SKIRRID MOUNTAIN – Dec 2007
Investigation Site
Skirrid Mountain Inn
Llanvihangel
Abergavenny
History of the Site
The Skirrid Inn is approximately nine centuries old and is known to be the oldest working Inn within the Principality of Wales. The Inn has a very large colorful history, and has been involved in a number of big events throughout the decades. It has been used as a holding cell for many a prisoner before their execution, of which most where ordered by the ruthless 'Bloody John Jefferies', with the hanging taking place on the staircase itself. It is also believed in legend that the mountains that surround the Inn broke in two at the time of the crucifixion of Christ during a violent storm. In the forecourt of the Inn Owen Glendower rallied his troops before marching on to Pontrilas.
There is so much history and all of it has been captured on the Skirrid Inn's own web site, so take a look using the link provided above.
Investigating Team
The members of the team present for this investigation:
Marlene
Sandra
Sue
Pete
Paranormal Activity Eyewitness Reports
With a lively past, it is not too suprising that there have been many sightings of orbs, and a large amount of paranormal activity coming from within the structure. Many people have reported seeing a face staring in at them through one of the windows, but have never been able to find out who it was. When the previous owners tried to sell the Inn, many glasses were thrown around the bar area. There have also been reports of the ghostly like figure of Fanny Price who was a previous owner of the Inn, and who is buried along with her brothers in the church yard next door!!!!!
Investigation Report
The team arrived at the Inn at around 9.30pm where they were all met with a warm welcome by the current landlord Geoff, and his wife Sharon. Although Marlene and Sandra had been to this location before, the rest of the team wanted to get a better feel of the Inn and decided that they would start off in the bar area talking to the locals about the paranormal activities. Whilst they were doing this, they where introduced to another Paranormal team that were just finding out about performing their own investigation of the Inn.
After the team had an idea of what to expect from the location, they made their way up to the first floor, and performed their protection practice. With the bar still being populated, the team decided that they would start the investigation by visiting the church yard, especially the burial place of Fanny Price and her family. Nothing happened whilst they were around the graves, but with the howling wind and heavy rain, they started to get a little excited and this added to the atmosphere.
Once back inside the Inn, the team get started on the baseline tests, checking the temperatures in various locations, as well as using the EMFS. The results are listed below:
Bedroom 1
TEMP: 18.5 degrees
EMFS: 2.4
Bedroom 2
TEMP: 19.3 degrees
EMFS: 3.5
Bedroom 3
TEMP: 10.5 degrees
EMFS: 2.4 (But with a very high reading at the foot of the bed)
1st Floor Landing
TEMP: 7.9 degrees
EMFS: 0
2nd Floor Landing
TEMP: 7.4 degrees
EMFS: 3.5
Prisoner Cell
TEMP: 20.5 degrees
EMFS: 8 (Caused by the boiler in the room)
Toilets
TEMP: 17.6 degrees
EMFS: 0
Bar
TEMP: 17.3 degrees
EMFS: 2.4
After all the readings had been completed, the team setup a "Lock Off" night camera (this is a camera that continuously films without assistance) in Bedroom 1 and another in Bedroom 3. They used the "Wireless Night Vision" camera on the 1st floor landing and placed the monitor in Bedroom 2 as they were using this as their base for the night. A trigger object was placed on a table in this room.
With all the equipment setup, and the Inn now completely empty, the team retreated to the bedroom, switched off all the lights and allowed the building to settle down. Once they had waited for a short while they decided to perform a seance, and started asking out for any energies to come forward and communicate. Within a very short period of time, the team felt the room go very cold and noticed that the temperature had dropped to 11.7 degrees, but the was no other attempt of communication or any other paranormal activity.
Once the Seance was finished, the team checked the motion sensor monitor, and noticed that it had been recording movement from the landing. The team watched the recordings and found that whilst they had been in the bedroom, 2 orbs had come out of Bedroom 3, and also 2 bright lights had been captured going passed Bedroom 2. Excited by this footage, the team moved into Bedroom 3, and instantly noticed that the temperature was very cold. Sandra asked for anyone to come forward and communicate, which was instantly followed by several light anomalies being caught on camera. Marlene had the thought of the names William and Mary, but was not sure where this had come from or whether it was linked to the Skirrid in any way.
The team stayed for another 45 minutes, but found nothing else occurred so they checked the monitor again and were pleased to find that it had captured another orb going across the landing followed by some tiny bright lights. They then made their way down to the bar.
After the team had gathered in the Bar area, they all sat around a table next to the fireplace and performed their second seance of the night. Marlene and Pete had a sensation of a very cold breeze flowing over their hands, and Sandra said that she had felt that someone had just blown into her face. Marlene also had the sensation of someone tickling her right ear a few seconds later. Sue then felt the presence of a little boy that was hiding in the room, his name was Thomas and he was too scared of something in the room to come out.
The team then sat in different locations around the bar, and whilst Marlene was using the video camera, she caught what appeared to be a shadow on the outside door, that could not have been created by any of the others. A couple of the team also believed that they could hear the sound of foot steps coming from above them, and this would make it again in Bedroom 3, but the team were already aware that there was no one in that location!!
With all the activity that had gone on, the team were really excited with the investigation, but had to call it a night at around 4.15.
Conclusion
The team thought that the investigation was a really great success and had so many different stories from the experience.
The structure seemed to be a real hive of paranormal activity, from the light anomies to the sounds of foot steps, not forgetting the cold spots or even the sensation of being touched, but the team failed to get any readings on their EVPS.
In the morning, whilst having a conversation with Geoff and Sharon about their experiences, the team were told that this was not the first time they had heard of people being touched on the ear, or of a young boy, in fact someone had said they had seen him going up the chimney.
Marlene also believed that she was awoken at around 6ish with the feeling of something being in the room with her, and Sharon has said that whilst being in the same, she too had felt that she was being watched!!!
The team thoroughly enjoyed their time at the Skirrid Mountain Inn and strongly recommend anyone who is a little sceptical to pay a visit, besides the breakfast in the morning is well worth the journey alone!!!!
***We would like to thank Geoff and Sharon for letting us stay and perform the investigation at their lovely Inn, and for a wonderful breakfast***