I would like to apologise to Juliette for an error in my previous post.

When sharing the announcement about the closure of Out There Paranormal and my move on to a new project, I inadvertently used an old image featuring both of us and signed the post with both of our names.

That was my mistake.

Juliette is not involved with Places Remember, and I should not have used her image or name in a post referring to my new project without first seeking her permission. There was no intention to suggest that she was involved in, endorsed, or was promoting Places Remember, but I fully understand how the post could have given that impression.

I am sorry for any upset or misunderstanding this caused.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Juliette for the time, work and commitment she gave to Out There Paranormal and What’s Out There? during the years we worked together.

I wish her nothing but the very best in whatever she chooses to do next and every success in her future endeavours.

Nigel Higgins

For the past few years, I have been the driving force behind Out There Paranormal and the What’s Out There? podcast. It has been a journey filled with stories, investigations, conversations and a great deal of hard work.

Sadly, the time has come for me to close the door on that chapter and move on to something new.

I have decided to leave all of our work in place. A lot of hours went into creating the podcasts, videos and Substack articles, and it feels right that they should remain here for anyone who would still like to explore them. Call it a legacy, perhaps — a record of something we created and enjoyed sharing.

For me, though, a new journey is beginning.

I’m now starting a new project called Places Remember, an idea that brings together my love of history, storytelling, forgotten stories and the places that hold them. It is an exciting new beginning, with plenty of new challenges ahead, and I’m looking forward to seeing where it takes me.

I hope that some of you who chose to follow What’s Out There? might pop across and join me there as the new project begins to take shape.

Most of all, thank you.

Thank you for following, for reading the articles, for watching the videos and for taking the time to listen to the podcast episodes. Your support has always been appreciated.

One door may be closing, but another is just beginning to open.

I hope to see some of you on the other side.

Nigel x

Let’s set the scene: it’s the night before Halloween, and the world already feels a little stranger. The air outside is crisp, the moon glows brighter than usual, and your house seems to have developed a personality of its own. You see, every home has its secrets, some whispered through creaking floorboards, others hidden in the cold spaces where light doesn’t quite reach. Maybe you’ve noticed doors that open on their own, lights that flicker at the same time every night, or a chill that lingers long after the windows are shut. Coincidence… or something more?

At What’s Out There, we’re not afraid to ask the question most people avoid: what if the haunting feeling you’ve been brushing off isn’t just in your head?

To join in the spooky season fun, we have recorded a whole new podcast episode, where we hope to help you discover whether perhaps your house has more than just you and your family within its walls👻

To get started on this journey of discovery, click on the picture of us below and listen to the episode, because it’s all part of the fun you see.

Here you go, folks—a list of spooky occurrences to get you thinking, along with some ideas to go with them and some ghostly tales to set the mood.

Now, we are just wondering how many items you can check off our list?

1. **Unexplained Noises**: Footsteps, knocks, or whispers heard when no one is around.

2. **Cold Spots or Temperature Drops**: Sudden chills in specific areas of the house.

3. **Flickering Lights and Electronic Glitches**: Devices acting up for no apparent reason.

4. **Unusual Smells**: Scents of floral perfume, smoke, or decay with no visible source.

5. **Moving or Missing Objects**: Items that shift, disappear, or reappear in unexpected places.

6. **Pets Acting Strangely**: Animals staring into empty corners, growling, or refusing to enter certain rooms.

7. **Shadowy Figures or Reflections**: Fleeting shapes seen in mirrors or at the edge of your vision.

8. **Feeling of Being Watched**: A persistent sensation of being observed, even when you are alone.

9. **Emotional Shifts**: Experiencing feelings of dread, sadness, anxiety, or anger without an apparent cause, particularly in specific areas of the house.

10. **Physical Sensations**: Feeling touched, a cold breeze, or the sensation of cobwebs on your face.

Have you found yourself checking off more than just one or two spooky boxes?

Before you start calling a priest or a paranormal investigator, take a deep breath. There’s no need to panic. It’s important to remember that while your experiences may seem eerie, they often have perfectly ordinary explanations. In fact, nine times out of ten, what spooks you can be explained as something completely normal. So, take a deep breath and remember that you’re not alone in this.

As we suggested in the podcast, keeping a diary or journal can be very helpful. Documenting your experiences may reveal patterns that can be explained as natural occurrences. Your experiences are valuable and could contribute to research on the paranormal.

Who knows? You might even uncover an intriguing, spooky story worth sharing on Danny Robins’ popular “Uncanny” podcast! 👻

As we mentioned in the podcast episode, both of us have encountered our fair share of strange happenings in our family properties. Please review our experiences and compare them with your list of unusual occurrences.

The House That Whispers: A Psychic’s Account of Ongoing Paranormal Disturbance.

There’s a thrill in sharing tales of the unexplained. But tonight, I step out from behind the veil of a listener and become the storyteller. As the spiritual psychic of a paranormal investigation group, I’ve spent years helping others make sense of the inexplicable. Now, it’s my own home that’s speaking in riddles—and I’m listening.

A New Beginning, or So I Thought.

It began in June 2025. The air was thick with summer heat as I moved into a modest four-bedroom house—a 1990s-built, modern and unassuming home. I expected peace—a fresh start. But the house had other plans. On my second night, a beam of light—like a torch—cut through the front window. It was so vivid and deliberate that I called the police. No intruder was found. But sleep abandoned me that night, and fear crept in. Yet, I stood my ground, ready to face whatever was to come.

The Unseen Begins to Stir.

Soon, the house began to speak in strange ways. A linen bin on the landing snapped shut with force—its lid requires lifting and dropping to make such a sound. My son, my cat Izzi and I all heard it. We were alone. The front door was locked. Lights flickered on and off in empty rooms. I blamed my forgetfulness. But the house wasn’t done… Around 3:00 am —the witching hour—I heard footsteps on the landing and a door slam. I cursed my teenage son for stomping about. But come morning, he accused me of disturbing him! Neither of us had left our rooms. The next day, to my utter astonishment, I watched as the kitchen door to the hallway slowly opened, the handle pulling down, and the door gently swung open. On a Sunday afternoon, I was near the front door. It was a warm, sunny day. I suddenly heard a rush of water coming from the upstairs bathroom. In panic, I called out, thinking there had been a major leak in the bathroom. The rushing water fell silent. I ran upstairs and checked the bathroom to find the sink tap dripping and the sink wet, as if the tap had been recently switched on and off. Each new event filled me with wonder and a burning curiosity.

Doors That Move, Lights That Die.

One warm evening, whilst the fan was on, a door opened and hit the wall—despite a heavy doorstop anchoring it. We tried to recreate the event using the fan’s airflow. Nothing. The door remained still. Another night, around 9:00 pm, all the lights suddenly went out. I checked the fuse box. Nothing had tripped. The neighbours’ homes were still lit. Minutes later, the lights returned, and I heard a bang. Rushing into the kitchen, I noticed my Blink camera had fallen, lying face down on the kitchen floor. I took a photo. I needed proof.

Izzi Sees What I cannot.

Izzi, my feline familiar, began watching orbs dance in the living room. Not dust. Not insects. She tracked them with eerie precision. I watched her watching them, whilst in bed using one of my Blink night vision cameras — and felt the chill of something unseen. Then came the footsteps a few days later—four distinct steps across the wooden floor. I was alone. It was broad daylight. I retraced them. They stopped at the base of the stairs. Why?

The Bathroom Incident.

On September 14th, around 3:00 am, I again heard movement in the bathroom. A popping sound, followed by a pat on the shower door. Izzi, curled up beside me, perked up—ears alert, eyes fixed on the dark. I leapt out of bed and ran into the bathroom as quickly as I could. No temperature shift. No open window. Just silence.

An Icy trail.

Whilst in the kitchen, I ventured to my fridge to get a drink of water and used the ice dispenser. Some ice fell from the dispenser and landed on the kitchen floor. As I walked away from the ice, the ice cube followed me, moving alongside me, tracing its path parallel to mine. I stopped, and the ice cube stopped moving. I grabbed it and threw it in the sink. All fell silent once again.

A somewhat nutty encounter.

All these strange encounters. Surely someone wants to get in touch? I decided to switch on my spirit box and placed it in the front room, and left it alone. All the spirit activity can give a girl a snack attack, so I had previously grabbed a bag of LoveCorn, ooooooh, err, to snack on and left it in the living room. Whilst in my front room, I heard a crackling sound and went back into the living room, to find my bag of LoveCorn gently moving and crackling as it did so. Was someone trying to give me a corny reply to my questions, whilst I was using my Spirit Box?

The Singing Bin.

The next morning, my son and I sang at the dining table. A happy day. The sun was shining. Mid-song, my Brabantia kitchen bin lid sprang open. It’s a push-lid. It doesn’t open unless pressed. We stared. I made up a story to calm him, claiming that the bin was overfull, but I had emptied it the day before. I knew better.

The Patio Door With A Mind Of Its Own.

On September 17th, the patio door, sealed but unlocked, opened slowly. I watched the handle pull down. I closed it. Nothing else happened. But I wonder what the night will bring, as I write this…?

The Land Remembers.

I’ve begun researching the land. There was once a workhouse nearby. A hospital also wasn’t far from here, for the mentally unwell. Could the ground itself be echoing its past? I’ve asked Nigel, my fellow investigator, to dig deeper. I remain spiritual, but I’m determined to seek rational explanations. Yet, with each new event, logic slips further out of reach, making the investigation all the more intriguing.

Renovation and Awakening.

They say renovations awaken spirits. Since moving in, I’ve had to rebuild both bathrooms. The house was riddled with leaks and faults. Kind people have helped me make it livable, and I remain eternally grateful. But perhaps, in fixing the house, I’ve stirred something ancient…?

No smoke without fire.

Is there? Or possibly no fire at all. It’s 3 am and the smoke alarms decide to go off. Not just once, but three times. In a panic, I wake up my son and call my poor dad. There is no fire, and I get the alarms tested by the fire brigade, there’s nothing wrong with them.

Still, It Continues.

The house is not done, and neither am I! I will continue to document, to investigate, to venture Out There, because something is happening and it wants to be known. ~ Juliette Smith 2025

My Family and Other Ghosts

I reside in a typical detached bungalow in the quiet village of Martham. While I’d love to regale you with tales of a haunted abode, the truth is, my home is relatively tranquil on the eerie front. However, my mother’s 1920s bungalow is a different story, with its fair share of peculiar occurrences.

My two brothers, who are generally quite accepting of the paranormal, found themselves at the centre of most of the unusual experiences. Their encounters in the house were so bizarre that I couldn’t resist pestering them to share their stories.

First off is my younger brother Phil.  A bit of background is required to help you understand. Our dad passed away in May 2024, and he appears to be popping in every so often to keep an eye on things. Both Phil and my mum have sensed him there. Let’s let Phil take up the story.

I went round after work, it was November 2024. It was around 5 pm. It was dark, and I went into their bedroom, and I could sense Dad in there. I spoke to him and said I knew he was there, and I asked him to show me he was (Random, I know), but the hair on my arms stood up, and I could genuinely feel his presence. Anyway, I walked back into the lounge, sat in his chair, and said to mum, ‘Dad’s here, he’s in the bedroom.’

As soon as I said that, the tall lounge light next to his chair started flickering rapidly. It went off completely, then came back on for a minute or two. 

I said to mum, there ya go, he’s here and he’s ok. 

The light then remained on as normal. 

I checked the bulb and it was fine. 

Spooky hey! But honestly, that is precisely what happened.

Over to my older brother, David, to share his experiences.

