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Yesterday's World
Battle, East Sussex
7th March 2009
Introduction
Photographs
Team Reports
 Team 1
Team 2
Team 3
Members Views
Introduction
The ancient town of Battle owes its name to the most momentous battle in English history; as the site of William the Conqueror's victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
Today Battle is a thriving market town featuring many Georgian and Medieval cottages amongst a variety of interesting shops, boutiques, restaurants and tea rooms. Just six miles from the Sussex coast and surrounded by glorious countryside, it emanates a quaint old-fashioned charm and is host to a variety of exciting events all the year round.
Yesterday’s World occupies numbers 89 and 90 High Street, Battle. The original building is over 600 years old. It was built in 1410 for the accountant of Battle Abbey. Over time it was converted into 2 separate dwellings (numbers 89 and 90), which have been home to a long list of occupants over the years, including a boarding school and dentist’s surgery, as well as private dwellings.
In 1986, 90 High Street was bought by Mr and Mrs. Buckley and converted into a museum and gift shop. In 1992 they acquired number 89 and knocked it through to expand the museum that we see today.
It was a cold windy and rainy night when all team members met, and were welcomed by our hosts for the investigation. We were taken to the café our hub for the night where we quickly unpacked our equipment and set up cameras. A short time passed and we shown around every part of Yesterdays World with lights on so that baseline tests could be carried out. Everyone but everyone wanted to stop and look at every shop it was so fascinating but we had a job to do and were eager to start.
Our Hosts for the Night
Laura
Adele
Lara
Investigators
Val Butler
Ken Taylor
Jacqi Ephgrave
Pat Rendell
Kellie Skiming
Simon Patterson
Emma Macdonald
Jim Patterson
Mary-Lou Garrett
Steen Spencer
Louise Williams
Gary Hayes
Laura Brown
Jim Arnold
Mandy Firth
Davy Rendell (guest)
Team 1
Ken Team Leader
Pat
Val
Becky
Davy
Steen on camera
Team 2
Jacqi Team Leader
Louise
Kellie
Jim P
Laura
Simon on camera
Team 3
Mandy Team Leader
Jim A
Emma
Mary-Lou
Gary on camera
Photographs
Team Reports
Team 1
Vigil 1 Ground Floor
Ken saw something in between the machines by the horses and Pat felt that her hair was touched at the same time as Becki saw a misty white shadow near Pat. Ken feels the presence of a lady, a “lady of the night” by the machines, Val calls for spirit and all hear a sound. Pat turned as she saw someone beside her but no one is there. In the cellar Ken has two boys come to mind they were chimney sweeps one of them named Dick. Val Becki and Pat see a light on the floor. Val senses an old man here with a bent back, Becki hears a sigh. Val Pat and Becki leave the cellar and enter the shop. Becki and Val are both touched in here. Val asks for spirit to move the large ball with a basket underneath suspended from the ceiling to swing. A short time passed and we stood and watched the ball swinging. First of all going in circles and then to and fro. There was no draught whatsoever that was causing this to move.
The team moves to the Royalty Room.
The team feels an atmostphere in here and tries using a Ouija board, but nothing was coming through. At one point Val thought the wooden floor beneath her feet was moving. All team members feel calm despite the mannequin’s eyes following them.
Vigil 2 Top Floor the Attic
We tried glass divination in the attic without success, Becki suddenly has a pain in her jaw, Val calls to spirit and feels short of breath, several attempts were made to contact spirit in here but all members feel calm so moved to another area.
Becki no longer has a painful jaw since moving to the other end of the attic. Automatic hand writing was tried here but to no avail. Val feels she is being told Cods Wallop and has the name of Joe come to mind. Val sees him as a man with baggy trousers with a belt holding them up a grey pullover with stripes across the front in different colours, grey hair a stooped figure. Val then has the name of Baxter given to her, something to do with the forces. She then has the date of the late 1800’s and 1560 where she then feels there were a lot of men gathered like a garrison.
Pat feels her leg being pinched then again followed by a pinch on her bottom.
Team make their way back to the attic bedroom where Becki has a sore throat suddenly and Val starts coughing, senses tuberculoses here. The team joins hands in a circle to hold a séance Becki becomes quite hot and has to leave the circle and once again as soon as she left the area was fine. Nothing else was experienced here.
Vigil 3 2nd Floor
All was very quiet on this vigil attempts were made to contact spirit but nothing came through to us. In the room where the soldiers were a cold breeze came across Pat Becki and Val. Despite Steen and Val calling out all remained very quiet.
