By Kelly Holt
Walking down Stonegate, with the Minster bells tolling sonorously, a group of nine students come to a halt outside a small alley between two Tudor houses. Somewhere above, an owl hoots.
The house they are making their way into is none other than the infamous HAUNTED, of Stonegate! The nine students – the intrepid Vision team – are going all Scooby-Doo in advance of Hallowe’en by spending a night in one of the most haunted buildings in the city.
Built in 1482, the house was home to printers and booksellers for several hundred years, has seen a visit from Princess Victoria, been witness to illicit births and, if you believe the stories, even the occasional murder.
Now a museum, complete with designated seance room, the house is a warren of Georgian parlours, dark oak panelled corridors, damp cellars, and winding staircases. The Most Haunted team allegedly ran out screaming when they conducted their own investigation, but Vision are made of sterner stuff…
21.04pm. Making our way into the parlour, it looks like something out of Edgar Allen Poe. Even so, everyone looks pretty relaxed, laughing and joking.
Ghost stories and laughing child sound effects shut us up. Nobody wants to be the first to open the door into the next room…
21.15pm. Moving into the first corridor, we squeeze in. It’s dark and an ominous looking staircase seems like the ideal place for an apparition. Sadly, nothing materialises, but then, Josie feels something touch her hand. Screeches Yvette Fielding would be proud of fill the air as we pass a Hammer Horror style suit of armour and end up in a small study.
21.36pm. Nobody senses anything supernatural, but as we decide to move on, our photographer, Dan, announces very calmly that his camera has just stopped working. Hysterical reactions from the girls, and calm technological discussion from the boys ensue.
Dan comes to the conclusion that “this is really weird – there’s just no reason for it.” The group stampedes into the next room…
22.00pm. In ‘The Lantern Room’ the audio guide tells us the story of a girl who gave birth in secret, in the room. The accompanying squelchy sound effects turn some of the boys a strange shade of green. Though that could be the atmospheric lighting. The place feels creepy, and Charlotte looks freaked out. Will looks like he’s enjoying this all a bit too much.
22.25pm. We wander through the traditionally spooky areas of the attic and the cellar. Nothing happens. Seems the ghosts in this house aren’t hackneyed enough to stoop to that level.
We have the main house lights turned off; apparently ghosts are more likely to manifest if it’s dark. At least, that’s what Joe says, who as an ex-Ghost Soc member is the closest we have to an expert!
22.40pm. Finding ourselves in a bizarre mirrored room, like a fun house designed by Tim Burton, this is more funny than frightening.
It’s less funny when a mirror suddenly wobbles in its frame with no-one nearby.
22.50pm. We wind up in the ‘seance room’, and decide to spend as long as we can in here. Ouija boards and crystal balls on the huge round table set the mood, the sense of theatre, and our torch light, makes this easily the creepiest room in the house. Playing with the camera, we capturesome ‘orbs’ hovering above the table. Rachel, the only sceptic amongst the girls, suggests it might be dust. Spoilsport.
22.54pm. I think I see someone moving around in the dark on the far side of the room. Others spot it too. Suddenly, we feel something moving behind us… We’re ready to leave!
22.56pm. The lights flash on and off again. We try to think up an explanation, and almost convince ourselves it’s a member of the house staff messing around.
23.00pm. It’s seance time! Feeling pretty ridiculous, we all join hands around the table. There’s a lot of nervous laughter, but suddenly as we call out for any spirits present to bang the table, this all feels pretty serious.
23.04pm. Nothing happens.
23.10pm. ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE! The table bangs in the middle, and lifts slightly. With no explanation, and with nobody willing to admit to having done it, one of the girls starts sobbing quietly.
23.12pm. Several more bangs. We can feel cold air blowing on our hands. Some claim to “feel something” around their necks.”
23.49pm. The table lifts slightly in the left corner, as it bangs in the centre. Tom thinks Josie is doing it. Josie denies it. It’s hard to say whether it is something supernatural, or one of us is winding up the rest, so we ask for the spirit to touch one of us, or make a knocking noise elsewhere in the room.
23.59pm. There are two knocks from well behind us. There’s no-one stood there, and it’s the final straw. We decide to end the seance, but no-one can remember if there’s a ritual to follow. Reluctant to be followed home by a disgruntled spook, but desperate to leave, we settle on another prayer, and leave it at that. It’s each man for himself as we all make a mad rush for the door.
00:04am. Back in the street, everyone looks shaken. Vision decides to cross the road into Evil Eye, for an encounter with malevolent spirits of a different kind.