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The Cat Inn Investigation
West Hoathly, Sussex
13th March 2010
Introduction
Photographs
Team Reports
Members Views
Introduction
West Hoathly is a typical ridge-top settlement; the conservation area shows the evolution of the village from medieval times until present day. Layers of history are present in the form of materials used on the buildings
The village is still based on the original Medieval street pattern.
In the 15th and early 16th century open-hall houses were built along what was known as The Street, of these the Priest House, Combers and the Cat Inn still remain.
The Cat Inn was known as the Ale House in 1615.
Also of interest it is written that on the 26th May 1734 a peddler named Jacob Harris (aka) Yacob Hirsch committed three murders at another public house not too far away, he is alleged to have stolen some money and clothes and fled to the Cat Inn, (it is also rumored that he may have made his escape through the many tunnels that are underneath the surrounding area ) and once reaching the Cat Inn to have hidden up the chimney but was discovered, tried and executed and afterwards hung in chains close to the scene of the murders.
Also of interest is the Well which is situated under one of the dining tables a must to see if you have the nerve to sit and look down into it through the glass panel which covers it.
None of this information was given to any member of MPI before the investigation started and none was given during the investigation.
Pat Rendell Historian.
MPI would like to sincerely thank Ian Huxley for inviting us to investigate the historical Cat Inn and to all the staff for making us so very welcome.
On our arrival we found The Cat Inn very lively full of visitors enjoying the hospitality that was on offer. We were warmly greeted by the Landlord Ian Huxley and his staff who showed us to a table where hot coffee was served and was a welcome treat.
It was not long before the second bell rang and the Cat Inn started to say goodnight to its visitors leaving us and Ian alone.
Before the investigation started and with all lights on we had a tour around the inn with our host Ian, Colin felt light headed in the front bedroom that over looked the church, and at the bar he felt a really cold spot. Jacqi felt a pressure on her neck and could not go down the cellar it was as though something was stopping her. In the main bar area Colin had the feeling that someone had got burnt there. Val did not like the fireplace in the main bar and was breathless all the time even just walking past it.
Ian then decided to retire for the night and kindly let us carry on the night’s investigation alone.
Investigating Team Members
Val Butler
Ken Taylor
Gary Hayes
Pat Rendell
Jacqi Ephgrave
Colin Angell
Vigil areas
Upstairs Staff Rooms
Upstairs Guest Rooms
Cellar
Barn
Restaurant
Main Bar
Barn
The Investigation
We placed locked off cameras in the loft, main bar and barn, and master guest room a trigger object was placed in the hearth of the fireplace in the main bar, and a Dictaphone left running in the main bar.
At 12 midnight we started the investigation and as we were a small group decided to stay as one team.
Photographs
Team Reports
Upstairs staff rooms.
Temperature reading 21 degrees EMF reading 0
All was very quiet in the large staff room adjoining the loft when Gary thought he heard voices from downstairs Ken and Gary checked in the area but there was no one there, Pat and Jacqi both felt their hair being touched while they sat on the bed and Jacqi felt really cold down her back, Jacqi calls to spirit to come and join with us, and asks spirit to copy Gary’s whistle but there was no response. We placed the K2 meter in the middle of the room on the floor and asked for spirit to move around us in the hope the K2 meter would light up again there was no movement of lights. Footsteps were heard coming from the staircase Ken went to look but there was no one there at all.
Small staff Room and Kitchen
We sat in this room and tried every way possible to contact spirit for quite a long time but unfortunately nothing came through to us, there were a few creaks that were audible but nothing out of the ordinary just sounds that an old building would make.
We then made our way back downstairs to the small part of the bar that we made our hub. Jacqi and Colin heard voices coming from upstairs so Pat and Gary went back through the door and up the steep staircase to take a look. A short time had passed and then Colin and Jacqi heard footsteps coming down the stairs and went to open the door for Pat and Gary’s return, only to find that they were not on the stairs coming down. Jacqi called to Gary and Pat who confirmed they were still upstairs and had not been near the staircase.