 “So here’s my recollections of the spooky occurrences. The first was when we were in the front room and I was slagging Dad off after mum was singing his praises, then his photo fell off the mantle piece and mum said, “I was wicked to say bad things about Dad”. The next episode was when we were sitting in the front room. We were chatting about Dad (I think), and then the photo of us four boys with him fell off the small table next to the settee (on the right-hand side as you look at the settee) and went down behind the small table. Perhaps Dad was trying to show his annoyance with us talking about him!

 By far the strangest episode was when we were in the front room (I’m sure you were there, Nigel), while I was sitting in the chair by the TV. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, and I heard a buzzing/ringing in my head. I saw a glowing light near the door going out into the back garden. The light hovered, then shot past my right ear, went through the conservatory doors and made a noise out in the conservatory. I said, “Did you guys see or hear that?”

 I went out into the conservatory. There was a strange sensation out there, and then everything went calm/peaceful. I often get weird sensations in the bungalow, but I never say anything in case it spooks mother - and no, I hadn’t been drinking alcohol 🤣

Oh, and finally, in the distance, I sometimes hear horses and what sounds like soldiers fighting (foreign language that I don’t recognise). Once again, the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.”

I can confirm that I was present and recall the incident vividly. I went into the conservatory with David, and it felt really bloody strange in there!

The last part of David’s story stands out because I shared a similar experience my brother Phil had in one of our past podcast episodes, entitled “Family Ghosts”.

Phil heard the sound of horses and what he thought were chariot wheels outside the bungalow. He has also heard a sound he describes as an old village in the distance.

All very strange indeed.

If you want to hear more of my family’s strange experiences, here’s a link to the podcast episode where I share a few of their tales

https://shows.acast.com/outthereparanormal/episodes/family-ghosts

Nigel Higgins

Of course, not every bump in the night is a ghostly visitor — but exploring the unknown is half the fun, isn’t it?

Before you panic, check for the practical stuff: loose floorboards, flickering bulbs, a wandering pet. You’d be surprised how often the “supernatural” has a very natural cause.

Still, if your gut tells you there’s more to it — trust that instinct. Record what happens, notice patterns, and maybe even reach out to your local investigation team. Whether you end up debunking the mystery or uncovering something truly unexplainable, you’re part of the story your home is trying to tell.

After all, the line between this world and the next isn’t always as solid as we think. Sometimes, it just takes one strange night to remind us how thin it can be, especially at Halloween.

Love From

🎃Nigel and Juliette👻

🔮 Had an encounter you can’t quite explain? Share it with us in the comments or tag Out There Paranormal online — your experience might help another reader make sense of their own.👻

As summer fades and autumn approaches, we have just passed Mabon, a pagan festival celebrating the autumn equinox. This event marks the midpoint between the summer and winter solstices. From now on, the nights will begin to lengthen. Those of us in the paranormal community often appreciate the dark evenings; however, it’s worth noting that ghosts don’t care whether it’s day or night—they appear whenever they choose. There are just as many spooky experiences happening during the day as there are at night. That said, darkness certainly adds an exhilarating and eerie atmosphere.

We have been busy recording new podcast episodes, including one that poses the intriguing question, "Is your house haunted?" We’ll discuss the signs to look out for that may indicate you’re not alone.

In this post, we’re providing a link to our most recent episode, "Here Be Monsters," where we'll correct some errors and expand on the story. Be sure to check it out!

Additionally, we would like to share a beautiful poem from Juliette that gently transitions us from summer to autumn.

Belated Mabon blessings to you all! We are grateful for your continued support and engagement with our little Substack.

Nigel and Juliette👻❤️

September’s Whisper

Seasonal thoughts put into words.
We thought it might be nice to share some of Juliette’s poetry with you.

Jenny Hanivers and FeeJee Mermaids

Jenny Haniver

In our Here Be Monsters podcast episode, we discuss the possibility that the Orford Sea Dragon might be a Jenny Haniver—a cleverly crafted creation designed to deceive the unwary public into spending a few pennies to catch a glimpse of this supposedly fearsome creature brought up from the depths, along with the tale of its capture. So, what exactly is a Jenny Haniver?

Contrary to the misleading claims of con artists, a Jenny Haniver is not a mythical sea creature; rather, it is a testament to human ingenuity and artistic expression. These curious objects are actually preserved, desiccated, and distorted remains of real sea creatures, such as rays or skates, painstakingly crafted into strange, fantastical forms. The process of creating a Jenny Haniver is a testament to the craftsperson's creativity and skill.

During the age of exploration, when tales of monstrous sea creatures were widespread, enterprising individuals would create Jenny Hanivers to sell to curious travellers and collectors. These creations were often presented as authentic specimens of unknown marine life, further increasing their allure. This historical context adds a layer of fascination to the Jenny Haniver.

Now, let's embark on the journey of creating our own Jenny Haniver. This process, while historically used for deception, can serve as an exercise in understanding the artistry and imagination involved in creating these objects.

This was achieved by carving and drying the animal, reshaping its body parts, and sometimes adding enhancements such as wings or horns. The result was a grotesque, otherworldly creature that both fascinated and terrified those who saw it.

To give our fish a more monstrous appearance, we can manipulate its body. We can curl the side fins over the back, tie a string around the head and jaws to create a neck, and position the tail suitably. Once this is done, we leave our creation to dry out in the sun. To enhance the effect, we can also carve the fish a bit more. The drying process and subsequent shrinkage will cause the jaws to project, resulting in a snout-like appearance. The nostrils, situated just above the jaws, will resemble a pair of eyes. A concealed cartilage can protrude to mimic a pair of folded arms, which we can manipulate to look like wings. To finish off our creation, we can add some paint and then apply a good coat of varnish to protect it.

Voila! We have a creepy-looking creature that's sure to amaze your friends or surprise unsuspecting people.

Throughout history, Jenny Hanivers have had an impact on art, literature, and folklore. They often made appearances in seafaring stories, contributing to the rich tapestry of maritime legends. Their influence can also be seen in works of art, from intricate wood carvings to paintings and illustrations. Jenny Hanivers have even been incorporated into the realms of cryptozoology and the study of mythical creatures. Their role in maritime folklore adds an intriguing element to their story.

So, why the curious name? The closest accepted explanation is that Jenny Haniver is actually "Jeune d’Anvers," meaning "young girl from Antwerp" in French. Some speculate that the practice originated in Antwerp. Since some Jenny Hanivers are crafted to resemble humans more than beasts, they were given that name.

English sailors, encountering these creations in the port of Antwerp, adapted the French phrase into a familiar-sounding name, hence the Jenny Haniver.

Here is the link to the podcast episode.

Here Be Monsters podcast episode

FeeJee Mermaid

Of course, once you start researching one clever hoax, you immediately fall down the internet rabbit hole and find yourself reading about another famous sea creature hoax, so without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the FeeJee mermaid, all the way from the mysterious waters of the South Pacific. Now, we've touched on this story before in our podcast episode, "Something Fishy", so we thought it might be fun to “fish it out again” and include a few images of this enigmatic creature.

The "FeeJee Mermaid" was a famous sideshow hoax, presented by P.T. Barnum in 1842 as a mummified creature from the Fiji Islands. The "mermaid" was initially acquired by an American sea captain, Samuel Barratt-Edes, from Japanese sailors in the 1820s and was most likely created by Japanese fishermen. Barnum's exhibition sparked public fascination, leading to similar "mermaids" becoming popular attractions in the sideshow and carnival culture of the 19th century.

Enter P.T. Barnum, a master of bunkum hoaxes, who once again astounded the world with his deceptive prowess. The entire saga of the 'FeeJee mermaid' is a convoluted narrative of cunning deceit and shameless lies, a testament to the showman and con artist P.T. Barnum.

This mysterious creature was nothing more than a taxidermist's trick, an amalgam of the upper body of a monkey and the lower body of a fish, crafted similarly to the Jenny Haniver we talked about earlier, as a souvenir sold to sailors and tourists alike. They were undoubtedly made for sale at Asian markets, where they were very popular with Victorian tourists in the late 1800s.

Rather than retelling the story again, we'd like to refer you to this great article on the Hoaxes web archive, which provides details on how this con was executed.

Click on the link below to read the fascinating tale.

https://hoaxes.org/archive/permalink/the_feejee_mermaid

We mentioned earlier that Japanese sailors may have built the mermaid as a gruesome souvenir. Still, there is a school of thought that these objects had a more ritual theme and were used in religious ceremonies that revolved around the Ningyo.

Mermaids in traditional Japanese lore were quite different to the beautiful, alluring and feminine ones of the Western imagination. There is a creature in Japanese folklore called the Ningyo (the Japanese word is comprised of the characters for 'human' and 'fish'). The Ningyo is described as a quite eccentric and creepy creature, a sort of human-fish with a monkey-like mouth. It is believed that these human-fish stories originated in Japan via China, where various lore surrounding the ningyo can be traced back to as early as the fifth century BCE. A long-held belief in Japan was that eating a Ningyo would grant eternal life. The most famous Japanese folklore associated with this is the yaoya bikuni legend, in which a girl eats the flesh of a Ningyo and lives for 800 years.

Ningyo were also believed to bring misfortune and storms, and a washed-up Ningyo was considered a bad omen signalling war and calamity.

Over time, depictions of the Ningyo were apparently quite varied - some with four limbs, some with just two arms and both the head and body of a fish, while others resembled the 'classic' Western idea of an attractive human woman or man with the tail of a fish. These variations in depiction reflect the diverse interpretations and adaptations of the ningyo myth over the centuries.

One woodblock depicts the Ningyo as a frightening-looking fish creature with a human face, devil-like horns, and long black hair. The specimen is described as being 10.6 metres long!

Mermaids in Japanese mythology and folklore are a fascinating subject and one that we may well return to in the future.

So there you go, not one, but two creations from our overactive human imaginations that have generated more than a few tall tales in their time.

The Mysterious Tale Of HMS Hilary

We're revisiting the "Here Be Monsters" episode for another sea monster encounter. In the story about the U-85 submarine, we explore an experience that we believed was hidden away in government files, never to be revealed. However, the mysterious sea serpent encountered by HMS Hilary is not as secretive as we felt, and we thought you would enjoy reading about it!

It is 9 a.m. on May 22, 1917. The armed merchant cruiser H.M.S. Hilary is conducting an anti-U-boat patrol approximately seventy miles southeast of Iceland. The morning is filled with brilliant sunshine, and the sea is perfectly smooth; in fact, you can even see the Icelandic peak of Öræfajökull on the horizon.

Captain F. W. Dean, R.N., is sitting at his writing table in his cabin when he suddenly hears a shout:

"Object on the starboard quarter!"

He rushes onto the deck and asks, "Was it a periscope? Where is it?"

The officer of the watch replies, "No, sir, it is not a periscope. It looks more like a living creature, but it is not a whale." He points to an object that, at first glance, resembles a tree trunk with knobby ends where branches and roots have been cut off.

However, after examining the object closely through his binoculars, the captain realised that it was indeed alive, and that the 'knobby ends' were actually its head and dorsal fin.

In those days, we never missed an opportunity to conduct anti-submarine practice, and it immediately occurred to me that this would make a good target. I turned to the First Lieutenant, Lieutenant-Commander Charles M. Wray R.N.R., and instructed him to gather the crews for our three 6-pounder guns so that each team could take a shot at it in turn.

Before using the creature as a target, I decided to take a closer look. I told Lieutenant Harris, the navigator, to turn the ship around and head towards it. Eventually, we approached the object from behind. When we were about a cable's length away, it quietly moved out of our path, allowing us to pass it about thirty yards off on our starboard side. This gave us an excellent view of the creature as we went by.

