INVESTIGATION REPORT: The Manor House – Hall Green Road – Stone Cross – West Bromwich – West Midlands.


Report Compiled by Nick Duffy. (*Please Note: For the sake of brevity, ‘rough note form’ language / grammar has been used sporadically throughout this document).

Date Of Visit: 30th – 31st May 2004
Duration Of Visit: Approx. 6 hours.

Present:

Leonard Jackson; Frazer Smith; Steve Chew; Darren Simpson; Kerrey Cooper and Nick Duffy.



Aims / Inv. Process:

General investigation of property incorporating:

a) 1st person audio / visual observation.
b Static (area based) audio / visual recording, incorporating standard and night shot camera’s.
c) General temperature / humidity recording. (Incorporating ‘ambient’ and ‘Gun’ devices).
d) Trigger objects. (Set up in Function Room, Chapel and Cellar. Function Room: three glass marbles on a bed of white talc on a paper sheet. Chapel: wooden cross. Cellar: toy ambulance ringed on white paper).

Incorporating the above, a number of (manned) ‘vigils’ and audio / visual recording sessions were staged in various parts of the premises throughout the night.



[I] Primary (1st Hand) Notes: Findings, Experiences / Poss. Significant Events:

1) Approx. 12.28 a.m. – Len setting up cam-corder in Chapel. Hears ‘Moan’ (dramatic, ‘ghostly’ sounding) seemingly from far end of room (past partition). Reports incident to group saying that – because of the intonation of the sound concerned - he thinks we have someone ‘messing about’ around the premises. (N.B. Section [a] below). On a further visit to the Chapel some while later, he again raises this question, as he has now heard a noise akin to someone mimicking the sound of ‘a dog barking’. (Two barks). Interestingly, Frazer and Nick were situated next to the left hand side of the food bar in the Main Hall during this period and hear a ‘barking’ sound over the monitor (situated on the food bar), which was linked to a camera in the Chapel. (N.B. Section: [b] below).

2) Just after the above mentioned incidents, Frazer, Steve, Darren and Nick were leaving the cellar when Steve – last in line leaving the area - reports having heard a ‘knock’ sound akin to wood on metal. No one else in the group heard the sound concerned. (N.B. Section: [a] below).

3) During Vigil – 1.10 a.m. to 1.40 a.m. – Kerrey reports feeling cold sensation in small ante-area at left of downstairs bar. Nick places digital thermometer on table at centre of room in response and sporadically monitors temp. changes for rest of visit. (22.6 degrees at point of setting up therm., falling gradually to 20.9 degrees by 3.10 a.m.). During this same session both Kerrey and Nick notice a slight decrease in light in the downstairs bar area – as if someone had suddenly switched off a nearby light source. Immediate investigation reveals nothing to account for this effect, but Nick later realised that it was an effect of the security monitor situated behind the bar (cyclically) changing screen images.

4) 3.30 a.m.: Group sitting in Main Hall area. Frazer reports catching fleeting glimpse of a vague shape – very dark – passing from direction of door to left hand side of food bar into alcove containing Oriel window. Travelled approx. 2 – 2.5 feet off floor. A short while later, Frazer – sitting in same position – sees orange light, cast above door to right hand side of food bar, blotted out momentarily as if something had passed in front of cast light and source. Seconds later, Steve, Darren, Len and Frazer hear vague sounds from the monitor covering the Chapel area. (N.B. Section: [c] and [a] below).

5) On a couple of occasions during the night, Nick heard what he took to be a rumble / dull clatter sound in the downstairs bar area. (Most probably from behind the bar itself). The sounds came at a time when he was employed in carrying out some task and was, therefore, fairly indistinct. (N.B. Section [a] below).

6) During the night, Nick suddenly felt a strong ‘sick’ feeling (under his solar-plexus) for a matter of seconds in the Upper Floor Restaurant area. Feeling subsided almost immediately. *(No Note).

7) While in the Function Room during the earlier part of the investigation, Steve felt a tickling sensation on his head. He said it felt like cobwebs brushing against him. *(No Note).

8) Approx. 3.54 a.m.: Entire group seated in lower level of Function Room (F.R.) area. (In an endeavour to remove ourselves as far as possible from recording sessions being made in rest of building).

Steve - situated in area immediately at bottom of steps to upper F.R. level – suddenly sits up straight, saying that he has seen (what he takes to be) a figure passing the glass double doors in front of him. (Glass doors situated in wall at front of F.R. upper level, leading out to ‘patio’ type section at side of building).

Steve described the figure as tall, thin and light / drab grey in colour. It appeared to be wearing a long cowl or dress, down to foot level, with folds in the clothing clearly visible. It’s arms were seemingly held close to the front of it’s body. (In a position akin to the pose widely associated with monks seen holding their arms in the sleeves of their robes). He could make out a head to the figure, but only indistinctly. He had the impression that it’s feet were at present ground level.

The figure moved quickly from left to right of windows; not exactly running but quite fast. It was stooped slightly (as in the pose adapted by someone walking against the wind) and appeared to be quite near to the doors. It was solid looking, but appeared blurred at the edges. It moved with a gliding motion, with no discernible leg movement. Steve had the impression that it was female. (N.B. Section [d] below).

