Spirits Behind the Bar

Turning to social media I found and made contact with Swale Paranormal Investigators. After a short email exchange I was booked to attend their investigation of the Red Lion Pub on Sittingbourne’s High Street.

The Red Lion, Sittingbourne

The Landlord and Landlady of the pub had approached the team’s leaders reporting ghostly goings on; doors opening on their own, oppressive feelings in certain rooms and the pulling of bed covers. Buoyed by the report that during the team’s pre-investigation the spirits wanted to communicate it was not long before I was assembling with my fellow investigators in the courtyard outside the pub, as the evenings patrons were wishing us a good night.

After a comprehensive health and safety briefing and ‘white light’ protection we divided up, my group heading through the bar and kitchen; and upstairs to the living area. As we processed along a corridor the Landlady was stood by a closed door, stating very adamantly she would not be going in the room, which she opened for us. Our group being dividing in half I found myself in the ‘unfriendly’ room. After being told not to shut the window – as the unseen occupant does not like it – we settled into the space. Strategically placing some Rem-pods and EMF detectors we prepared for any activity that wanted to show itself.

As we started to talk and call out, I assembled my Chattergeist Touch rig. Connecting the battery pack and selecting the library mode. As always the group I found myself with were very interested in my toy and as we turned the lights out the room was bathed in the green glow of the very bright Rem-pod LED.

Inside the Green Room

As I got the group going I explained to anyone that would listen that we were here to find out about their stories, we meant no harm and came with absolute respect. I talked through the equipment that was dotted around the room including a cat ball that we had placed on the mantle piece. The Chattergeist started throwing out words including ‘Quantum’ and ‘Ball’. Thinking this could mean the flashing cat toys I urged any spirits to interact to which I received the word ‘Frights’. Agreeing that something causing the cat ball to flash may frighten us, we settled down awaiting something to happen.

‘Haemorrhoids’ and ‘Lymphoedum’ came up next, with the later of the two medical terms requiring me to use the QR reference code to ascertain its meaning – being a medical condition that causes swelling. The appearance of ‘Enlarge’ ‘Undressed’ ‘Elbow’ and ‘Dementia’ struck a personal chord with one of my group who explained that whilst she was getting changed she hurt her elbow and was worried about it as she was preparing for a run for a Dementia charity. As much as this could have been a coincidence or even not related, I don’t believe there is such thing as a coincidence.

Page 1 of the Word History

Allowing the Chattergeist to do its thing, I let it run, feeling very excited with amount of activity it was generating. The level of distrust from whatever spirit was choosing to interact with us was mirrored in the words generated by the Ghost Hunting Tools App that I activated – with my phone in airplane mode (obviously).

There was no activity on any of the other devices and even through our questioning we were unable to identify who was wishing to communicate. Only that the spirit was distrusting of our presence and either had medical knowledge or was afflicted with medical issues. Taking photographs in this room uncovered nothing of any note.

It was time for the groups to swap and, reunited with the other half of our team we assembled in the courtyard. Listening to the other half of the team talking about how the spirit of a female child had taken a liking to the one of the men in the group, and wanted to go home with him. We settled in to experience the court yard area.

The Courtyard

Introducing the Chattergeist Touch to those that had not met it upstairs I let it run again in library mode. The words produced had a very different tone from upstairs with large block of words being generated at a time. ‘Callous’, ‘Rescue’ ‘Tub’ and ‘Agonise’ was believed to relate to a fire that occurred when the pub was a hostelry causing the death of 2 boys within the wooden sheds we were sat next to.

‘Travelled’ ‘Energy’ Shadowy’ appeared as someone called out they had seen a non-human shadow moving around and an unnatural movement of the flags along the far fence. The last words to appears were ‘Investigating’ ‘Anonymity’ ‘Actions’ ‘Beholder’ as the group became increasing desperate for something to identify itself and provide some activity on a Rem-pod or cat ball.

Page 7 of the Word History

Time being called on our open-air vigil, after a short break we gathered in the front room of the public house where I sat with several others – including the object of the female child spirit’s desire, around a spirit board. The board was opened and immediately the activity stemmed around the phantom child’s need to be close to the man from before. After several minutes of the glass sliding to the corner of the board where he sat, someone watching (and operating an app similar to Ghost Hunting Tools) called out a name. This was too much for him and he jumped up from the table angry and clearly disturbed by what he was experiencing claiming that it was all rubbish – although his language was a little more course.

I felt sorry for him being targeted in this way by some unseen assailant and quickly after he sat back down we closed the board on our session and swapped seats with others who wished to place their finger on the glass sat atop the spirit board adorned with angelic imagery.

I left this séance and returned outside where someone was using a spirit box – a hacked auto scan radio that jumped from frequency to frequency to allow the other side to manipulate for communication. She had been getting an aggressive male, which matched the tone of the words produced by the Chattergeist in the same area from earlier – and when probed into their identity would produce bursts of classical music.

The words coming out of the box were chauvinistic and so I was asked to have a go to see if a male influence would change the dynamic of the conversation. It did not and being met with the similar bursts of orchestral music with a few choice words, a change of approach was needed. Not having to have been confrontational to the spirits before, but feeling riled up enough from what I had experienced, my stern approach appeared to work. Through the questioning we discovered that it was not an adolescent female that had been so infatuated with one of the team, but our communicator who had decided to have some fun at his expense. The speaker wanted to demonstrate his power and cunning and cause suffering to the poor man – and it appears he was successful.

Explaining our findings to the evenings victim he stated that he felt better about his experience, but having to spend his time at the pub was a little apprehensive that the friendly spirit that he thought wanted to spend time with him was something with a more malicious intent. This called an end to the nights investigation and on saying thank you and good night I walked out onto the abandoned High Street and set of home – feeling a little troubled in how even in death people will lie to get what they want.

I am an affiliate of Dimension Devices. Although I will receive a percentage of sales made through my affiliate link (https://dimensiondevices.co.uk/shop.php?affiliate=sjp), my reviews and accounts of the Chattergeist Touch are my own honest opinions.