The head of the creature was somewhat larger than that of a cow, though it had no observable protrusions such as horns or ears. It was black, except for a strip of whitish flesh on the front of the face, resembling the area between a cow's nostrils. As we passed by, the head raised itself two or three times, seemingly to get a better look at the ship. From the back of the head to the dorsal fin, no part of the creature was visible above water, but the top edge of the neck was level with the surface, and its snake-like movements were clearly apparent. The neck curved almost into a semi-circle as the creature moved its head to follow us with its eyes.

The dorsal fin resembled a black triangle. When viewed from the side, the fin appeared very thin and somewhat flabby, occasionally flipping over, much like the tip of a terrier's ear when it is cocked. The fin was estimated to be about four feet high at its highest position above the water.

I was eager to obtain an accurate estimate of the length of the neck, specifically the distance from the head to the fin. To achieve this, I asked the First Lieutenant, the navigator, and the Officer of the Watch each to measure the length, just as I did. We then compared our results:

- 1st Lieutenant: "The length of one of our boats about 28 feet."

- Navigator: "Not less than fifteen feet."

- Officer of the Watch: "The length of one of our boats."

- Myself: "Twenty feet."

From this, it can be reasonably concluded that the actual length of the neck was probably not less than twenty feet. Considering that the dorsal fin would be located just behind the junction of the neck and body, the total length of the creature would be approximately 60 feet.

This estimate holds true only if the creature is assumed to have a long tail, which Dean seems to have assumed without much justification.

The creature appeared completely unbothered by the ship's presence. It continued to bask on the surface, sometimes sinking until only the tip of its nose and fin were visible, and then rising again until its entire head and fin, about four feet above the water, were exposed.

The ship was traveling at twelve knots, quickly putting the creature about 1,000 yards behind. Eventually, the boat turned around, and when they were approximately 1,200 yards away, the order was given for the first gun crew to fire five rounds in rapid succession.

The second shot of the third salvo struck the poor, defenseless beast. For three agonizing seconds, it thrashed about in pain before it lay still and sank beneath the water.

You might be pleased to know that this cruel sport and senseless slaughter were avenged a few days later when HMS Hilary was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-88.

And, Finally

We stumbled across this little gem in the archive of The Lantern, a quarterly newsletter from the Borderline Scientific Investigation Group.

Looks very much like the Southwold sea serpent was not such a slippery thing after all!!

Until next time……Farewell, and keep a weather eye open for them there sea monsters

Wow, can you believe we’re already well into the year? Nearly eight months have flown by, and it's been over seven months since I last connected with you through our Substack newsletter. Life does have a way of throwing us some curveballs, and both Juliette and I have had our share of challenges in 2025. While I won't delve into specifics—because we all have our battles to fight—I want you to know that we truly appreciate your understanding and support.

It’s been quite a journey to reach this point, and at times it has felt like we might have to give up on our paranormal adventures. Our last episode of “What’s Out There?”, which explored the myths behind a horror story favourite, the vampire, was released in April, and we haven’t been out investigating for a while.

“Out There” has always been our delightful escape from reality, and we're thrilled to share that we’ve overcome the challenges that have held us back. Now, we’re eager to bring you fresh, exciting content as the year progresses!

Now, let’s shift our focus to the exciting content we have in store for you as we move further into the year. I have a treasure trove of video footage waiting to be edited into captivating episodes for our Out There Paranormal TV YouTube channel. Who knows? We may have uncovered strange happenings and more than a ghost or two!

Additionally, I’ve gathered a stack of notes filled with ideas just waiting to be transformed into intriguing episodes for our podcast, “What’s Out There?” This will be an opportunity to explore the unknown and share our findings with you.

I’m also eager to create more engaging articles for our Substack, where we can discuss the myriad insights surrounding our encounters. I hope Juliette will join me in shedding light on the spiritual dimensions of our experiences, bringing her unique and intriguing perspective to the table.

We are both looking forward to a burst of creativity and productivity in the second half of the year. With the arrival of the spooky season, we’re determined to dive in with renewed energy and passion, ready to share all the intriguing tales and eerie adventures that await us.

Thank you for your incredible patience and steadfast support; it means the world to us as we navigate these difficult times together!

Nigel and Juliette xx

Back to the Beach and the Sea

Summer is shining brightly, but can you believe it's almost time to bid farewell to these sunny days? As we eagerly anticipate one of our favourite seasons, autumn, and the captivating spooky season that comes with it, let's make the most of the warm days still ahead!

What better way to soak up the sunshine than by visiting the breathtaking beaches of the Norfolk and Suffolk coastline?

But hold on—there's much more to it than just ice cream cones and kiss me quick hats! You see, our coast is a treasure trove of intriguing tales and mysteries waiting to be uncovered.

If you haven’t yet tuned into our exciting podcast episodes centred around seaside legends and the magical world of mermaids, now is the perfect time! These episodes are packed with nail-biting and spine-tingling tales about the spirits that wander our beautiful coastal towns and serene beaches. Join us on a fascinating journey from Snettisham to Felixstowe, where we recount astonishing stories, from bones found on the shore at Dunwich to the ghostly cries of the haunted cockle collector at Stiffkey, and the mysterious Happisburgh headless torso. Plus, you’ll meet the legendary mermaid from Sheringham and learn the delightful backstory of fish fingers!

Don’t let these adventures pass you by. Check out our episodes! You’ll find links to listen right here. Click on the image to go straight to the episode. Prefer your podcasts on a specific platform? We’re available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Deezer, and most major services. Just search for "What’s Out There?" and dive into the incredible stories we’ve gathered.

Time to settle down and enjoy another strange tale from the Norfolk coast. Grab yourself a beverage of your choice, find a comfy spot and enjoy reading………

An Unusual Episode Off Eccles-On-Sea

Along the east Norfolk coast, the sea is steadily eroding the land. Barley fields stretch right up to the shore, trying to resist the encroachment, but this proves futile, as much has already been lost and more will continue to be sacrificed. Just south of Happisburgh was the parish of Eccles-on-Sea, which had a round-towered church that fell into disuse at the beginning of the 17th century. Historian Blomefield recorded that a storm in 1604 had destroyed the church along with much of the village.
We touch on one story from Eccles in our Bones On The Beach episode, that being the ghostly bells of Eccles church that ring out from the deep.

It was after another unseasonal storm on August 5, 1936, that our strange story began.

Let me introduce you to Mr. Herbert Wittard, Charles Ammon, and Archibald Gossling—three gentlemen enjoying a peaceful evening stroll along the sands of Eccles-on-Sea when, just before 7:25 p.m., they noticed something unusual offshore.

In a letter to the local newspaper dated August 6, 1936, Herbert Wittard—who had served as Mayor of Norwich in 1927—wrote that he, Labour MP Charles Ammon, and Archibald Gossling, a British trade unionist and Labour politician, had been standing on Eccles-on-Sea Beach at 7:25 p.m. the night before when they observed an… “unusual form travelling swiftly about one mile from the shore”.

He added: “Looking at it from a distance, it appeared to be a form of a huge serpent about 30 or 40 feet in length and skimming the surface of the water in a wormlike movement but travelling at a terrific speed, certainly not less than one mile a minute

“I am positive,” said Mr Witard, “that what we saw was a sea serpent. We were all on the beach together on Wednesday evening when we saw the creature, and it was a perfectly clear evening… This creature looked like a huge snake. Its action in swimming was wormlike and not the roll of a porpoise.

“Its speed was terrific. I said not less than a mile a minute in my letter, but 90 to 100 miles an hour is not an exaggerated estimate. I have by me a copy of the Strand magazine for 1895 containing an article on sea serpents. One of the serpents described is exactly like the one I saw. It disappeared very quickly on the skyline in the direction of Happisburgh.”

A peculiar sighting indeed, witnessed by three gentlemen of exceptional character, who are unlikely to fabricate a story like this. In fact, Mr Wittard even included a sketch of the creature he saw.

Their account is further validated by Wroxham resident Colin King, who also shared his experience.

“Undoubtedly, this accounts for what we saw on Wednesday afternoon. I was sitting with my wife and daughter on the sandhills at Eccles when I pointed out to them a black snake or wormlike object travelling at a terrific speed on the surface of the water, about half a mile or so out, going in the direction of Happisburgh.

“The time we saw it was between 2 and 3pm, and as Mr Witard saw it at 7.25 pm, I have been wondering if there were more than one or if this creature is still in the vicinity.”

Another sighting of a five-humped sea creature at Mundesley added fuel to the flames.

Even more perplexing was an anonymous letter sent to the paper.

“…It is also very interesting that this should have been seen off Eccles, as it was only last year that I had occasion to be at Eccles on business when my attention was called to a body that had been washed up by the sea. I made a close inspection of this, and although part of the tail was missing, it was of considerable length and had a fish-like body, yet with the bones of an animal and small feathers on the neck, and also a long, thick tail similar to that of a crocodile. I think I am right in saying that this body was buried somewhere on the beach at Eccles.”

Certainly, this intriguing story generated several negative responses, and Mr. Witard felt it necessary to address his critics. Thus, he carefully penned another letter to the newspaper on August 11 to respond to their accusations:

“Sir – I am more than interested to learn that several of your correspondents are certain the sea serpent seen by my friends and myself was not really a sea serpent at all, but just a flight of birds, a shoal of porpoises, or it may have been just a flight of our own imaginations.

“There seems to be ample evidence of the existence of such a monster…two and a half years on the sea gave me many opportunities of watching the habits of porpoises, wild ducks and other birds of flight. It has since been reported to me by friends of mine that they saw a similar monster off the Eccles Coast a day or two previous to it being seen by me.

Perhaps we are like the man who saw the giraffe for the first time and said ‘there bean’t no such animal’.”

After less than a fortnight of lively exchanges in the letters section, the paper’s editor decided to put an end to the monstrous debate by adding a note stating “This correspondence is now closed” to the last letter published.

Now, all sorts of questions arise from this tale. Did those three prominent gentlemen witness a strange serpent swimming rapidly off the coast, or could there be a more straightforward explanation?

It wouldn’t be my style if I didn’t throw a theoretical spanner into the works and attempt to explain what they observed. A couple of questions immediately came to mind when I read through Mr. Wittard’s transcript. The first point he mentions is the distance at which this creature was sighted. Mr. Wittard said it was “about one mile from the shore.” That’s quite a distance, to begin with. He also notes that it was traveling at a rapid pace.

However, he still managed to draw a fairly decent sketch of the sighting, which leads me to question another detail he provided. Mr. Wittard states, “I have a copy of the Strand magazine for 1895 containing an article on sea serpents. One of the serpents described is exactly like the one I saw.”

I enjoy a bit of research, so I tracked down the Strand article, and the image from that article looks remarkably similar to the sketch produced by Mr. Wittard.

The Strand article in full, in case you fancy reading it.

Could this article have influenced his sighting? Did Mr. Wittard end up connecting dots that weren’t there? With the article lingering in his mind, did he perhaps see something perfectly ordinary that triggered his recollection of that specific article?

We would love to hear what you all think of this tale.

While researching the Eccles story, I came across several more sea monsters that inhabit the Norfolk and Suffolk coast. Please be on the lookout for a future podcast episode where we will share more about these intriguing creatures. Of course, after discovering all of these monsters lurking beneath the waves, we should definitely keep this in mind and be cautious when taking a swim at the beach!

Be careful Out There folks😱

If you want to read a little more about Eccles and its disappearance into the sea, here are a few links to explore

Eccles History

https://www.invisibleworks.co.uk/eccles-on-sea/

https://www.roundtowers.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/The-Round-Tower-2015-December.pdf

The Fall of the Tower

Hello, everyone. Oh my goodness, where have the last twelve months gone? Here we are with Christmas looming on the horizon, and we still have loads of shopping to do!!

