Plymouth's naval dockyard

[TheDoctor]

The following was taken from the BBC News Website:

Link: news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/3762015.stm

Ghostbusters say 'docks haunted'

Researchers say they have "good" photographic evidence
A 10-strong team of ghost-busting experts has detected what they believe is paranormal activity at Plymouth's naval dockyard.
The analysts spent two nights examining psychic activity in the dock's Hangman's Cell.

The Navy allowed the team in after numerous reports of strange sightings around Devonport Naval Base.

These include reports of a girl's ghost seen playing in the Master Ropemaker's House and a bearded sailor.



"The people who walk here report spiritual activity to me all over the place - it's rampant."

Commander Charles Crichton

Since World War II, The Master Ropemaker's House has built a reputation as one of Plymouth's most haunted houses.

The Hangman's Cell, where 141 French prisoners-of-war were said to have been executed, contains what is believed to be the only remaining working gallows in Britain.

One of the team, Barbara Jones, from Abercynon, South Wales, said they finished their vigil at 0500 BST on Sunday.

'Good evidence'

She said the team of 10 all believed "beyond any degree of doubt" that they had detected paranormal activity at the base.

The hangman's cell was paranormally "very active," particularly below the hatch through which those hanged dropped.

There were changes in temperature in the cell, she said.

Although they did not see any ghosts, they had "very good" photographic evidence, yet to be analysed, which had them "jumping up and down."

Earlier, team leader Carole Bromley, known as Goldy, from West Drayton, Middlesex, said she had already seen a ghostly young girl and "quite a few figures" on the base.

The paranormal researchers brought toys and blackboards for child ghosts to play with.

Poltergeists

They also set up objects, including a made-up bed, balls, marbles and furniture in an attempt to detect poltergeists.

Their report is expected to be submitted to Commander Charles Crichton in the next few weeks.

Before the exercise, he said: "The people who walk here report spiritual activity to me all over the place - it's rampant."

Devonport is the largest naval base in western Europe.

It was founded in the 17th Century by William of Orange.

[Spooky]

Hopefully they will film it and show it on the beeb.

[Spooky]

More from the same source :

'My nights in the Hangman's Cell'

By Jemima Laing
BBC News Online, Plymouth



Ian Addicoat is the president of the Paranormal Research Organisation
There are many reasons to concentrate in French lessons, so you can book a hotel room in Paris, perhaps order a croissant in a boulangerie or - as paranormal investigator Ian Addicoat discovered this weekend - to help communicate with the spirits of dead Napoleonic soldiers.
Ian and six members of his group, the Cornwall-based Paranormal Research Organisation, have just completed a two-night investigation into paranormal activity at the Hangman's Cell at Plymouth's Devonport Naval base.

They were part of a larger team looking into ghostly sightings and reports of a strange atmosphere which are said to have spooked tough naval ratings and security men alike.


The team would love to do a return visit

Ian Addicoat
Ian is a seasoned paranormal investigator who has written many books on the subject.

The 32-year-old father of two from Cornwall describes himself as a sceptic.

"But only in the true definition of the word," he said. "Questioning all occurrences to an empirical level."

To that end he and his team utilised a wide range of equipment during their weekend vigil.

Scientific apparatus used included 0-lux night vision video cameras, digital stills cameras, electro-magnetic field meters, laser thermometers, digital voice recorders and motion detectors.

Ian said: "Obviously we will know more when the evidence has been looked at in more depth and reports from our team have been correlated, but it was a very interesting investigation."

For instance during a darkness vigil, orbs - which experts take to be energy given off by a spirit presence - were captured on the night vision machinery, appearing when the French national anthem was hummed.

The team also experienced many unexplained temperature drops.
Many of the prisoners executed there were French

The seven-strong group also deployed a panoply of non-scientific equipment such as dowsing rods, which are used to detect spirit presence and obtain information from that spirit through psychic dowsing.

And the team soon discovered that contact was more fruitful when Ian spoke in French, as many of the prisoners executed there were Napoleonic soldiers.

While less weight is give to these methods of investigation Ian describes the information elicited as "intriguing".

Ian, 32, said: "All in all it was a very interesting investigation and the team would love to do a return visit."

The team expects to submit its report to the Royal Navy in the next few weeks.

[suzygpi]

All of The Naval Dockyards have great History. I spent a few years in each one and experienced a few odd goings on, during my service in the RN. Portsmouth has its fair share as well as Gus (Plymouth). The only problem is the MOD are really awkward and are very very reluctant to let groups in to investigate...
Shame cos I would love to get onboard HMS Victory again, I know that is active..