The Ghost Night Events team and ghost hunting customers were treated to yet another night of mesmerising paranormal activity during our ghost hunt at the atmospheric 700-year-old Donington-le-Heath Manor. We always emphasise to our participants that as absolutely nothing on our events is staged or set-up the possibility always remains that we could endure a quiet night if the ghostly occupants choose not to communicate. Naturally it is par for the course and an occupational hazard for any genuine and committed paranormal investigation team. Notwithstanding this we have had an amazing run of events as week after week we have been blessed with an abundance of unexplained evidence at each of the fantastic locations we have visited and Donington-le-Heath was certainly no exception.

Following our usual welcome discussion and tour of the wonderfully historic and atmospheric property we took a break for refreshments before starting our vigils and séances around the various areas of the house. It was a pleasant evening and some of our ghost hunters sat outside enjoying a break in the pretty herb garden at the rear of the manor house which itself is said to the focus of a number of apparition sightings. One of our ghost hunters Barry excitedly reported that as he had glanced at one of the upstairs medieval windows he had spotted a clear and distinctive figure crossing from right to left. We quickly worked out that the window concerned was the main one in the Great Hall and after confirming with the staff we were fully satisfied that the large room had been completely unoccupied at the time. More interesting still when we investigated further we realised that the large table situated in front of the window should have made it impossible for a figure to be seen from the garden. Had a ghostly figure been walking through the hall as it once was way back in time?

In later vigils in the Great Hall we experienced some incredible activity as the sounds of knocking and movement were clearly heard and flashing lights were also observed. As we moved into the adjacent and comically named King Dick’s bedroom - so called as the resident four poster was said to have once been used by Richard III - we all heard the distinct and unmistakable noise of door latches being lifted (most of the doors at the manor are of the plank and latch type) and the sound of footsteps just as though someone (or maybe more than one person) was on their way through the Chapel area which is situated outside the Great Hall. The noises were so obvious and definite that the team leader was totally convinced that the other group had accessed the area when they should have been investigating the Dairy on the lower floor. Having been so certain that she would be met by the faces of the others she showed no fear in entering the area in the dark but that quickly changed upon seeing that not only was the Chapel completely empty but that so was the adjoining Ante-Room where both doors were firmly closed and the areas eerily silent!! Further searches showed that the other group had not moved from their downstairs post and moreover they had also heard the sounds and in reverse had presumed they had been caused by the upstairs group!! This identical and fascinating phenomena was again later experienced by separate groups when conducting vigils in the same area.

Powerful movement, bangs and knocks also occurred in a number of areas during table tipping experiments and people reported seeing a figure in the Buttery which connects to the medieval kitchen. A number of groans were heard and again shuffling and movement seemed all around us at one stage as though we had been accompanied by a group of souls that obviously we could not see. During one particular séance the temperature dropped dramatically and we all heard a peculiar sound coming from corner of the room close to where we all stood. The sound was as though either a chain or coins were being rattled in a hand but we could find no rational explaination to account for the noise. During the ghost hunt a number were also fascinated upon detecting the strong smell of cooked food which ranged from bacon/meat to bread and cakes.

Our first ghost hunt at Donington-le-Heath Manor turned out to be a truly awesome event with an ample and thrilling display of baffling occurrences which were enough to enliven both the new and accomplished ghost hunter. The sound of the door latches and accompanying footsteps in particular completely flabbergasted us all and will chill some of us to the bone for some time to come!!!