However, we still managed to find the time to record a new podcast episode for you all to enjoy. In the episode, we visit Great Yarmouth to look at a location with a few strange stories to tell.

It’s another look-and-listen episode, hence this article. If you’ve not experienced one before, it’s all very simple. We share a link to the podcast episode, and you listen along while looking at the images shared in this article.

So, without further ado, let’s get this show started.

THE LINK FOR THE PODCAST EPISODE

https://shows.acast.com/outthereparanormal/sinister-minster

We hope you enjoy the show.

The Location Itself

The First Blue Plaque

The Horror of the Ressurection Men

It’s a reasonably inconspicuous entrance to BodySnatchers Row, well suited to Thomas Vaughan and his nefarious activity.

Just a short hop across the road, and you are in the graveyard of the Minster. It is ideally located to keep an eye on the site and carry a corpse back after a night of digging.

There's not much left down BodySnatchers Row. The building used by Vaughan is long gone, perhaps a victim of time or destroyed during WW2.

The old Vicarage, the birthplace of Sir Astley Cooper. Thomas Vaughan’s best customer.

Two of the many methods employed to combat the Bodysnatchers are shown here. The first image is a Mortsafe, designed to be placed over a new grave to make it much harder for the bodysnatchers to dig up the fresh corpse.
The second image is a cemetery gun. These were loaded and left with a tripwire to set them off. It is not designed to kill the bodysnatchers but to scare them and provide an alarm.

We mentioned an article about the remains discovered in a dig near the Royal London Hospital. Here is the link if you are interested in reading it.

click to read

If you want to “dig a little deeper” into the history and stories behind the Resurrection men, this blog is well worth reading.

More grave digging goodness

The Ghosts in the Graveyard.

How the Minster would have appeared in 1872 when the ghost sightings occurred.

The Minster Graveyard today is not as full as you would expect. However, there are gravestones lined along the walls, so it may have looked much fuller in 1872.

This gravestone has yet another fascinating story to tell!

Could it have been something like this that the crowd saw?

The Awful Smell in The Priory School

The Priory School circa 1871

Priory school pupils in the main hall.

Perhaps the mummy looked a little bit like this.

The Priory Centre, as it stands today, is now called The Priory 1101. It is a wedding venue and function centre.

The Last Blue Plaque

A sad tale to tell.

The front page of Matthew Hopkins's book.

Swimming witches to gain a confession. All sorts of cruel torture and punishments were used to force a confession.

Gt Yarmouth Tolhouse, where the trials of the accused witches took place.

The names of the accused in the parish records

the signature of Matthew Hopkins

The North side of the Great Yarmouth Minster graveyard. The graves of the witches would not have been marked, so we can only guess where they were buried.

So, there you have it, folks. A selection of strange stories from the Sinister Minster, all rather unusual and perhaps a little chilling in their own way.

We hope you have enjoyed the podcast and have found the look-and-listen presentation interesting.

We have more podcasts, more articles to share and some great investigation videos coming soon. Until then, we will leave you all with a very hearty Seasons Greetings from both of us at Out There Paranormal.

Nigel and Juliette❤️xx

Kids are back at school, and the holidaymakers are slowly drifting away. Norfolk returns once again to its quiet slumber, and we find ourselves thinking about getting out and about again, looking for a scary encounter or two.

We have a few things lined up for Out There leading up to Halloween. I’m sorry to buck the current trend, but I detest the term “Spooky Season.” I don't know why people insist on using this name. I’m guessing it may be another American import or something that appeared online; everyone just took it up.

Anyways, back to Out There and what we have planned for the next few months. We have some more podcast episodes covering the usual collection of odd topics and scary stories. Two new “Ghost Airfields” episodes are nearing completion, and on October 5th, we are heading to the Wycombe Paracon to chat with like-minded folks and hopefully record some interviews. We also hope to add more content to our Substack for you to enjoy.

In the meantime, here’s something to get your teeth into.

Tales From A Fine City

New experiences are always fun, although I have to confess to a certain amount of trepidation when confronted with one! Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting with Juliette and some of our paranormal pals, Emma, Ed, and Dave. The destination chosen was Soyokaze, a Japanese restaurant on St Giles Street in Norwich.

I had never eaten Japanese food before but was willing to try it, hoping my companions could help me decipher the menu. I’m not alone in not trying Japanese food, as Dave confessed that he was also new to this culinary experience.

With all the hello hugs sorted, we sit comfortably at our table before me; I spy two little wooden sticks neatly arranged over a tiny bowl. Oh my god, chopsticks! I’ve never used chopsticks before, and much to my horror, it appears that my dining companions are all quite expert in handling them! I got a quick lesson on chopstick usage from Juliette. Pouring over the menu, I desperately try to work out which dish will be the easiest to eat with my rudimentary chopstick skills.

It turns out that my chopstick fears were unfounded. I manfully struggled with the bamboo torture objects and worked through a selection of Sushi and a portion of chicken katsu, which were all thoroughly delicious.

After our meal, Emma and Ed, who were visiting from Bristol, wanted to visit a haunted pub, of which there are a few in Norwich. This discussion reminded me of one of our podcast episodes, in which Juliette and I took a stroll looking at a few ghostly tales associated with the fine city of Norwich.

I previously shared the podcast script on our website blog and thought it might be nice to share it again with our Substack friends. I’ve included a link to the podcast episode if you prefer to listen rather than read.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Everyone loves a ghostly tale, and we love to share a story or two. So, where do we go for this episode?

Norfolk has so many classic ghost stories, from the coast in the east to the fens in the west, north to the wash, and south to the pine forests on the Suffolk border. We have scoured our collection of local paranormal publications to discover what delights we could share with you all.

One location looms large over all the others. As you head towards this place, you are greeted by signs that say, “Welcome to Norwich, a fine city.” They are not lying. Norwich is a city steeped in history. With bustling streets full of shoppers, a fabulous cathedral, and an imposing castle, it truly lives up to the description on the signs.

If you search hard, you can find its hidden underside, salubrious tales of murder and mystery, and of course, we would love to share a few with you.

So, where to go first on our spooky little trip around this fine city?

There’s one place with more than a few stories attached to it. So our first stop-off point is Tombland.

Now, without a doubt, Tombland is undoubtedly the most haunted area of Norwich.

The name itself sends shivers down your spine, raising thoughts of mass graves and long-lost souls, desperately crying out in the darkness, searching for their place of eternal rest. The name itself doesn’t mean a “land of tombs”, as you would think. Instead, it’s derived from two Old English words meaning “open ground” or “space”. It was the location of the original Norwich Saxon marketplace many years ago. During these times, the Norwich market was the hub of commercial activity and town life, bustling with busy and noisy stalls full of local produce, such as vegetables, meat and bread. The market also sold many items that were transported to the city by merchant ships and unloaded on the south side of the River Wensum. These ships contained many luxury items such as pottery from the East Midlands, millstones, swords and wine from the Rhineland, furs from Russia, walrus ivory from Scandinavia and fine quality woollen cloth from Flanders.

But the Normans…..who arrived in England in 1066, had their own magnificent plans for the open space of Tombland.

The first bishop of Norwich, Herbert de Losinga, had this grand vision for Tombland. So, a decision was made to move the market to its current location, near the Guildhall. Once the market was relocated, they busily set to work on the open space, creating a vast building site destined to be the home of the beautiful Romanesque cathedral and its associated priory.

Work started in 1096 and took 49 years to complete. To accommodate the cathedral, a small Saxon settlement and two churches were destroyed. The remnants of the former graveyard of one of the churches, St Michael’s, have been rediscovered in Tombland, adding intrigue to the melting pot of haunted tales that have been told for hundreds of years.

Now, we often hear tales of ghostly hauntings—tales of long-lost souls searching for fragments of their past. Tombland has stood in the shadow of the magnificent Norwich Cathedral for almost 900 years. It is said that moving from one side of Tombland to the other is virtually impossible without hearing about a haunted tale or two.

So now that we’ve dipped our toes into the history of Tombland itself let’s take a walk along those well-trodden stone paths. Slowly open the large majestic wooden door and peek into some of the stories about Norwich Cathedral itself. Today, the cathedral oozes architectural magnificence and historical importance, it isn’t simply for bored school children and tea-seeking anoraks, clutching their maps in search of a historic artefact or two. Oh no - something else may well linger within the walls and grounds of this holy place.

It's getting dark across the cathedral grounds, and little pools of light cast by the ornate lamps are scattered about.

Movement catches your eye, and you stare into the darkened gaps between the pools of light.

Is that a figure moving over there? As it drifts nearer, it looks like an area of mist; you can see a woman surrounded by a cloud that hides her feet. She drifts into the darkness again, slowly fading away into nothing.

So, who is this strange lady, and what is her story?

Let's take a little tour back in time to the 13th century, and things are not going so well in Tombland. For many years, the city people had been at odds with the cathedral monks for many reasons, mostly about rights and boundaries.

There have been a series of fights and running skirmishes between the cathedral workers and the city's young men. The monks even killed several citizens. The monks argued that they answered to their justice system and did not abide by city laws as men of God.

Opposite the cathedral stands St George's Church, built as an alternative venue for worship and used by the city folk. The priory men desecrated the church on several occasions.

Feelings were running high, and in August 1272, they came to a head. There had been many quarrels and fights. The word was going around that there would be a major fight at the Tombland fair. On August 7th, a group of priory men left the cathedral grounds and robbed a local merchant. Following the robbery, they entered a local tavern. They drank wine and then refused to pay for it. The innkeeper, powerless to do anything, then watched as the now drunk priory men turned over barrels of beer, laughing and jeering at the poor man, before stumbling back to the cathedral cloisters in a drunken stupor. The bishop discovered what had gone. Fearing reprisals, he ordered the gates to the cathedral grounds to be closed and locked.

It so happens that his fear was well-grounded. The next day, a group of young city men, hearing about the robbery and the incident at the tavern, decided to attempt to force their way into the cathedral grounds. Thwarted by the locked gates, they came up with a different plan. Climbing to the top of St Georges church, they fired incendiary arrows into the cathedral grounds.

Some of these arrows landed on the thatched roofs of buildings inside the grounds, and several fires soon took hold. As the monks and their servants tried extinguishing the flames, a young woman set fire against the cathedral gates. This fire weakened the bolts holding the gates shut. As the gates begin to sag, a mob of city folk charged them using tables taken from the local taverns to batter the gates down. Once inside the grounds, the mob ran riot. They stole gold and silver and set more buildings alight, including the church of St Ethelbert. Some monks were killed trying to stop the mob. After things had calmed down, the bishop contacted Rome. Pope Gregory X issued a papal bull commanding the city authorities to punish those involved. He also decreed that the entire city of Norwich was to be excommunicated from the church.

The city authorities condemned thirty civilians to death. Some were hanged, whilst others were dragged behind horses through the streets of Norwich until they died.

The woman who had set fire to the gate was identified. Her fate was to be tied to a stake in the cathedral grounds and burnt to death in front of a horrified crowd. A fitting punishment for the fire she had set against the gate had enabled the mob to enter the cathedral grounds.

So could our mysterious drifting female figure be an echo of the woman burnt to death on the cathedral grounds? Forever trapped in the place of her death, the penance she pays for burning the gate and letting the mob in?

So many tales are attached to this site, such as a ghostly knight returning to toast his fallen friend or the spirit of an executed priest with a swollen red face and his entrails hanging out. We would be here all night if we told you all the tales. We may return here again. For now, those stories will have to wait.

