Tolhouse Goal – 18th August 2018

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Tolhouse Museum Investigation – 18th August 2018

 

Introduction

Well what a great night we had, the Tolhouse gaol is situated not far from the river and is at the end of a row of houses on a main street, we began the investigation by meeting one of the neighbours with his beautiful dog, he told us he was pagan and wanted to know what happens during the night, hopefully he is reading this now.

Emma

We began the night in the courtroom were we all spilt up, some of us remained on the floor and the rest on the judges benches, we had a few words come through the spirit box and the light in the monks archway kept switching on, this was on a timer and sensor, and the sensor had been covered, we ask if there was anyone with us and if there was could it switch the light on and it came on instantly, no one was near the archway or moving round at the time so this was odd. We had the light come one a couple of times more but it was quiet so we went to the hold.

In the hold we were calling out, we were standing in a circle and we thought we could see various shadows and felt shivers and cold on and off, this was in time to us calling out and they were positive responses that matched our questions, this continued for some time and then we decided to take a break.

Sarah and myself went down to the hold with the stickman and decided to hold a vigil, as we were calling out a stick figure appeared, it was positioned as if it was chained to the wall, normally with stick figures they will move or jitter but this one seemed to be trapped, we called out and asked if he was a prisoner here and if he could make a movement to confirm, at this point the figure wiggled its foot, we asked if it wanted to be free from the hold, at this point the figure lurched forward from the wall but was unable to move its hands of feet from the wall, I have attached to stills form the footage to show the difference, to us it looked like someone who was fixed to the wall and unable to move as if chained but was able to pull away in protest when we asked if he wanted to leave, Sarah and myself certainly found this interesting. Then the rest of the team joined us and shortly after the figure left.

After the investigation Sarah found this grouning noise on her recording, you are seeing a film she took of what appears to be a figure against the wall in the cellar of the Tolhouse, what we didnt hear at the time was the groaning sound in the background.

After this I went to the cells. I decided that I would do a lone vigil in the furthest from the door cell, it was fairly quiet in there and I was listening to the team outside the cells doing glasswork. I didn’t feel anything but then suddenly a figure appeared on the stickman, the figure was sitting next to me, it just stayed for a while then disappeared.

I enjoyed the investigation at the tollhouse and hopefully we will return sometime.

Craig

I started off in the courtroom where we had a spirit box going, a few words come through but it was unclear of what was being said. While we was there the lights by the chapel arch which is on a sensor kept going off when no one was near it at all. At one point I also thought I saw a shadow at the end of the room passing across the room.

After that I then went down to the end cell where it felt very oppressive but no voices or noises were heard. I then went to the cell next to it where I felt very sad. I picked up on a woman that had committed suicide. I felt that she had been in and out of the Jail a few times but she knew that it was the end. Matt also picked up on the same thing followed by Lisa and Cheryl later in the night.

After this I went down to the pit where I stood in an area by myself. I could see an old woman standing in the corner looking at me. Later when I spoke to Matt he said that he also see an old woman in the area when he was sorting out the camera, he looked around and could see her in the corner laughing at him. While I was there I was joined by Sammie and I said that I can see a person sitting on the floor by the camera crouched up holding his knees with his head down in his legs, Sammie said that she could see the same figure.

After this I spent some more time in the cells I went in the first cell where I didn’t experience or feel anything. I then spent some time on the work area part while other team members and guests did some glass work.

I was then call by Matt to go with him as he see the old woman again but looking out of the hatch at him which surprised him. We both then went down into the pit area where the shackles would have been on the wall. It was a very strange feeling as it felt like time had stopped and we had stepped into another time. I would see a lot of people down there but not chained up mainly wondering around and people sitting on the floor, crouching. I said to Matt what I was seeing and he was seeing the same. Keith come down and joined us in the room. We kept hearing a shuffling sound from in the room next to us, so Keith went into the room and kept hearing the shuffling noise. Myself and Matt joined him and I felt that there was a tall man standing in the corner.

Afterwards myself and Matt went and spoke to the guide from the museum and explained what we picked up on and he said that we were correct and it is exactly how it would have been. We also said that we didn’t actually pick up on anyone shackled to the wall which he said he isn’t sure if they were it’s what they thought might have been there. This doesn’t mean that there wasn’t, it means that when we picked up on it we didn’t see it.