Team 2
Vigil 1 Top Floor and Attic
In the bedroom area Jacqi had the feeling that someone was behind her, all team sat down quietly and could hear knocking, and Kellie feels the temperature dropping. The team holds a Ouija séance in this area and Jacqi feels confused and cannot get her words out properly. They came across a little girl named Ellen who has been there for four years playing with seven other children, all of them were happy. Ellen had died here. All team hear someone running. In the baby’s room with nanny Jim feels he is being touched, all team try to communicate with spirit but feel calm with no activity.
Vigil 2 Middle Floor
Sweet shop area Jacqi and Kellie take turns in asking for spirit to join with them all hear what sounded like a door at the far end of corridor opening, and a creaking of the floorboards. In the area of the bicycle sounds are heard by all team Louise feels very cold Jacqi sees a shadow in the hallway. The team forms a circle and again call for spirit Louise and Jacqi feel a positive energy presence but not close by as if just keeping a distance from the circle.
The team moves to the Junction Road shops, Jacqi asks for spirit to join with them the bell chain (glass swan bell) moves quite fast. Despite several attempts to communicate with spirit all was very quiet. All team feel relaxed and happy on this vigi8l.
Vigil 3 Ground Floor
The machine of the Mystic Lady flashed and started to play music. Team make their way to Royalty Room Jackie called out to the person sitting on the bench in there only to find the room was empty. The team feels the presence of a boy in this room, Jacqi placed an object on the floor and asked for spirit to move it but there was no response. The team moves to the cellar. Jacqi invites spirit to join the team and then feels quite claustaphobic and decides to leave the confined space. After a while the rest of the team despite encouraging spirit in find all is very quiet and decide to leave.
Team 3
Vigil 1 2nd Floor
Jim calls for spirit and all hear a shuffle sound coming from the corridor. In the room with the soldiers the team hold a Ouija séance, Emma felt cold. Jim was picking up on a boy; although several attempts were made to communicate no further information came through. Again all hear a dragging sound and a door rattled all team heard this. Mandy saw a shadow in the electric light corridor. In the area of the chemist and toy shop Jim had a headache. Mary-Lou feels uneasy here Jim felt as though someone had tugged on the Ouija board that he was chatting. Gary noticed that the fire in the kitchen was on but had not noticed this before. Emma shivers and felt as though something had crawled across her back, and has a hot spot on her shoulder. Then Emma was poked on her right side of face Jim felt sick, Emma then feels someone has had a knock on the head and feels blood dripping down. Joining hands in a circle the team hold a séance a few knocks were heard. Jim went silent then said he felt chest pain and that a policeman was after him. 50/60’s time. He felt someone was chasing him he could hear someone calling him but he wasn’t there. Again the team asks for spirit to come forward to communicate but to no avail.
Back in the soldier room Mandy feels a cold draft around her legs and shoulders.
Vigil 2 Ground Floor
In the Royalty room Mary-Lou feels cold and Jim starts to feel giddy. Mandy leant on the table and it felt as though it was moving, although it is a fixed table. Jim taps on the table and asks for a response then Gary saw two shots of light on the cam as Jim lowered his arm. Two taps where heard by the team at the door and Emma saw a reflection of someone behind Gary. No further communication here.
The area of the street scene Mary-Lou thought she heard something and answered “yes” but no one had called to her. Jim feels pain in his chest by the horses and carriage. Down in the Cellar everyone felt fine with no occurrences. Back to the Royalty room Emma hears a footstep coming towards her this was heard also by Mandy and Mary-Lou. Jim goes very cold and again invites spirit in. All team hear a loud tap and Jim feels the team is being watched from the corner by the table.
Vigil3 Top floor Attic
Mary-Lou does not feel relaxed in this room, Mandy sees a man looking in one of the display cabinets. All team feel fine throughout the top floor. No other occurrences here.
Members Views
Val
This quaint building with all its shops and artifacts of yesteryear was a must for me to investigate. Although on the night I thought it was very quiet regarding paranormal activity. I had heard a few sounds that I could have said was the wind and rain. The most exciting part was in the main shop where a ball with a basket hanging from below was suspended from the ceiling. I stood and watched this for quite some time without any movement whatsoever. When I asked for spirit to move this ball and basket it slowly began to turn and then sway backward and forward. There was no explanation for this to happen; there was no draught at all to make it move.
I would like to thank the staff of Yesterdays World for their welcome and for accompanying us.
