Airth Castle
Investigation Report – 24th of April – 2009
INVESTIGATION TEAM:
James Hume, Lisa Maxwell, Lorraine Anderson
AREAS INVESTIGATED:
ROOM 9
ROOM 21
BRUCE SUITE
BAR AREA
LADIES & GENTS TOILETS
INVESTIGATION
ROOM 9 – TEAM BASE
Arriving in location at approx 20.00hrs
LORRAINE’S ACCOUNT (Sensitive):
Upon entering the room, I begin immediately to sense a feeling of being watched.
The space between the room and toilet, I become aware of a man standing with his arms folded watching us closely. He appears interested in the equipment. I do not attempt to communicate, as I wish him to make his presence known through our equipment. He is aware that I can see him and tells me his name is John. I don’t answer and pretend not to see him. He smiles and disappears.
While James is setting up the equipment, I notice two young children standing at the bay window, which leads out to the small balcony.
The young girl appears to be approx 6yrs old with blonde hair. It appears wavy and sits just above her waist. She is wearing what appears to be a nightdress. It looks like cream linen and has a lace effect over the bodice. Her feet are bare. She is slight in build and appears to have light blue eyes.
The boy appears to be 8 or 9 years old. He also has blonde hair but it is slightly darker. His eyes are also blue, but radiate mischief, He is a stockier build than the girl and taller. He appears to be wearing a nightshirt. It has no collar and again appears linen and cream in colour. His feet are also bare but I notice his feet are filthy.
The little girl points to the balcony so I go over to see what she is pointing at. I don’t speak as I wish for them to do something constructive for the equipment.
I climb out onto the balcony and she points over to an area at the right hand side, all I can see is a no entry sign, but I decide to investigate it further. I am turning to climb back into the room when I feel a sensation of falling and my body becomes hot as if I am being burnt, I feel a woman’s presence and then the feeling leaves me. I climb back into the room and sit for a bit and document what I have picked up.
James states that he feels quite cold quite suddenly and Lisa mentions that she is feeling watched.
Later on in the evening while recording our thoughts on the video diary, I am mentioning the fact that I am aware of the two children and a nanny. Just then, I see the little boy hit the handle of the door and the sound can be heard on the video.
EQUIPMENT RESULTS:
EVP (DICTAPHONE)
Clicks can be heard no one is in room.
Bangs can be heard -no one is in the room.
Whilst Lisa is recording her video diary, “Hi there.” can be heard.
A voice is heard (male) – unable to hear what is being said.
VIDEO CAMERA
While Lorraine is conducting her video diary, a click/bang can be heard as she mentions the children being around.
THE GRAVEYARD
The graveyard proved to be a great place of intrigue. It is sadly over grown and neglected. The owner of Airth Castle has plans to get it cleared up. James found a huge steel-like coffin and many of the other headstones were truly sad to read. Many were young children.
This is a place that James and Lorraine would like to come back and investigate after 2am.
ROOM 21
This room has been noted as a very active room by the staff and the clientele of Airth Castle. The electricity has never worked correctly in this room. It has a history for switching off for no apparent reason and there is no power supply to be located in the room.
The electrician has checked the wiring and all appliances within the room. There is no probable cause for the electricity failure.
The clients have refused to sleep in this room due to the feelings of being watched and while in bed sleeping, has been woken by someone tickling their feet, but no one is there.
The night of the investigation, clients had asked to be moved due to electricity failure and feeling uneasy, as if they were being watched. The team decide to set up the CCTV camera, dictaphones and video cameras to record continuously throughout the investigation.
No electricity was evident in the room so the team run an extension cable from the hallway into the room. On entering the room, the team feel very uneasy, as if they are being watched. Lorraine feels the presence of two young children again and feels they are sitting on the bed.
Lorraine conducts the baseline test. The readings show 19 degrees Celsius. James and Lisa decide they really don’t like the feeling they get in this room. They begin to feel very warm and James feels a bit dizzy. Lorraine’s thermometer jumps to 26 degree Celsius.
Lorraine’s hand becomes very cold and the thermometer shows a dramatic drop from 26 to 14 degrees Celsius. She feels as if her hand is being held by a small male child. There is no explanation for these fluctuations.
Lorraine switches on her dictaphone and lays it on the single bed. James sets up the CCTV cameras while doing this. He has a small disc that is required to do this. He has it in his hand and was in the bedroom area of the room at all times.
The security personnel are present and we are all chatting in this room. James goes to put the disc in the laptop and discovers it is no longer in his hand. He asks if any of us have got it. We tell him it was in his hand. The security personnel confirm this and tell him that he has not moved it. It must be there. He searches and cannot find it.
Lorraine checks the dining room, including the window, as does Lisa.