We then moved into the main bar and tried in vain to communicate with spirit. Val, Ken, Jacqi and Colin then tried glass divination and asked spirit to move the glass and asked a series of questions. Val still had an uncomfortable feeling in this bar and while calling out had a strong cold breeze go over her right hand.
Glass divination séance
Q Question A Answer
Q Are you a lady spirit here
A the glass moved spelling out the letters E A J
Q what year is it
No reply
Ken has the name of Thomas Kemp come to mind who he thought may be an inn keeper who was wearing a leathery type apron and then says the inn keeper is looking for money, whether it was stolen or lost he doesn’t know but it was a lot of money, he then asks Thomas where the money is, and said he feels like Thomas is holding a bag of coins. Ken then smells burning and his feet become hot.
The glass starts moving violently round the table and stops at the letter C C. Val gets the shivers go through her,
Ken asks spirit if he has anything to do with the fire place
A Yes
Q are you connected to money
A NO
Q Are we speaking to a male spirit?
A Yes
Q Were you burnt at the fireplace?
A the glass went round the board very quickly then went to yes/no/yes/no
Q where you hiding in the fireplace
A Yes
Colin leaves the table as he hears creaks coming from the fireplace.
Q Can you give us the 1st letter of your 1st name
A J
Q and the 2nd letter
A A
Q and the 3rd letter
A 6
Q Is this correct the number 6
A No
Q have you any money with you
A No
Q did you live in this village
No reply
Q Can you see us?
A yes
Q Are you next to Gary
A Yes
Gary then moved and sat in the seat at the fireplace
Q Do you mind Gary sitting in the chair?
A Yes
Q Are you hiding something in the fireplace?
A Yes
Q Are you in the fireplace
A Yes
Q Are you buried in the chimney?
A No
Q were you trapped in the chimney
A No
Q Did you die building the fireplace?
A No
Q Can you give us the 1st letter of how you died? The glass spelt out 4 letters in succession
A H A N G
Q Did you hang yourself?
A No
Q did you kill someone
A Yes
Q Did you get hung for stealing money?
A No
Q Can you give us the 1st letter of your crime?
A M U 4
Q Do you mean us harm?
A No
Q Did you murder someone?
A Yes
Q Who did you murder Again the glass spelt the following letters without stopping.
A L A N D L O R D
Q did the landlord do you a mis- justice
A No
Q why did you murder him
A F I C
Q Did you fight with the landlord
A No
Q Why did you murder him?
A THY
The temperature seemed to have dropped suddenly and all of us felt the cold.
Ken asked spirit if they wanted us to go and the glass moved to good—bye, a sound was heard coming from the fireplace by us all and Jacqi and Val went colder at the same time.
We then closed the séance.
Upstairs Guest Rooms
In the large guest room we sat quietly for a while, the temperature reading was 21 degrees there was no EMF reading. We all felt fine, Jacqi then had the feeling of a small electric current running through her legs a feeling she has never had before. Val called for spirit to come and join with us, the K2 meter was placed in the middle of the floor. Jacqi has the name of Arnold come to mind, we sat quietly for a long time but there were no further occurrences in here
Small Room guest room
We felt this room to have a pleasing feel, and then Jacqi had the strong smell of baby powder, Val again asked the spirit to communicate with us and the K2 meter that was on the bed showed the first green light. Apart from these two incidents no further communication came through to us.
Dining Area with the well
We then all went into the small dining room that had a well half way along the floor. It took Val a few minutes to conjure up the courage to look down the well that had small lights inside. It was situated under a table so we then decided to try glass divination on this table, the board was directly over the glass topped well. Val conducted the séance by asking a series of questions
Q Please come forward and communicate with us through this glass using our collective energy
A H 23
Q are you male
A NO
Q Are you female
A Yes
Q Are there more than one spirit her with you
A Yes
Q how many spirits are here with you?