It was then the end of the night I didn’t pick up on much through the equipment but had a lot of personal experiences. As these were personal experiences it does not count as evidence, but it will be interesting to find out the history of the building as see if any of it makes sense!

Great venue and once again thank you to our lovely guests Tracey and Wendy it’s always a pleasure to have you join us!

Keith

I spent most of the night in the cells and surrounding areas where I witnessed a few things such as one of the cell doors moving when I was on a lone vigil outside the cells then when I opened the door and I saw a shadow move from right to left, at the same time a colleague came out of the end cell complaining of a strangling feeling and choking she sat down for a while but had to leave the area.

A few other observations I made during the night included light anomalies and noises, the cat balls or R.E.M. cube did not activate at any time in my presence. The most interesting thing was when the guys were on a break and myself Steve and Matt were in the end cell calling out and as clear as could be, there were footsteps coming from the stairs as if moving towards us, we asked who was there but there was no reply.

Carla

When we had arrived and set up at Tollhouse Gaol myself Emily and Steve were down where the cells were and decided to sit in the end cell, we got some movement from outside the cells, tapping and knocking while we were there.

We went back down to the cells later in the evening along with several other members of the team and two guests, we stood in a circle to build the energy up and we all witnessed some strange light anomalies flashing near the main door in to the cells and then Katie and Emily saw a shadow at the bottom of the stairs.

We then split in to smaller groups and went in to the cells, we got a lot of activity in the cell with the mannequin. Keith was sitting outside the cells and was experiencing knocks and movement. After a short break we then went back in the end cell and there was myself Emily, Sam, Katie and Steve, we were calling out and Katie felt something touch her leg and then Emily felt like something sat down next to her on the bench. Sam was touched also. At this point I felt I couldn’t breathe and like something was on my neck so I left the cell and went upstairs it was then Emily noticed marks on my neck.

Emily

Well fantastic venue…. We got set up and had a look around before we started, but I had gone down to the cellar at this point, which I meant I missed the tour.

We got started, Myself, Carla, Steve & Keith, Katie, Sam and Wendy and Tracey (guests) came to the cellars with us, Myself, Katie, Sam, and guests were in the end cell, Steve Carla Keith in one of the cells next door. At first there was nothing, then we heard a few noises then Carla said we have someone with us, he was in corner by the door of cell, As our cell was quiet we said we should link together. We stayed close to middle room and linked up, we tried to encourage the man out of cell, by using our energy, but he stayed and just watched us, I was facing out of cell area, after a while things seemed to change, the middle room went dark, I then saw (what I can only describe as electric sparks) one was low like something came in to entrance of cell area, then I was a few more sparks higher up and after a while Carla saw one, Keith and Steve to, myself and Katie thought we saw a shadow peering around corner of where stairs where, we all moved and changed positions, so others my witness little sparks.

Keith at this point was in cell still linked to us, he felt someone touch him, this is when things started to warm up, we broke the circle, Carla was not feeling right, she sat on bench, whatever it was had come to close, she then decided to see if her features would change like last time, Katie observed this, while myself Steve, Sam and Keith went in middle cell. At this point the guests went to join the other team. Then it all started, We felt ok in cell, then Katie said wow Carla’s features had changed, Carla got really uncomfortable and said for whoever it was to move away from her, as she said that it was like a shadow had come in cell door and made room a dense black, we all thought that was weird as happened when Carla had pushed it away. We then went in end cell, Keith stayed in middle, Katie on bench outside the cells, and the rest of the group were in the end cell. We asked questions, then Katie joined us as she felt uncomfortable on her own, then someone joined us, it touched Katie/Carla and I then felt the wooden bed move as if someone sat next to me near the door of the cell, I felt cold and uncomfortable, I was pretty much leaning on Katie and holding Steve’s hand, we asked if it didn’t like women, as we ask all questions it seemed to rub our legs etc., we asked was in prisoned for attacking women, it didn’t like this question, as Carla left in such a hurry coughing and choking, she said he put his hands around my throat, she was very shaken, so I took her outside leaving rest of the group in cell, when we were outside I could see very distinctive marks around Carlas neck of which I took pictures of.

We later found out while carrying out glass work, that this chap Vincent had attacked one of the wife’s imprisoned with her husband called Richard (we believe they were part of smuggling group) Vincent didn’t like women.

My best one by far….

 

 
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