Leaving the cathedral grounds through the Erpingham gate, you look across Tombland. You are drawn to the strange, crooked house, The rickety Augustine Steward house, leaning to the left.

This comical-looking building, however, has a gruesome tale hidden within its ancient walls. It is to wander across Tombland and walk through Tombland Alley, but keep your eyes open, folks. You may glimpse a small female figure dressed in faded grey rags quietly drifting by. The grey girl is a well-known ghostly apparition with a gruesome tale.

Everyone loves a royal visit, and in 1578, Norwich was blessed with such a visit from Elizabeth I. She arrived with her entourage, but behind all the pageantry lurked a most unwelcome visitor, a gift nobody wanted. For the queen had brought the plague with her, and the good citizens of Norwich were to pay a horrible price.

Between August 1578 and February 1579, 4700 deaths were recorded, but this figure does not include every plague death. The figure was more likely to be around double that amount. In a city with a population of approximately 16000, there are many bodies to dispose of. Norwich was no stranger to the plague, succumbing to the Black DeaDeath'svages in 1349. The bodies piled high back then, and with so many people dying, it became impossible to individually bury the bodies, so hastily dug pits were used, and Tombland began to live up to its name as the pits were opened. The grim task of bringing the bodies here began. We could detail the pits and their locations, but we have ghost stories to tell, so let's return to our next scary tale.

With the death count rising, to try and stop the contagion, the decision was taken to leave the bodies in their houses and seal the building shut. A large red cross was painted on the door to warn people to keep out. The pitmen would return later to take the bodies to the newly reopened plague pits and bury them.

Remember our crooked house? Well, that particular property is known as the Augustine Steward house. In 1578, it was the home of an unfortunate family who fell victim to the plague. The bailiffs came and sealed the house shut, leaving what they thought were the dead bodies of this poor family inside.

After the set time had passed, the pitmen arrived to remove the bodies to bury them in the reopened plague pits. As they dragged out the mother and father, they noticed some strange-looking wounds on the legs of the bodies. On closer inspection, the wounds were found to be bite marks and missing chunks of flesh.

These bite marks were too big to be the work of rats. They looked horribly like human teeth made them. Dragging out the other bodies, they find one body that is a lot fresher than the others: a young girl. The story goes that the pitmen opened her mouth, and to their horror, they found it full of what looked like meat. Had the poor girl choked on the flesh of her dead parents?

In the haste to seal up the house, it appears that they had inadvertently sealed the poor girl inside, still alive.

Imagine the horror of being sealed inside a house with your dead family and then having to resort to eating their plague-ridden bodies to survive.

It’s unsurprising to think that our drifting grey girl may be the ghost of this poor child, her restless soul condemned to wander the vicinity of her family home.

The grey girl has been seen by the occupants of the Augustine Steward house and quite a few of the adjacent buildings. She quietly drifts past, sometimes moving objects and opening doors on her travels. She has also been spotted in St George’s Church—yes, the very same church used to fire burning arrows in our last story.

The Reverend John Mimms recalls seeing this grey figure enter the church through the main doors, silently drift across the back of the church, and then leave through the door leading to Tombland Alley. When we say leaving, she did not open the door, which had been sealed for many years.

It is time for us to leave and make our way to another Norwich landmark: the imposing stone structure on a hill that broods menacingly over the streets of Norwich, keeping watch on the citizens below.

We are heading to the castle, where we have more ghostly tales to share.

Norwich Castle started life as a wooden structure on top of a mound. These early castles, called motte and bailey castles, were built to subdue the local Anglo-Saxon population during the Norman conquest.

Many Saxon houses were pulled down to build the mound and defensive earthworks. The Normans built parts of the castle over a Saxon cemetery to show their disregard for their subjects.

In 1094, work was started on the stone keep and finished in 1121.

Norwich Castle was designed to be a royal palace rather than a fortification. However, no kings or queens have ever lived in it.

In 1345, the castle stood idle, so it was converted into a prison, which remained its function for the next 500 years.

It was during its life as a prison that the more gruesome events took place.

In the ditch around the castle, prisoners were burnt at the stake: Robert Kett, the leader of a local rebellion, was held captive here and hung over the castle walls in a gibbet as a warning that rebelling was not such a grand idea. Public executions in the form of hangings took place between the two gatehouses, drawing large crowds to witness this spectacle.

Surprisingly, the castle and its grounds play host to many restless spirits. These include the ghost of Martha Alden, who was executed here for murdering her husband. Her spirit wanders through the castle art galleries, and there is a strange phantom on the castle grounds with nails through both of his ears.

I like the story of the floating skull that drifts inside the castle, so let's look at that tale.

Meet Robert Goodale, condemned to death for the murder of his unfaithful wife at Walsoken, Norfolk. Goodale was a fifteen-stone giant of a man who worked as a market gardener and farmer. He and his wife would travel to Wisbech each day after work to spend the night. September 16th, he returned to the town alone. His manner caused some suspicion among his friends. When a search of Goodale's farm was carried out, the body of his wife was discovered at the bottom of a well - her skull had been smashed with a blunt instrument.

Goodale was put on trial and found guilty of her murder. He was executed on November 30th, 1885, inside Norwich Castle.

The hangman was James Berry of Bradford, but his calculations went awry. Goodale stood 5’ 11'“ tall and was a heavy man at 15 stone (210 lbs.) with a weak neck. Berry considered that a drop of 5’ 9” could be given. He used a “government rope” that had been used for the hanging of John Williams at Hereford a week earlier.

On the day of the execution, the prisoner was led out to the gallows. Berry strapped Goodale's legs and applied the white hood and the noose. Goodale repeatedly exclaimed, “Oh” God, receive my soul.” Berry released the trap doors as the church clock struck for the eighth time, and Goodale disappeared into the pit.

The official onlookers gasped with horror as the rope rebounded out of the trapdoor, swinging loose. Berry and the prison surgeon looked under the staging of the scaffold; they saw Goodale's body lying there - with his decapitated head, still wearing the execution hood, beside it on the ground.

This incident is the only occasion of a complete decapitation occurring at hanging in England, Scotland and Wales. However, Berry, it seems, had several partial ones!

We will return to Mr Berry’s story in another article.

Of course, you can guess. So the story goes: The floating skull is said to be the restless spirit of poor Robert Goodale, doomed forever to search for his body.

After that horrible tale, I could murder a decent pint, so let’s find a pub and have a drink or two. I know a lovely place nearby, it's called The Lamb Inn. It's not too far from the castle.

In 1757, John Aggis was the Landlord of the Lamb Inn. He enjoyed telling magical stories of mythical creatures to the local children. Word spread about his stories, with people venturing far and wide to listen to his wonderfully descriptive tales.

Now, his brother-in-law was a local chap called Timothy Hardy. Who was known for attracting trouble and always spoiling for a fight. Hardy always carried a knife upon his person and claimed that if he ever left it behind, he would be damned.

On Saturday, November 10th, 1979, Hardy and his wife decided to visit the Lamb Inn and ventured down into the kitchen. John Aggis shortly heard a commotion in the kitchen, shouting and yelling, followed by Hardy pushing his sister aggressively.

Hardy was known to be a violent man and often beat his wife, Aggis’ sister, repeatedly. Aggis entered the kitchen to stop the row between the couple to calm the troubled waters and protect his sister.

At this point, Hardy ceased shouting and offered his hand to Aggis, claiming he did not wish to argue with him but still had a beef with his sister. Aggis, not wanting to aggravate an already hostile environment, stepped forward and held out his hand in friendship. But Hardy’s offer of friendship was not to be trusted. Quick as a flash, he pulled out a knife and plunged it deeply into Aggis’ stomach, ripping the knife three to four inches up his stomach, causing Aggis’ bowels to spill out.

Witnesses present described the horror of the brutal attack and advised that once Hardy had stabbed Aggis, he shouted out at the top of his lungs."I have done for you and were my brother, John Hardy of Lynn, here I would serve him the same, and now, I’ll stab myself, for I know I must die for it. Hardy then made a feeble attempt at stabbing himself, failing miserably.

The witnesses overpowered him and held him hostage until the police arrived, despite the best efforts of the Doctor who came alongside the police. Poor John Aggis writhed about in extreme agony for many hours, sadly dying the following day.

Hardy was immediately arrested and imprisoned at the Castle until his trial by the Assizes. The trial occurred in the summer of the following year. He was sentenced to hang and for his body to be dissected.

Following the murder of poor John Aggis, the Aggis family decided to move away from The Lamb Inn as they found the location simply too distressing a place to remain.

However, strange happenings began almost immediately after they left the Lamb Inn and have been witnessed ever since.

Knocking on bedroom doors and lonely footsteps walking down corridors have been heard, but when investigated immediately - nobody is there!

At the murder scene (the kitchen), unwashed cutlery left out is said to be cleaned and put away by the following day.

A  very helpful ghost to have, perhaps?

But the children of later landlords and those who have stayed at the Inn often tell the story of an elderly gentleman being seen. He is said to perch on the foot of their bed and recount spooky ghost stories.   

Even today, visitors to the Inn have often asked the landlord who the gentleman is in the courtyard, telling stories.

But when the landlord ventures to investigate, the older man is gone! The elderly gentleman's ghost has also been seen upstairs in the Inn. He was nodding and smiling at people whom he passed on the staircase. He was also seen in a room upstairs, walking through a door at the far end. As guests felt it polite to advise they were leaving, they opened the door, only to discover that the door opened into an empty cupboard! What is interesting in this case, after research, is that the cupboard is a modern addition to the property, and the cupboard doorway initially led to another part of the Inn.

There have been many sightings of this elderly gentleman over the years. Despite the encounters, the Inn cameras fail to pick up any evidence of the ghostly gentleman. Despite the gruesome demise of John Aggis, he wanted to be remembered for his beautiful stories and is certainly not a man who wishes to appear on camera!

You just knew there would be a lovely story attached to the pub. You can always count on me to take you to the best places in town.

I’m guessing you would prefer to go somewhere a little less gruesome.

I know a cosy little pub we can go to for a nice, quiet drink, and it will perfectly finish our wander. We need to return to where we started our journey, next door to the cathedral.

The Adam and Eve pub is a small but rather lovely building. It’s the oldest pub in Norwich, dating back to 1249. At that time, the location was home to a brewhouse that served ale to the workers of Norwich Cathedral, who were paid in ale and bread for their work.

Like all of our tales in this episode, there is history involved. The story goes back to 1549 when the Adam and Eve pub was a central point in an unfolding drama.

Remember Robert Kett?

We mentioned him when we spoke about Norwich Castle. Kett led a rebellion against the Enclosure Act. Marching on Norwich with an army he had raised, Kett made camp on Mousehold Heath and raided Norwich. The king sent Lord Sheffield from London to pit down this upstart rebellion. On August 1st, 1549, Kett and Sheffield came face to face just 100 yards away from The Adam and Eve.

Fighting broke out, and hard-pressed Lord Sheffield could see he would lose. He decided to remove his helmet, hoping that by seeing his face, the rebels would take him prisoner for ransom.

Unfortunately for Sheffield, his plan went horribly wrong. One of the rebels, a butcher named Ffoulks, decided to take a famous scalp. He slashed towards Lord Sheffield with his cleaver. Sheffield fell from his horse and lay there dying on the ground. Seeing their leader fall, the king's army fled the battlefield. Kett and his triumphant army returned to the camp at Mousehold.

Some of the king's men returned to the battlefield and found Lord Sheffield still on the ground, barely alive. They took him to the nearby Adam and Eve and laid him on a table, where his story ends….or does it? Because strange things are going on in the Adam and Eve pub!