A 3
Q Can you give me the year?
A 1562
Q is that correct
A yes
Q did you work here
A yes
Q Can you spell your name by giving me the 1st letter of your Christian name
A A
Q And the 2nd letter please
A M
Q And the 3rd letter please
A Y
Q is your name Amy
A Yes
Q How old are you Amy
A 2 4
Q Did someone die in this inn?
A Yes
Q was it a man that died here
A yes
Q Was it the landlord that died Amy
A No response
Q Is there any other spirit here that would like to talk to us
A Yes
Q are you friends with Amy
A No reply came through the glass.
No further communication came through to us on this séance, so we said our goodnights and closed the board.
The trigger object placed in the hearth of the fireplace had not moved during our investigation.
Members Views
Val
This was an unusual investigation for me for part of the Inn seemed to be quite modern and yet it had the feeling of being old. While I sat waiting for the guests to leave I was trying to imagine how it must have been many years ago, it is a place full of character. As soon as I had entered the Cat Inn I became short of breath in the main bar area, I took an instant dislike to the fireplace, I had a strong uncomfortable feeling here, and all through the night every time I entered this room I got the same strong feelings. I would recommend this beautiful country Inn to anyone who is in West Sussex to visit and I for one will certainly return when I am next in the vicinity.
Jacqi
When we arrived at the Inn, our host Ian made us very welcome and we greatly appreciated the coffee that was offered. The Inn is full of character and we settled down to wait for the last drinkers to leave. Whilst waiting I had the feeling of pressure on the base of my neck which was not pleasant.
Ian showed us around this beautiful old inn and we took in all the atmosphere of the 16th century building. As we were a small group we decided to go around together.
The night proved quite eventful in one way or another, we heard some strange noises, whilst using the talking board we came across a man who had murdered a landlord and had something to do with the big fireplace in the main bar. (See history notes to see where I am going with this!!!!!). Both Colin and I were in the hub when we heard noises coming from upstairs so Pat and Gary went to investigate and both Colin and I thought we heard them coming back down the stairs!! But no!! They did not appear until about 2 minutes later. When we asked them if they had come down previously they said no!!! Very weird!
I also had the sensation of my head being touched in the attic room and Pat also had the sensation of having her hair stroked. I could not go down in the cellar for some reason. I approached the stairs but an uneasy feeling would not let me go down them.
The hours seemed to fly by and before we knew it, it was time to go home!
A very enjoyable evening and many thanks to our host Ian.
Colin
Arrived very nice pub I felt light headed as soon as I walked in to the main bar, once I had passed through the bar to other side of fireplace felt fine. ken told me was picking up on something connected to the fireplace, said he felt there was a bolt hole or opening that had been bricked up and said he could not feel his legs , went upstairs to chefs room heard very faint singing and got very heavy head near attic not much else, few creaks on stairs , came back down Gary heard noise back upstairs and he and Pat went back up ,three or four minutes later and I heard someone come back down staircase to the door we thought it was Gary and Pat but they said later they were up two levels by the attic? Started vigil in main bar used board I felt a bit confused I felt unwell/uneasy so stopped and Pat took my place and got a lot of info about murder? Heard a few clicking noises by fireplace, good session. We then went to other side of pub did not get anything, last vigil over well, name Amy and 2 other sprits? Had a good night impressed when Pat told us history of village and the fact we managed to get lots of info that was similar well worth another investigation maybe in future.
Ken
I had really been looking forward to this investigation and was very impressed with the Cat Inn. I came across a man named Thomas Kemp and visualized him as a landlord wearing a leather apron. I had the feeling that the fireplace in the main bar area was an area of great interest. Money and money bags kept coming to mind. I heard footsteps and singing at one point of the evening. The Cat Inn is an interesting Inn and I would love to come back again to spend a night here. Thank you Ian for your hospitality and for making us all so welcome.
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