Mary-Lou
A strange investigation for me..... A fantastic venue with a fair deal of paranormal activity or at least unexplained happenings. I and the team I was with experienced a lot of unexplained sounds, (bangs, knocks, breathing, scratching and footsteps). I had the feeling that we were being watched and followed all around the building but especially up in the attic area. I felt particularly uneasy up there and was actually quite glad when that vigil ended. The Royal Room was also another area that we could 'feel' a presence and one of our team saw a figure in the reflection of one of the glass cabinets. Footsteps and breathing was also heard here. A fantastic place to investigate, one that I would love to return as I’m pretty sure there is far more to it than we discovered on this particular night!
Jim A
I had been looking forward to visiting here, and was in the team with Mandy, Emma, and Mary-Lou who all helped make the night worthwhile. We started our first vigil and started by using the board, as we all felt there was something in the passage way leading up to where the two soldiers were, I had the feeling of a boy and girl wanting to play, but were frightened by us, I felt they were hiding, and just peeking round the corner at us, but as it was a small place we were disturbed by one of the other teams, and got nothing from the place.
At one point I was holding the board under my arm, and felt someone pull it, making me almost drop it, however there was no one there when I turned round. In the Royal room, I heard music; I felt I wanted to dance with a lady that seemed to be dancing on her own, round, and round. Throughout the night there seemed to be a number of noises, such as footsteps, knocks, and tapping, along with the wooden flooring, and being very windy outside it was very hard to put all this down to the paranormal, but as a medium I felt there was plenty going on there, and that some of the noises were coming from unknown sources. I had the feeling we were being watched and followed most of the time, and would like to visit here again.
Pat
As usual I enjoyed the night, raining and wind blowing just to set the scene, personally I was lost after leaving the hub, having no sense of direction, it was all very winding corridors, and up and down, but a wonderful place, throughout the night I felt quite comfortable all round, even though I had a man standing next to me in the coach room I felt quite happy with it, also having the top of my hair touched by the coach, I still felt comfortable upstairs along the nursery corridor I did get a couple of pinches to the top of my leg, and then a cheeky tap on my bottom, again I wasn't too worried, with a few of the doors opening and some noises it was a pretty quiet night, the only unexplained thing for me really was the air balloon in the shop that started to move round and round when asked, but a good night, a really good place to visit,
Jim P
On the top floor, we went into the toy room and used an Ouija board where we came into contact with a 6 year old girl called Ellen. She was playing with 7 other children and running round the room. On the second floor, we heard a lot of bangs but nothing else happened here. On the ground floor, we went into the royalty room and there seemed to be a figure sitting on the bench but when we entered the room the figure disappeared. A very enjoyable night.
Simon
On our walk about, the place felt quite a nice place to be in. Once in our teams we headed to vigil 1 which was on the top of the building. There was a nursery. 10-15 minutes later we walked into the main nursery with an Ouija board. The name Ellen came out and this was a 6 years old girl that liked playing. In another room Kellie, Jim P, Laura and Louise were in the small room and Jackie and I went outside and within 5 minutes Jackie felt sick. The team came out asked what was wrong and explained that they had asked a spirit to affect one of us. The rest of the night was good. A nice place to visit.
Jacqi
I had a good feeling on the night and when we arrived at Battle the evening was rainy, windy and cold, just the right combination for a spooky night. Upon enterering the building I had high expectations and on the first vigil (in the playroom) at the top of the building, we had lots of activity especially from the Ouija board. We were in contact with a little girl called Ellen and she was 6 years old and was with 7 other children. Unfortunately we were disturbed by another team asking us to be quiet and the moment was lost. We could not get Ellen to return to us.
Later in the evening I had a incident where I came over very sick and felt like I was going to vomit. Unbeknown to me Lou had called for any spirit to affect any one of us and we had to ask the spirit to go from us as I was so unwell.
I also had a toilet roll thrown at me in the ladies. I still do not know where it came from!!
As we were entering the coach area the outside door opened in front of us to allow us in. No-one was there to open it and the wind was blowing the other way!!
All this happened in the early part of the evening and not much happened later.
Emma
Had a fantastic evening at Yesterdays World, a few strange occurrences especially in the royalty room where I was sitting in the chair and heard the door and footsteps come towards me very quickly, I was very startled and didn’t sit there for long! In other areas we heard knocks and bangs, which we couldn’t explain.Thanks to the hosts for allowing us to investigate this fascinating place.
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