- Ghostly echoes from the past were said to have been heard
at Lanhydrock House - the National Trust's flagship property in Cornwall
- during a night-long vigil on Friday. Members of the Paranormal Research
Organisation (PRO), who conducted the vigil, said they heard the sound
of a young girl laughing in the old Nursery Suite of the historic house.
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- Others reported a mystery sound in The Long Gallery,
a large room with an ornate plasterwork ceiling which is one of the oldest
parts of the rambling property. The sound, which I also heard, resembled
something like a heavy table or chair being dragged along the wooden floor.
-
- Eerily, it occurred during a seance only seconds after
PRO investigator Mike Tomlinson asked any spirit in the room to signify
its presence in some way.
-
- The sound - also heard by all the eight-strong group
including two members of Lanhydrock's staff - lasted for four or five seconds.
It was quite loud and came from the dark recesses at the other end of The
Long Gallery from where we were sitting in a circle.
-
- It did not occur again, despite Mr Tomlinson repeating
his request for any spirit presence to make itself known.
-
- The sound of the young girl laughing was heard on at
least two occasions by two PRO members who were investigating the old Nursery
Suite. The vigil was carried out by four separate groups consisting of
PRO members and Lanhydrock staff, with each group spending about an hour
at each of five main locations inside Lanhydrock, plus the outside Gatehouse.
-
- There have been reports from both staff and visitors
of unexplained happenings at all the locations, which included The Long
Gallery, the Nursery Suite, the male and female Servants' Quarters, The
Prayer Room and Prayer Room Corridor.
-
- The PRO is a group of part-time researchers who investigate
the existence of ghosts and other supernatural phenomenon in the South
West. Its president, Ian Addicoat, is now analysing evidence gathered during
the vigil for a report which he will submit to the National Trust.
-
- The report will be posted on the PRO's website theparanormalresearchers.org
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- Paul Holden, manager of Lanhydrock House - who lives
in a flat in the house - said: "One of the most popular questions
asked by our visitors has always been 'Have you got any ghosts?'.
-
- "The PRO contacted us with a request to conduct
a vigil and we though it would be a great opportunity to find out.
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- "In the past some of our staff have reported seeing
or feeling a presence of sorts and hopefully the vigil will help us to
explain these mysterious occurrences."
-
- - The Cornish Guardian will report on the PRO study when
it is published in two to three weeks' time.
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