to touch one of their hands. A guest having a cobwebby feeling on her face, and feeling as if her hair was being handled, in the small cellar. A female guest thinking she could smell horse dung in the bar. A male guest, feeling that he was being watched from the stairs. Several individuals having the sensation, at different times, of being observed from the tunnel in the large cellar. The strong smell of pipe tobacco in the lounge bar. Someone having their shoulder touched in the small cellar.
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Someone experiencing a tight chest in bedroom one. A female guest smelling a wood smoke type smell in the public bar, where there is no fireplace, another smelling a damp, forest type smell. At about 03.30 we had an unexpected visitor – a former landlord of the Falcon, who had been unable to sleep, lived nearby and who knew of our investigation. After watching the proceedings and it has to be said, exhibiting a certain amount of scepticism, he joined in one of the séances out of sheer curiosity. What followed had both him and the guests amazed, and almost as soon as the session started he removed his hand from the glass, not wanting to influence the proceedings. Information that emerged from the glass, though extremely personal, was entirely correct and at the end of the night he was left with much food for thought.
Psychic Art Kathy Bavister, our psychic artist, spent the evening not only interacting with our guests but also spent some quiet ‘timeout’, drawing impressions of individuals she had encountered during the night. Though Kathy is not a trained artist, her work seems to be able to convey the emotions of those she perceives, and also gives us an idea of how the individual looked when they passed away, so helping us identify, approximately, the era in which they lived. She also, through her gift, feels she can draw any particularly strong individuals that she may meet during the investigation, before the actual event. Kathy drew several perceived individuals throughout the night – both young and old, who were apparently residing in the area that the Falcon Hotel occupies now. Though we cannot verify at the present time the actual existence of these individuals, we also cannot disprove the fact they may well have lived in past times.
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Above is a representation of a gentleman that Kathy felt might still present at the Falcon Hotel, that she drew during the day before the investigation. Below is a picture of the photograph that hangs in the Dining area of the pub, of a Mr William Waterman, who is thought to have died from injuries sustained under the wheels of a horse and carriage outside the pub back in 1886. (As yet no evidence of this rumour has been found, though of course that does not mean that it did not happen.) There are several interesting similarities in the drawing.
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Other individuals appear below, and though Kathy could not name all of them, she provided the drawings anyway in case we may be able to identify them in the future.
Luther, a young boy identified in a sĂŠance.
Sarah, thought to be the wife of one of the Landlords.
Other un-named individuals.
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Conclusion The night’s investigation at the Falcon Hotel proved to be eventful and thought provoking. Those taking part had provided us with a huge amount of information, which will take a long time to prove or disprove. Personal experiences again occurred throughout the night, with those experiencing them finding themselves at a loss to explain the accuracy of the information conveyed, and convinced of their authenticity. Noises, strange lights, possible poltergeist activity and photographs of potential orbs all combined to give us a great deal to write about, and our psychics Andy and Kathy proved uncannily accurate in some of their insights. With the end of the investigation upon us we sat down and discussed our experiences. Information that we had gathered was presented, and checked with historical data that we had found in our research. One interesting rumour that we had been unaware of was of someone committing suicide in the cellar, by hanging themselves. Had Kathy picked up on this when she had suffered the choking sensation right at the beginning of the investigation during the walk round? Had Andy sensed the importance held by the Hotel’s status when it used to be a meeting place and hub for the village’s social life in the late 19th and early 20th century, as it was designed to be by the Drummonds – a long dead family with a real sense of occasion? We cannot influence the personal opinions formed by those attending the night, and neither can we speak for any of the staff or residents at the Falcon – but in our humble opinion we feel that the Falcon Hotel has certainly provided enough evidence to support the belief that it may just be haunted. Disagree? Why don’t you spend an evening in the bar and a night in one of the rooms available to hire. You might just have a busy night. Report by Juliet Collins © Haunted Southampton Limited.