We are growing frustrated and Lorraine, checking her dictaphone, notices that it has been switched off. Lisa and James confirm that they saw Lorraine switching it on as the green light indicator was flashing to confirm that it was recording. The batteries are checked and are replaced and there is plenty of memory available for recording so there is no practical reason as to why this has been switched off. The dictaphone is turned on again and put on the single bed. James is still searching for the disc and asks if we checked the dining room. We confirm that we have. He decides to check it himself.
He looks at the windowsill and the disc is lying there. There is no explanation as to how the disc got there and the security personnel confirm that it was not on his person nor did he move from the computer. He then applies the disc and continues setting up the CCTV cameras. As we are again doing this, Lorraine’s dictaphone beeps and turns itself off. The dictaphone’s batteries are checked once again. The team decide to switch them on again.
EQUIPMENT RESULTS:
VIDEO CAMERA HANDHELD
The footage shows James not moving from the room and setting up the CCTV cameras.
Lorraine hands Lisa her camera and a round orb is seen at the right hand side of the door.
DICTAPHONE
Lorraine’s Dictaphone is constantly clicking on and off.
ROOM 21
LONE VIGIL: TEAM MEMBER LORRAINE
TIME: 04.15 – 04.45
LORRAINE’S ACCOUNT:
I have general feeling of being watched, so much so that it is making me feel uncomfortable. In fact, it feels like someone is staring at me.
The dining room is where I feel the presence of a woman and two children a boy and a girl, I believe the woman to be a nanny of the two children, she does not cause much activity but is constantly watching the children and I feel she is vexed over them. The children are the ones messing around – more so the boy than the little girl. She tends to follow her brother.
I keep hearing things like rustling and small bangs. I feel as if someone is coming out of the dining room and is coming towards me. I think it’s the little girl.
The room starts to get very cold so I bring my thermometer out and test the temperature. It starts at 26 degrees Celsius and my legs become very cold, traveling down to my feet. The thermometer reads 18.6, dropping to 18.2 degrees Celsius.
I get the distinct feeling that the children are playing hide and seek with me and I am “it”.
I am now experiencing a feeling of someone behind me. It’s so close that I am starting to feel a bit sick. That’s usually a sign that they are pushing me to make a psychic connection, but I will not because I want them to communicate through the equipment.
I am certainly hearing things in this room, but it is quite faint. I hope it is picked up on the Dictaphone or videos.
EQUIPMENT RESULTS:
LORRAINE – CAMCORDER
4 minutes .47 seconds: Lorraine says, “Do something. Give me a bang.”
There is a faint sound of something either being moved or something falling.
6minutes 36 seconds going to 6min 50secs: Lorraine sweeps the camcorder around the room feeling as if something is in the dining room. There is a faint sound of footsteps, which seem to start, then stop, as if moving away from the camera.
Restarting camcorder:
1 minute 46 seconds: Lorraine says, “I wouldn’t like to be sleeping in here.”
There is a faint bump. Lorraine continues, “I keep hearing things in there.” referring to the dining room area. Lorraine says again, “I heard something there.” Two faint taps can be heard.
7 minutes 17 seconds: Lorraine says, “Can you do something for me please?”
Two faint taps can be heard.
JAMES – CAMCORDER
14 minutes 11-12seconds: Lorraine says, “Why don’t you speak into the camcorder.” She goes on and says, “This is so not happening.”
Whilst saying this, you can hear a young girl’s voice. We think it sounds like, “Hi …Ya.”
EVP (DICTAPHONE)
Lorraine says, “I’m feeling that someone is watching me.” A male voice can be heard, but unable to make out what is being said.
BRUCE SUITE (IN ALCOVE OF TURRET – AT BACK OF THE ROOM)
The team decide to investigate the Bruce Suit, it has been reported that cleaners and other members of staff will not go there on their own, as they feel they are being watched.
They set up a message board.
They set up two cameras and Lorraine’s Dictaphone.
Lorraine is aware of a male presence by the name of John. She also feels that the two children have been following her all night and are present.
LISA’S CAMCORDER
04.09
James starts to ask some questions: “Are you happy?” The planchette moves towards the word “lost”.
James asks more questions and the team can hear bangs from the other room.
8 minutes 57seconds
James asks,“Do you want us to help? One bang for ‘yes’ and two bangs for ‘no’.”
Two bangs are heard from other room = no.
The planchette stone is seen to move to ‘lost’ on the message board.
10 minutes 11 seconds
James says,”I don’t know if anyone is here.” A immediate faint bang is heard = yes.
12 minutes 4 seconds
James says, “Do you want us to leave?” The Planchette moves slightly.
12 minutes 43 seconds
Lorraine asks, “Are you angry that we are here tonight?” Two Bangs can be heard = no. The Planchette moves to “angry” on the message board.
14minutes 03 seconds
Lorraine asks, “Are you angry that your family have been taken away in the fire?”
One bang can be heard = no.
