Walking around the beautiful Gainsborough Old Hall in the footsteps of former Royal visitors King Richard III, King Henry VIII, his fifth wife Katherine Howard and famous preacher John Wesley was a fantastic experience especially for those of us who are as fascinated by history as we are by ghosts. The stunning former home of the powerful and esteemed Burgh family appears to have remained mostly untouched by the passage of time and carries an unmistakable mysterious and enchanting quality.

During the walk-round our medium Patrick Hutchinson (who does no prior research at all) picked up on the name Thomas which was quickly confirmed by Gainsborough historian Joan Smithson as the name given to the eldest son for generations of the Burgh family. Patrick also correctly sensed that bones had been found under the grounds of the ancient Great Hall as Joan told us in surprised fashion that skeletal remains had in fact once been unearthed in the former wine cellar (now part of the lower ground toilet facilities) which ran under the hall. The medium also stated that he heard a voice call out “Katherine” and “whore” as a stunned Joan confirmed what some of already knew - that whilst staying at the hall in 1541 Henry VIII’s fifth wife, Katherine Howard had in fact conducted an adulterous affair with Royal courtier Thomas Culpepper which was to eventually cost them both their lives by execution.

Our small group vigils and séances conducted around the many areas of the building produced some incredible results with the upper floor seemingly the greatest focus for most of the paranormal activity. As one group sat in the first floor Tudor bedroom distinct and loud bangs were heard coming from the downstairs panelled dining room. This particular room seems cloaked in an impenetrable and heavy atmosphere and also houses an old painting of a child from which staff readily admit visitors regularly recoil due to its strange sinister and hypnotic quality. Notwithstanding that a party was being held at some nearby venue which created a certain degree of extraneous noise at the start of our investigation there was no explanation for these particular sounds which clearly sounded from the inside of the downstairs room. During the same vigil the group heard creaks and sounds of movement coming from the aptly named Ghost Corridor so called due to the frequent sightings of the apparition of a woman wearing a white dress. Whilst in this area one gentleman, Tony who admitted to being a sceptic reported that he felt his face had been sharply touched. On examination and notwithstanding the usual protection our medium had invoked for everyone we were all shocked to note three clear and distinct red scratches on Tony’s face. Is it perhaps the case that despite the protection surrounding our ghost hunters the spirits try hard to provide some sceptics with very personal and certain evidence of their existence beyond the veil?

Loud bangs were reported coming from other upper rooms and amazing results were achieved with table tipping as at one stage it travelled with such power across the floor that the group experienced difficulty in keeping up. Similar results were obtained with glass divination and from this together with table tipping the groups appeared to make strong contact with the two spirits, Thomas and Elizabeth - names with strong links to the Burgh family. Were we really communicating with the tragic Elizabeth Burgh who fell in love with a man deemed an unsuitable suitor by her father. After she was forbidden from contact with her lover the unfortunate Elizabeth imprisoned herself in the Tower bedroom and refused all food and drink and eventually died of a broken heart.

During a human pendulum experiment in the Tower bedroom someone reported being softly brushed on the face only to realise that the cause was an earthly one after a large moth was then spotted flapping around the room. In this same area - where on the adjoining tower stone steps a highly trained guide dog once experienced something so terrifying that he uncharacteristically bolted from the area leaving his poor owner stranded - growling sounds were noted and some reported feeling their hair being pulled. A loud sound of movement was again heard coming from the Ghost Corridor which looked especially eerie being lit by the subdued and flickering light of our battery powered but realistic looking candles.

Very little paranormal activity was observed in the large and atmospheric kitchen area. In the Great Hall where notable figures and royal visitors were once entertained various members of one group were suddenly overcome by laughter and fits of giggling. Was it simply nerves of the occasion or were they being effected by the energy of the past in a part of the property where plays and various performances were carried out for the amusement of esteemed guests and owners. During table tipping and glass divination sessions contact was made with the spirit of a small boy who sadly claimed to have fallen to his death during a stage performance.

In séances in the wood-panelled dining room which was once a bedroom a group made contact with what appeared to be an angry soul named Thomas who had lost his life prematurely. Again a number of people reported the sounds of a growl from the corner of the room. Tapping sounds and loud knocking were heard coming from the table and a dark shadow was observed crossing the floor. One lady stated that she felt that someone was trying to jolt her from her chair and another gentleman had to leave the room after experiencing a coughing fit.

Our ghost hunt at the amazing Gainsborough Old Hall was absolutely fantastic with a mesmerising and unrivalled array of unexplained paranormal activity. As one of our ghost hunters Julie put it upon contacting us the following day “…………We have been buzzing about it since we came home this morning……..We had so much fun and excitement and never expected to encounter so much.” The Ghost Night Events team felt exactly the same way Julie and could not have put it better. We certainly will be back at Gainsborough for another ghost hunt in 2010.