People have felt someone tap on their shoulder, turning to find no one. If you lay down small items like car keys or a cigarette lighter, you can leave them for a few moments, look away, and they have just gone—only to reappear a few days later in the same spot. Barmaids have felt unseen fingers run through their hair, tankards swing on their own, and people have felt an icy chill pass through them.

The pub owners believe it’s the ghost of Lord Sheffield playing tricks and making his presence felt. Not only does he haunt the pub, but he is reported to haunt the car park and the area where he was slain.

As for Robert Kett? Well, as you already know, he was captured and met a gruesome end. His capturers hanged him until he was almost dead, coated him in pitch and placed him in a gibbet that was put over the castle wall. It is said that the Crows would have pecked out his eyes before he died!

So there you go, a lovely selection of somewhat gruesome tales from the fine city of Norwich. We never got our drink in the Adam and Eve. It was closed when we arrived, so we ended up in The Wildman instead, another Norwich pub with a strange story to tell. Perhaps we will share that story another time.

If you enjoy our content, please subscribe if you haven’t done so already and share our Substack with your friends and family if you think they might like it.

Take care Out There. You never know what’s hiding in the shadows!

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That time has come, and we are once again creating content for Out There to share with you all. Our latest endeavour is another podcast episode for you to all enjoy.

Time for a little recap. We have been working on a trilogy of “What’s Out There?” episodes covering haunted and cursed objects. In the first episode, “Phantoms In Your Paintings and Spooks On Your Sofa,” we examined a few haunted objects, shared their stories, and showed you images of the items in question. After our shopping spree in the first episode, we realised that our possessed furniture quest had seriously sidetracked us.

So much so that we did not explain why there could be haunted or, worse still, cursed objects around. So the second episode, “Haunted “and Cursed”, was a discussion between us, delving deeper into how something spooky might have got into your Gran's old teapot or why everyone sitting on Uncle Fred's chair had a nasty accident!

Click here to listen to the episode.

The third episode, “Some Items To Die For”, covers the more sinister side of cursed objects. Once again, we have gone on an internet deep dive to bring you a selection of strange items, each with a terrible tale to tell😱🫣

Similarly to the first episode, this is another “Look and Listen” experience. We share the stories and give you images showing the items in question. It's surprising just how mundane these items are.

To enjoy the episode, click on the link under the image below. Keep this page active, and as we tell the stories, you can see the cursed item we discuss.

We hope you enjoy the episode.

Click Here To Listen To The Episode

We have ensured the images follow the episode layout and named them all to help.

So, there you go, our trilogy ends. We hope you have enjoyed this collection of tales and the discussion to go with them. We hope to have more exciting content for you all to enjoy soon. Until then, take care Out There and don’t accept any unusual gifts!

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High on the Out There Paranormal "hitlist" is Blickling Hall in Norfolk, once voted the most haunted house in Britain. 

Sadly, it's owned by The National Trust, which doesn't like paranormal groups wandering around their properties. So, it's doubtful that we will be allowed to roam the hallowed rooms in search of the ghostly inhabitants.

Several spirits roam the corridors and rooms at Blickling, but we are not interested in Sir Henry Hobart's dying groans or the mysterious grey lady that drifts through the Hall. We are interested in one particular spirit, and that famous ghostly visitor to the Hall is said to be Anne Boleyn, the second of Henry VIII's six wives.  

On the 19th of May, she celebrates a very unhappy anniversary, and here's the reason why!

On the morning of the 19th of May 1536, Sir William Kingston escorted Queen Anne Boleyn from her apartments in the Tower of London's royal palace to the scaffold, where she was to meet her horrible fate. Anne had taken care of her appearance: the ermine trim on her outfit confirmed her status; her kirtle was crimson, the colour of Catholic martyrdom; and her hood was the traditional English gable hood. A cumbersome head-dress resembling a house's gable that covered the wearer's hair rather than the more fashionable French hood, which showed some hair.

On the scaffold, Anne made a simple speech, sticking to the execution protocol:

"Good Christian people, I have not come here to preach a sermon; I have come here to die. For according to the law and by the law, I am judged to die, and therefore, I will speak nothing against it. I have come hither to accuse no man, nor to speak of that of which I am accused and condemned to die, but I pray God to save the King and send him long to reign over you, for a gentler nor a more merciful prince was there never, and to me, he was ever a good, a gentle, and sovereign lord. And if any person will meddle in my cause, I require them to judge the best. And thus I take my leave of the world and of you all, and I heartily desire you all to pray for me."

Her ladies helped her prepare for death, and she thanked them each for their service and asked them to pray for her soul. She forgave the executioner for his services and handed him the sack of coins that was his payment, some of which would also be handed out to people experiencing poverty. She was asked to kneel and say her prayers. 

She knelt upright on her knees in the straw. Facing the crowd, she was heard muttering several times, "O Christ, receive my spirit," she continued saying her quiet prayers until the executioner, specially brought over from France for this very task, unsheathed his sword from underneath a heap of straw and with one stroke, beheaded poor Anne.

Sadly, Anne's body lay on the scaffold for a few hours after her execution because burial preparations had not been made. Nobody had thought to provide a coffin for her burial, so a yeoman warder had to fetch an old elm chest from the Tower armoury, which had once contained bow staves. Anne's head and body were placed in the chest and buried in the chancel near the remains of her brother, Lord Rochford.

 It was a sad and undignified end for poor Anne.

Now, this is where our interest in the tale begins.

On the anniversary of Anne's death, on the 19th, legend has it that Anne Boleyn's ghost appears on the grounds of Blickling Hall.

Imagine the scene, if you will, where you are standing on the gravel drive leading up to the Hall, looking down towards the gates; you can see a dark shape coming silently towards you. As it draws near, you realise it's a black coach drawn by a team of headless horses.

The black coach comes to a halt, and the door creaks open slowly. Inside, you can see what appears to be Anne Boleyn; she, too, is headless, holding her severed head securely in her lap. She steps out of the carriage, which suddenly vanishes, leaving the headless Anne to glide alone into Blickling Hall, where she roams the corridors and rooms until daybreak

Anne Boleyn's father, Sir Thomas, is also said to haunt Blickling Hall. It's said that he was cursed for failing to try and prevent the execution of two of his children by King Henry VIII. 

Each year, his ghost has to attempt to cross 12 bridges before daybreak as an act of penance. 

He, too, has a coach and a team of spectral horses, and they race across the Norfolk countryside trying to complete this task.

 His route to cross the 12 bridges takes him through Blickling to Aylsham, Burgh, Buxton, Coltishall, Meyton, Oxnead and Wroxham. 

Just like his daughter, he was also beheaded, and he carried his head under his arms. A flame is also said to gush from his mouth instead of blood.

Anne's brother, Lord Rochford, also appears on the same night. He, too, is headless, although he doesn't enjoy the comfort of a carriage, for he is dragged across the surrounding countryside by four headless horses. 

As a paranormal investigation group, we must ask: Is there any truth in these grisly tales?

As mentioned earlier, there is not much chance we will be allowed to investigate the hall. We did, however, help out in a college project where we tell the tale of Anne Boleyn’s restless spirit. If you want to see how we got on, we have provided a link to the video itself

Zak's College project. The Ghost of Anne Boleyn

Of course, if you want to see if any of this is true, then take a trip to Blickling Hall on the 19th of May and join all the other people hoping to catch a glimpse of poor Anne. But remember, folks, watch out for phantom coaches on the way. There may be one or two darting around the countryside on that night!!!

Happy Hunting, everyone.

Here are a few articles that explain what led to Anne Boleyn's execution.

How to kill a queen? Preparing for the execution of Anne Boleyn in May 1536

Why Henry VIII Orchestrated Every Detail of Anne Boleyn’s Execution

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Click Here To Listen To The Episode

The episode includes several home furnishings items, all with a terrible tale attached. We thought it might be nice to include images of the items because you have to see them to believe them!!

The images are posted in the sequence they appear in the podcast itself, and we have captioned them all to help you.

The videos we mention in the podcast can be found on this YouTube channel

Anguished Man Videos

The eBay advert text

This is the original text from the eBay advert; we have not changed anything.
The last two pictures above are the ones mentioned in the advert.

"When we received this painting, we thought it was really good art. A 'picker' had found it abandoned behind an old brewery.

At the time, we wondered a little why a seemingly perfectly fine painting would be discarded like that (today, we don't!)
One morning, our four-and-a-half-year-old daughter claimed that the children in the picture were fighting and coming into the room during the night.
Now I don't believe in UFOs or Elvis being alive but my husband was alarmed. To my amusement, he set up a motion-triggered camera for the night.

After three nights, there were pictures. The last two pictures shown are from that 'stakeout.'

We decided the painting had to go after seeing the boy seemingly exiting the picture under threat.

Please judge for yourself, but before you do, please read the following warning and disclaimer.... "

"Warning: Do not bid on this painting if you are susceptible to stress-related disease, faint of heart or are unfamiliar with supernatural events.

By bidding on this painting, you agree to release the owners of all liability in relation to the sale or any events happening after the sale that might be contributed to this painting.

This painting may or may not possess supernatural powers that could impact or change your life.

However, by bidding you agree to exclusively bid on the value of the artwork, with disregard to the last two photos featured in this auction and hold the owners harmless in regard to them and their impact, expressed or implied."

"Now that we got this out of the way, one question to you E-bayers. We want our house to be blessed after this painting has gone. Does anyone know anyone who is qualified to do this?

The size of the painting is 24 x 36 inches so it is rather large. As I have had several questions, here are the following answers:

There was no odour left behind in the room. There were no voices or the smell of gunpowder. No footprints or strange fluids on the wall.

To deter questions in this direction, there are no ghosts in this world, no supernatural powers. This is just a painting and most of these things have an explanation - in this case probably a fluke lighting effect.

I encourage you to bid on the artwork and consider the last two photographs as pure entertainment and please do not take them into consideration when bidding."

Back to the fabulous furnishings and a few more images to help you visualise our discussion.

There you go, everyone. We hope you enjoyed the podcast episode and the images enhanced your listening experience.
We shall return very soon with some more articles for you to enjoy.

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Easter Sunday in 1975 went down in history and marked the deadliest shooting to ever occur in a private home in American history. It's time to meet James Urban Ruppert, born on March 29, 1934. James’ early life was sad and abusive. His mother, Charity, often called him a “mistake” because she had wanted a daughter. His father, Leonard, was a violent man with a quick temper and little time or affection for his two sons. He died in 1947, when James was 12 and his brother, Leonard, Jr., was 14. He wasn’t missed.

According to James, Leonard, Jr. became the head of the family and picked on him incessantly. James did poorly in school and had few friends. At 16, James was so unhappy at home that he attempted suicide by hanging himself with a sheet. He failed and resigned himself to an unremarkable life.  

His resentment of his brother steadily grew and was made a lot worse when Leonard married one of the few girlfriends James had ever had, going on to have eight children with her. Leonard also had a great job with General Electric, whereas James, at age 41, was unemployed and living with his mother. On top of it all, James owed money to his brother; he had borrowed large sums from Leonard after losing what little he had in the stock market crash in 1973. His mother was frustrated with James’ inability to keep a job and his constant drinking, and she threatened to evict him.

On the 29th March 1975, James’ birthday, witnesses saw him shooting at cans with a .357 Magnum by the Great Miami River in Hamilton.

Later that evening, James went out drinking. In the 19th Hole Cocktail Lounge, he talked to employee Wanda Bishop. She recalled that James seemed deeply depressed and talked about his mother’s demands on him and the threatened eviction. He said that he “needed to solve the problem.” He left the bar at 11:00 PM that night and returned later. When asked if he had solved his problem, he replied, “No, not yet.” He stayed until the bar closed at 2:30 AM. 