A number of group members immediately check the outside of the building, but nothing of significance was found.

Steve was asked to make a rough sketch of the figure, which appears at the end of this document.

9) None of the ‘Trigger Objects’ used were found to have been moved during the night. *(No Note).




[II] Secondary Notes: Audio / Visual Results.

(1) Chapel based video recording. Len checks on trigger object in room and leaves. (Sound of his approach and departure captured clearly on tape). Around five minutes later, audio portion of recording picks up footsteps (creaking) on Chapel stairs. (N.B. Section: [a] below).

(2) Mini-Disk recording in Chapel. Sounds of vague / distant movement sporadically during recording. (Track 7): fairly sharp, solitary ‘click’ sound. (Track 8): Fairly high pitched, solitary dog bark. (N.B. Section: [b] below).

(3) Mini-Disk recording in Chapel. Two separate, distant banging sounds – akin to door lightly slamming. (N.B. Section: [a] below).

(4) Video recording in Main Bar area. Crashing / Rumbling sound caught. Also sound akin to fire Extinguisher being set off. (N.B. Section: [a] below). Light anomalies – ‘Orbs’ – detected. (N.B. Section: [e] below).

(5) While filming Courtyard area from Upper Floor Restaurant window, Steve picked up an effect reminiscent of ‘mist’ seemingly travelling from the foot of the (external) Chapel Staircase and into the passage outside the Museum section of building. (N.B. Section: [f] below).

(6) Video recording session in Chapel. Light anomalies – ‘Orbs’ – caught. (N.B. Section: [e] below).

(7) Video recording made facing the bottom of the stairs to Chapel area. Sound akin to solitary tap on window glass heard on tape. (N.B. Section: [a] below).



[III] “Nota Bene” *(N.B.) Section.

[a] While not proven conclusively either way, naturally occurring sounds – both (internal) native to site and externally generated – could possibly account for most of the noises reported.

[b] Re. barking sound: Noise heard / captured on digital recording sounded as if it originated from ‘inside’ the building. This views is founded on the sheer clarity of the sound both heard by those present and found on digital recording concerned.

However, possible external sound contamination cannot be ruled out. It has subsequently been pointed out to group by Investigator Wayne Pickrell (of the Black Country Paranormal Society) that Manor House owner has a pet dog which has been heard on previous investigations.

[c] Light levels / sources throughout building are relatively conducive to visual interference / optical illusions. (Of the sort experienced by group members during previous investigations at other sites).

[d] Unfortunately, the sighting was made by solitary group member and, therefore – while of great interest - cannot be regarded as verified sighting.

There is, of course, the potential for the form having been some ‘flesh and blood’ person on the grounds of the building – though, due to the position / actions of the figure, this would seem relatively unlikely(?) The trajectory of the figure would – within a few feet of the glass doors – take a person through a metal railing and, ultimately, within seconds, into the building’s Moat. Steve mentioned that this was one of the most striking points of the experience; considering that someone would be walking that fast under those (geographical) circumstances leads him to surmise that the form was preternatural in origin.

[e] Orbs = airborne dust particles misinterpreted / misrepresented by digital technology. All of the ‘Orbs’ caught on video footage during the investigation were obtained on a camera incorporating ‘zero-lux’ night shot capacity – one of the main culprits for such ‘anomalies’.

[f] Camera concerned was using ‘zero-lux’ capacity and footage taken was made through window glass. A combination of these factors may well account for the effect captured.



[IV] Brief Investigation Observations / Conclusions

While there were some very interesting developments / happenings during our stay at the Manor House, nothing of an ‘obvious’ paranormal nature was discovered / experienced.

Of particular interest to the group were the incidents concerning the apparent ‘dog barking’ sound(s); both those audibly experienced by the investigators present and the solitary ‘bark’ subsequently discovered on our sound recordings. Needless to say, the sounds concerned most probably have a simple / rational explanation – i.e. they may well have originated outside the building, from the vocal chords of a flesh and blood canine! - but it has to be mentioned that they are especially noteworthy due to their sheer clarity under the situations they were heard / obtained. Because of this latter mentioned factor, it is hard to consider that these sounds may have originated from outside the premises.

A number of the anomalous sounds reported during our stay were heard by more than one person at the time of their being noted. However, as mentioned above, naturally occurring noises within / outside the premises may well account for the sounds concerned.

Also of considerable interest is the episode during which Steve Chew allegedly saw a figure passing the Function Room doors. Unfortunately - as mentioned previously – this experience cannot officially be regarded as a definite, verified ‘sighting’ due to the fact that there was only one witness. (*Note: This is working under the notion that, theoretically, a solo witness may well be suffering a hallucination, while two or more witnesses to the same event substantiate each others experience).

As far as is known at present, no other sightings concerning a form answering the description offered by Steve Chew has been experienced at the Manor House. Also, as far as is known at present, no other phenomena has been reported from the particular area concerned.

Akin to the above, the bulk of visual effects noted during our stay were made by solo witnesses. Under the circumstances, the same rule – re. validity of sightings - as mentioned above, would apply to such incidents.

(Doc. End).