14 minutes 56 seconds
Lorraine asks, “We were over at the graveyard. Are you in there?” Two bangs can be heard = no
15 minutes 15 seconds
Lorraine asks, “I cleared the grave with John and Marion. Were you there when I did that?” One bang = yes
The stone becomes very warm and is noticed by all team members. James becomes very warm. Lorraine becomes very cold. Lisa feels there is someone behind her. At this point, the team decide to use the writing planchette.
25 minutes 03 seconds
Lorraine asks, “If there are any children here, would you like to play with the paper and pen?” Immediately, the dictaphone can be heard switching itself off.
34 minutes 35seconds
The temperature changes and the humidity recorder goes from 33% to 27 to 23% then increases to 30 and 34%.
The temperature displays changes from 27 degree Celsius to 21 to 18.6 degrees Celsius. Lorraine gets a feeling that someone is sitting on her knee. Lisa and James developed a sore head.
LORRAINE’S CAMCORDER BRUCE SUITE (OUTSIDE ALCOVE)
10 minutes 50 seconds
James asks, “Do you want us to help you?” Two bangs are heard = no.
12 minutes 20 seconds
James asks, “Is anybody here?” Five bangs are heard. This usually indicates five people present.
12 minutes 58 seconds
James asks, “Just confirm that we are hearing you, could you make that noise again?” One bang is heard = yes.
14 minutes 40 seconds
Lorraine asks, “Are you angry that we are here tonight?” Two bangs are heard = no.
16 minutes 46seconds
Lorraine asks, “Are you in the grave side that I visited?” Three bangs indicates that three of the energies present are buried in the plot.
17 minutes 07 seconds
Lorraine asks,“Were you present when I cleared the grave site?”
One bang = yes.
18 minutes 22 seconds
The team are discussing the way to place hands on planchette. A huge sigh can be heard.
26 minutes 50 seconds
Lorraine asks if any children are present and would they like to play with this piece of paper.
The dictaphone turns off.
BRUCE SUITE: LISA & JAMES
LISA’S CAMCORDER
Lisa gets a strong feeling that a priest is present and is watching them
10 minutes 16 seconds
Lisa asks for a big bang, as James doesn’t believe they exist. Two faint bangs can be heard.
No further evidence is seen or heard.
COCKTAIL BAR
The team decide to investigate the cocktail bar, where clients have experienced faces appearing in pictures when no one was present at the time.
LISA’S CAMCORDER
Lorraine and Lisa have a strong feeling that someone is standing watching from the door
James also experiences a feeling that someone is behind the bar. After 10 minutes, the team decide to finish the investigation and start packing up their equipment.
11minutes 08 seconds
Bottles rattle on the bar; no one is near the bar.
This can be heard clearly on the video.
The temperature changes from 29degrees Celsius to 18.2 degrees Celsius.
GENTS TOILET
The team were called by a male client, who had just visited the toilet in the lower part of the castle. He explained that his friend and himself felt watched in the toilet, so they asked if anyone was there.
They heard a one bang, the toilet flushed on its own and the tap on the sink came on. The team decide to do a mini vigil. Nothing was recorded or felt.
LADIES TOILET
It had been mentioned to the team that clients felt watched and uneasy when visiting this area. The team decided to conduct a mini vigil.
02 minutes 18 seconds
Lorraine asks if anyone is there. A light tap is heard. Lorraine asks for them to do it a bit louder. Footsteps are heard coming along the long corridor of the cubicles
02 minutes 57 seconds
Lorraine asks for them to do it louder. Footsteps are heard.
3 minutes 30 seconds
Lorraine tries to take a picture as the footsteps are still being heard.
The new battery in the camera drains.
CONCLUSION
ROOM 9
A few things that seem consistent Lorraine says she sees a man and he is trying to communicate with her. She refuses to tune in on a psychic level. A male voice is heard mumbling on the Dictaphone.
Lorraine commented that she has an awareness of two children.
Lorraine’s turns on her video diary just as the noise is being made at the door, which can be heard on the video. Lorraine also experiences a woman and two children. She feels like her body has become hot and experiences a falling feeling.
It was mentioned by staff afterwards that two children, a boy and a gir,l and a nanny, were all burned and killed in a fire.
ROOM 21
Lorraine’s lone vigil: She feels like she is being watched. The team experience problems with equipment failure, which is common with paranormal activity. The disc that James suddenly loses could possibly signify children playing games.
On the video, a young child-like female voice can be heard, which would also signify the children’s presence.
BRUCE SUITE
Every bang and tap in the Bruce Suite, were relevant to the questions being asked and were not sporadic.
Lorraine’s Dictaphone, which has never experienced any problems before, continually was switched off for no reason, although when it was switched off after Lorraine asked the children to play with the pen and paper was quite significant.
All in all, the team felt that they were being ‘played with’, which left them feeling pretty exhausted but in great hope that something had been picked up on the equipment.
The team would love to come back with a full team, to have a more thorough investigation with the opportunity to investigate the graveyard.