The next day, Easter Sunday, Leonard and his wife, Alma, brought their eight children to see their grandmother at the house in Hamilton. James stayed upstairs, sleeping off his night of drinking, while the children enjoyed an Easter egg hunt in the front yard.

Waking up around 4 pm, James Ruppert sat on his bed and gazed at his prized possessions. A gun enthusiast and crack marksman, the 40-year-old carefully and methodically loaded his .357 Magnum, two .22 calibre handguns and a rifle.

Around 6 pm, James went downstairs. When he reached the kitchen, he propped his rifle against the refrigerator and slowly raised his .357 Magnum.

The first shot punched a hole through his brother Leonard’s skull.

Like target practice, his hands were steady, and James jerked right and blew away his sister-in-law Alma next. He then sent bullets into his mother’s chest and head as she lunged toward him.

Three more squeezes of the trigger and more bullets find their mark, hitting David, 11, then Teresa, 9, and Carol, 13. Their bodies fell, and blood-soaked the floor.

He rounded another corner, and one by one, Uncle Jimmy plinked shots at his five remaining nieces and nephews desperately scrambling to get away in the living room: Leonard III, 17; Michael, 16; Thomas, 15; Ann, 12; and John, 4.

Each victim was killed the same way: a disabling shot, then a close-up shot to the head or heart. The massacre was done in less than five minutes.

James sat in the house for three hours before he called the police. He was waiting for them just inside the front door when they arrived. The police described the scene as a “slaughterhouse.” Blood was dripping down the walls; in fact, there was so much blood splashed about that it was dripping through the floorboards into the basement. To this day, stains can still be seen on the wood. 

In the wake of the murders, the 11 victims were buried in the Arlington Memorial Gardens in Cincinnati. A year later, the house on Minor Avenue was opened to the public, and all of its contents were sold at auction. It was cleaned up, carpets were placed over the bloodstains that could not be removed, and it was rented out to a family new to the area who had no idea of the horrifying murders that took place there. 

The new tenants quickly moved out.

After leaving the house, they claimed to hear voices and strange noises that they couldn’t explain. Lights turned on and off, doors slammed, and thudding footsteps were often heard coming down the stairs. 

They were not the last to move in and quickly leave. Several other families moved in and out of the house, but none stayed for long. All of them reported sounds and voices that could not be explained. The house lay abandoned for several years, but the last family that moved in reported nothing unusual. Whatever eerie haunting that had plagued the previous tenants was over at last.

Perhaps the echo of the shocking events of 1975, which seemed to leave an indelible mark on the house, has finally faded, and the spirits of the Ruppert family are finally resting in peace.

One of my first paranormal experiences occurred when I was six years old. My father had purchased a beautiful old farmhouse built in the 1700s, surrounded by fields and set in the countryside in a village on the outskirts of Great Yarmouth. A local villager warned my father about the farmhouse's violent paranormal activity, claiming that doors slammed by themselves, there were frequent unexplained noises, and artefacts flew across the room.

I had several paranormal experiences in this house that I still cannot explain. One night, when I was six years old, I woke up to the sound of a woman crying. I decided to investigate and found the sound was coming from the small spare bedroom upstairs, which looked out onto the front of the property. The room was noticeably colder than the other rooms in the house, and I could see my breath as I exhaled. As I entered the room, I saw a whitish-coloured silhouette of a woman sitting and crying with an outline of a baby's rocking cot beside her.

The silhouette of the woman and the cot were transparent, and I could see through them. The woman wore a long dress with long hair tied up in a bun. She was sitting on the floor, holding her head, while the cot rocked gently beside her. I stood there, watching the silhouettes curiously. However, I didn't feel frightened or unnerved. I felt very calm and watched the silhouettes of the woman and the cot for a few minutes before they both began to fade away as if smoke had dissipated or been sucked from the room.

For many years, I believed it was just a dream. However, I mentioned the strange occurrence to my parents in my late teens. They told me they had heard a woman crying upstairs on many occasions.

Further research into the property by Nigel Higgins, the group's lead investigator, revealed that this sad event occurred within the farmhouse. One of the families that lived there had seven children, and two of them died before their second birthdays. As a psychic, it is possible that I saw the residual energy of the woman and the rocking cot left behind by the tragic event in the farmhouse.

So, was this experience a dream, or was it something more? I am convinced that it was not a dream. It was a paranormal encounter, possibly residual energy from a harrowing event at a particular time in the property's history. Only time will tell the secrets of this beautiful farmhouse, but as a psychic, I am confident there is more to be discovered.

Editorial

Welcome to what I hope will be the first of many “What’s Out There? Newsletters. Our venture into Substack has gotten off to a shaky start, seven months into 2023, and this is our first proper newsletter. We managed to pop up a couple of articles but wanted to give you so much more.

When we started this venture into Substack, we hoped to bring you some regular monthly content. But, sadly, The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry, and our real-world lives have done their utmost to throw as many obstacles into our path as possible.

I’ve finally managed to sit down, open the laptop and commit to typing a few words.

So here it is, issue number one of “What’s Out There”. We hope you enjoy reading it.

Nigel & Juliette

They Came From Outer Space

Local U.F.O. tales.

Our last podcast episode, yes, I know it was a while back, saw us delve into the murky world of U.F.O.s. We took a journey back to talk about some of the earlier sightings that made the headlines and set the scene for the explosion of sightings in the 1950s and 60s.

The episode in question. Click on the link to listen

Have we inadvertently kicked off a trend? As U.F.O.s or U.A.P.s are suddenly all the rage again!

To continue this theme, we thought sharing a selection of Norfolk U.F.O. tales you may or may not have heard about would be interesting.

Our first tale includes some classic U.F.O. encounter experiences. These experiences are present in many closer encounter stories.

Let us set the scene for you; Docking is a pretty village in the North Western corner of Norfolk. The village is only 3-4 miles from the coast. It is one of the highest villages in Norfolk at 82.7 metres (272 feet) above sea level. It's the location for our first close encounter of the second kind!

It was 12.24 am on June 19th 1969, and 28-year-old Robin Peck, a radio and television engineer, was on his way home in his Thames van. He had just driven through Bircham and was heading towards Docking when the lights on his van began to dim. After a few moments, the lights had dimmed so much that Peck could not see, so he stopped driving and pulled over to the side of the road. As he did so, the engine cut out. Mr peck turned the ignition key off, then on again but could get no ignition light or response from the engine. Finally, suspecting a fault with his van battery, he exited the van and opened the bonnet.

It was at that moment he experienced the feeling that the air around him was full of static, so strong that it felt like his hair was standing on end. He looked up and noticed a large object in the sky. This object was hovering about 100 to 150 feet above some nearby trees. It looked like an inverted mushroom roughly the size of a small row of cottages; it was a pale blue surrounded by an orange glow. Once again, he felt the heavy static electricity in the air. Peck said he felt like he was standing under a very powerful radio transmitter. The object made no sound; it just hung in the air for at least a minute before heading towards Kings Lynn, leaving a hazy blue trail behind it.

Peck returned to his van and sat there, shaken and terrified by the experience. Then, acting on reflex, he turned the ignition key of his van and found out, much to his surprise, that the electrics now functioned perfectly, the engine started, and the headlights came back on.

Peck had noticed during the encounter his luminous wristwatch had glowed intensely. But, looking at his watch in the safety of his van, it appeared to be completely normal again.

Peck felt he had to report the incident to the local Norfolk police force, who forwarded his report to the Ministry of Defence. The police report described him as a very level-headed individual who seemed genuinely frightened of his experience. In fact, Peck's encounter was not the only one forwarded by Norfolk police to the Ministry of Defence from this area.

The police linked Peck's ePeck'snce with another one in close vicinity on the following evening, June 20th, just before midnight.

17-year-old Arthur Hendry, a trainee carpenter/joiner, was getting ready to cycle home when he heard a strange whistling noise above him; looking up, he could see nothing there. Then, the noise grew louder and intensified to a powerful throbbing. Hendry said it felt like every muscle in his body had locked, and he could not move or release his grip on the cycle. It felt like he had received a severe electrical shock, and electricity had passed through his entire body. The whole thing only lasted a few seconds but had been terrifying for poor Hendry.

MoD scientists suggested that the two men may have experienced a rare atmospheric condition known as ball lightning. However, checks by the Meteorological Office found that the skies over Norfolk were clear of thunderstorms on the 19th and 20th of June. Unable to explain the unusual electromagnetic effects reported in these two cases, the encounters were labelled U.F.O. sightings, and the file was closed.

Did you notice the classic encounter experiences?

Interference with vehicle operating systems is a common occurrence in many U.F.O. encounters. As is the feeling of static electricity in the air. Imagine yourself being Robert Peck going through that whole encounter. It's scary stuff!

Our next tale takes us over to Hainford. This quiet rural village is close to Norwich International Airport and the A140 road. It is 7 miles from the city of Norwich.

The story comes from the pages of “The Lantern”, the Borderline Science Investigation Group newsletter. Based in Lowestoft, the B.S.I.G. operated from 1971 into the early 1980s and had the reputation of being the number one organisation when it came to investigating unexplained phenomena in East Anglia. Sadly, the B.S.I.G. is no longer active, but the group has left an incredible newsletter archive that you can access here Lantern Archive.

This sighting took place in 1971. It’s August 27th around 9 pm. Mr Arthur is driving along the A140 Cromer Road on his way home to New Hainford. He had just passed Norwich airport and was about a mile from home when he noticed a domed disc-shaped object hovering over the fields on his right. The object had a bright orange glow around it. Mr Arthur, curious, stopped his car to get a better look. Upon doing so, the object started to move rapidly towards his stationary car at an angle. The orange glow faded as the dome approached the vehicle, and Mr Arthur said he could see five or six red flashing lights around the dome's bottom that looked like navigation lights.

An artistic impression of the object. The dome was rotating in an anti-clockwise direction.

At one point, the object disappeared behind some trees and reappeared again with the same strange orange glow. The last Mr Arthur saw of the object was when it descended behind the trees again, its bright light illuminating the area around.

Mr Arthur said, in all, the experience lasted for around 15 minutes. Throughout the entire experience, there was complete silence. Mr Arthur remembered this and said, “I could not hear any sound from the object. It was quite eerie.”

Once he got home, Mr Arthur telephoned the Eastern Evening News office to report his strange experience. Whilst on the telephone, his mother reported seeing something peculiar rise from the trees at the bottom of their garden, around 400 yards away, a bright orange object!

The B.S.I.G. read Mr Arthur’s report in the Evening News and contacted him to discuss the sighting. Various suggestions were offered to try and explain the sighting, but Mr Arthur was unwilling to accept any of them as he was pretty sure about what he had seen. Checks were made with Norwich Airport, the U.S.A.A.F. and the R.A.F. to see if any aircraft were nearby during the sighting. Confirmation came back from all three that there were no aircraft in that area at that time.

The B.S.I.G. decided a full report was in order. Rather than quote their findings ad verbum, I thought you might prefer to read the original report from The Lantern newsletter here, Lantern Winter 1973-74.

Using the map from The Lantern as a reference, I put together a version of our own to highlight the locations related to the sighting.

The following October Mrs Moore of Motum Road, Norwich, reported a strange object in the sky to the B.S.I.G.

They sent an investigator to visit her and collected the following information. Mrs Moore reported seeing a bright orange object descending slowly. It disappeared behind some trees in the skyline and then reappeared, flashing red.

The object was too far away for Mrs Moore to make out any details. However, the date and time of this sighting corresponded precisely with that of the Hainford sighting, and during the interview, it seemed more and more possible that it was the same object.

Mrs Moore lost sight of the object as it disappeared behind the houses on the skyline. A compass bearing was taken at this spot, which, when it was plotted on a map of the area, the line crossed almost exactly over the site where Mr Arthur had seen his object. Could this possibly be an independent witness for the New Hainford event?

Hainford was the site for another U.F.O. sighting in 1975, and if you want to read about this sighting, head over to the Lantern Archive and fill your boots. Lantern Winter 1976.

Paranormal Database-July Events

Back Out There

We have rebooted our “Ghost Airfields” series and have been visiting several locations to film and investigate. Here are a few images to whet your appetite.

If you have not seen our first two episodes, you can find them on Amazon Prime video by searching for “Ghost Airfields”. Alternatively, you can watch both episodes on our YouTube channel. The links are below. If you visit our YouTube channel, please take the time to subscribe, and if you enjoy the episodes, click on the thumbs up. This really does help us get our content out to more people. Thank you ❤️

Station 142 Episode One

Return to Station 142 Episode Two

We will talk a lot more about the series in our next newsletter.

New Podcast Episode

Yes, we do have something planned, and it’s slightly different this time. We went down to the woods, and it was not exactly a teddy bear’s picnic!!

We have a few stories to tell about this particular adventure, so make sure you listen in when the episode finally airs. We will reveal it all in the next newsletter!

Thank you for supporting Out There

It really does mean a lot to us both that you have taken the time to read our newsletter. If you enjoyed what we have to offer, then please take the time to subscribe. Our content is free across the board. Just click on the button below.❤️👻

https://shows.acast.com/outthereparanormal/episodes/portents-omens

 Some interesting topics came up during the podcast, and I want to expand further on these subjects.

 At the beginning of the episode, we mention a classic harbinger in the shape of the Banshee. So what exactly is a harbinger? A harbinger is a forerunner of something else, a herald, an omen, a sign that something else is coming. A harbinger may signal something negative, a symbol of impending bad luck. However, a harbinger may signal something pleasant too. Of course, we want to concentrate on harbingers of death because we are such cheerful folks.

As I mentioned, let's take a more in-depth look at the Banshee. Although I've kept it simple, it's quite a complicated story full of folklore and mythology. I encourage our readers to dig to find out more.

The Banshee

If you see a banshee, pray for your family's safety. She's a harbinger of death, so one of your family members will join her soon. 

However, a banshee doesn't cause death; she merely serves as a warning.

The Banshee is a supernatural being in Irish and other Celtic folklore whose mournful lamentations were believed to foretell the death of a family member of the person who heard the spirit. The word Banshee itself comes from the Gaelic term bean sidhe (pronounced "bane shee"), which means "woman of the fairy mounds." .and is linked to the mythologically important síde (plural form of síd), the Old Irish for tumuli or mounds of earth or stones that dot the Irish countryside. Traditionally, tumuli covered graves and were thought home to the spirits of the dead.

 The Banshee's first stories date back to the 8th century. Based on a tradition where women gathered at a funeral and sang a sorrowful song to lament someone's death. These women were known as 'keeners'. Since they accepted alcohol as payment, they were considered sinners and punished by being doomed to become Banshees. This version is just one explanation of Banshee's origin. There are a few variations of where the Banshee originates. It could be the spirit of a woman who died young, possibly by foul means, destined to come back and foretell the deaths of her family, or it could be the spirit of a woman who died in childbirth. The origins are tied to myth and folklore; we may never find the original story.

According to legend, she appears and sings a lamentation or loudly weeps when a member of the family she is attached to is about to die. 

The Banshee's appearance varies quite a bit. Some legends say that she is an older woman with red eyes from constantly weeping, long white hair, and wearing a grey cloak over a green dress. Other legends say that the Banshee appears as a pale woman dressed in white, either a dress or shroud, with long red hair. Or as an older woman with a veil covering her face, dressed all in black with long grey hair. Possibly the strangest description is a headless woman carrying a bowl of blood that is naked from the waist up.

The noise the Banshee is said to make is known as keening. This lamentation, or Keening (Irish: Caointeoireacht), is a traditional form of vocal lament for the dead in Gaelic and Celtic traditions. It is known to have taken place in Ireland and Scotland, especially during funeral rituals. As mentioned, the practice is performed by a keening woman (bean chaointe) who wails a lament. This keening woman may sometimes be a professional, and the best keeners would be in high demand.

 Keening can be seen as a form of Sean-nós singing. Sean-nós songs cover a range of genres, from a love song to a lament to a lullaby. However, they traditionally have a strong focus on conveying the relevant emotion of the given piece. Keening was performed in the Irish and Scottish Gaelic languages (the Scottish equivalent of keening is known as a coronach).

Keening was once an integral part of the formal Irish funeral ritual. However, it declined from the 18th century and became almost entirely extinct by the middle of the 20th century. 

Here's an example of a traditional Irish Keening song.

The ritual of keening explained

In western popular culture, some Banshee tales change the keening into the ability to unleash screams of an inhuman amplitude, capable of shattering glass, cracking rock and causing blood vessels to burst.

The Banshee can attach herself to certain families, following them everywhere, forever doomed to foretell the deaths of each family member. In Ireland, it is said that banshees attach themselves only to Milesian families of pure Irish descent. 

There are also similar tales of Banshee-type creatures signalling impending doom in Scottish folklore, which is unsurprising as there are such close links between Scotland and Ireland. I could take you down the rabbit hole of Irish settlement in Dal Riata and the rise of the Scotti, but I decided to keep it simple instead.

 So let's take a trip north of the border to Scotland and look at their Banshees.

 The Washer at the Ford

There are a few Gaelic Scottish Banshee variations that I want to look at in more detail. The strange thing about the Scottish Banshee variations is that they all resemble washerwomen. They have been given the titles the washer at the ford and the little washerwoman. They can often manifest by rivers and streams and will be washing the death shrouds or clothing of the person whose death they are announcing. I want to look at a few variations, so let's begin with The Bean Nighe.

The Bean Nighe

 Similarly to the Banshee, as mentioned earlier, the Scottish Bean-Nighe (pronounced ben-nee’-yeh) was believed to be a harbinger of approaching death. However, how she informs of impending death differs significantly from the Irish Banshee.

 You can encounter The Bean-Nighe either sitting beside or sometimes paddling in remote streams and the shallows of rivers. Often seen washing blood from clothing or rinsing funeral shrouds, these items are said to belong to the person whose death she is foretelling. The Bean-Nighe is a small and hideous woman with a hooked nose and one large nostril. She has one sizeable protruding tooth, webbed feet, and long hanging breasts., which she throws over her shoulder as she goes about her task. Sometimes She can be dressed in green, a colour often associated with the fae folk.

These creatures are said to be the souls of women who died whilst giving birth, doomed to remain on this earth until Judgement Day or, as it is more frequently thought, until the day they would otherwise have died. As a grim consequence of their fate, they are also aware of all the other people to be visited by death. 

The Bean Nighe is more of a silent harbinger. She can sometimes be heard softly singing as she washes but does not keen or lament like the Banshee. Instead, she cleans the clothes of the person who will die whilst crooning a low mournful dirge to herself that recounts the name of the person whose shroud she washes. The Bean-Nighe is much more capable of involvement with the human world than the Banshee—most likely due to her eventual ability to rejoin them in the afterlife.

In any case, the creature is so absorbed in her washing and singing a mournful dirge for those about to die that it's possible to catch her. In some places, she is caught simply by placing yourself between her and the stream. In other tales, you must sneak up on her and grab her by surprise without her noticing you. If you succeed, your reward could be a wish, or she may tell you whose shroud she is washing. If she says the clothing she is washing belongs to your enemy, you can allow the washing to continue. Still, if it belongs to any of your friends, you can stop her from completing her task and help them avoid their fate. Sometimes when the Bean-Nighe speaks with a human, the human has to answer three of her questions to obtain three answers to his own. 

In another more dubious variation, you can sneak up on her while she's washing and suckle from one of her breasts before she sees you. A task made easier by the fact that the Bean-Nighe slings her breasts over her shoulder whilst undertaking her washing tasks. If you succeed, you must tell her that you are her foster child, and she will reveal whatever knowledge you want or grant you a wish.

Bear in mind. However, if the Bean-Nighe sees you first, you could lose a limb or even die! So avoiding the Bean-Nighe is the best course of action!

On Islay, they call the Bean-Nighe a Caointeach. She also haunts desolate streams and washes the clothing of those about to die. Still, in this context, the Caointeach is more formidable. If she is interrupted, she will strike at a person's legs with her wet linen, and the victim will lose the use of them.

 A famous Highland story tells of a maiden walking along a loch in Cromarty on a Sunday morning when she comes across a Bean-Nighe washing over 30 bloodied shirts in the loch. After seeing the Bean-Nighe and returning to the village, the roof of the Fearn Abbey collapsed during the Sunday morning service, burying the congregation in debris and killing thirty-six people.

 Interestingly, the abbey roof collapse did happen in 1742. A record exists in written history, with the death toll recorded as more than fifty people.

The Caoineag 

The Caoineag is a Scottish spirit similar to the Irish Banshee. Her name derives from the Gaelic caoin, meaning weep, and caoidh, meaning mourn. She is one of the Fuath, the malevolent spirits or fairies that inhabit Scotland's waters. The Caoineag is another variation of the little washerwomen style of harbinger. Sightings of her are rare, but you can hear her wailing and weeping at night near waterfalls, streams, and other bodies of water. On the rare occasions she is seen, she will take the form of a young woman, often dressed in green, crouched by the water washing the blood out of clothing. Her prophecies are a little more specialised, and she tends to warn clan members of a forthcoming death in battle.

Similarly to the Irish Banshee, the Caoineag is attached to certain clan families. Each clan has their Caoineag, who foretells the death of clan members and mourns for those slain in combat. Clans and families associated with the Caoineag include the Curries, Duffies, MacDonalds, Macmillans, Mackays, Macfarlanes, Mathisons, and Shaws. 

Upon hearing her cries, ask the question, Co tha siad? Who is that? And the answer is given, Co ach Caoineachag, co ach Caoineachag bheag a bhroin. Who but Caoineag, who but little Caoineag of the sorrow.

The Caoineag's harrowing cries understandably caused great anxiety to those who heard them, especially before a battle, or to parents whose sons were in the wars. 

 The Caoineag of the MacDonalds was heard to wail night after night before the Massacre of Glencoe. The residents of the Glen acknowledged this well-known warning of impending doom. However, it prompted many people to leave before the massacre, thus escaping the terrible fate of the 38 people killed.

Alexander Carmichael, the Scottish Folklorist, collected Fragments of the dirges reputedly sung by the Caoineag before the massacre. 

Little Caoineachag of the sorrow

 Is pouring the tears of her eyes

 Weeping and wailing the fate of Clan Donald

 Alas, my grief that ye did not heed her cries

 There is gloom and grief in the mount of mist.

 There is weeping and calling in the mount of mist.

 There is death and danger; there is maul and murder

 There is blood spilling in the mount of mist

Unlike the Bean-Nighe, you cannot approach Caoineag, question her, or ask for your wish to be granted. The Caoineag is heard more than seen.

So there you have it, harbingers undertaking a similar task in their unique way. According to legend, they did not predict the viewer's death, nor were they recorded as directly causing someone's death; they were simply the announcers of an individual's fate.

The Church Grim

Sometimes things grab me, an unusual or intriguing name or perhaps an expression I’ve not heard before, and it piques my interest. This was certainly the case when, by chance, I stumbled across the term church grim while researching for the Portents and Omens podcast.

So what is a church grim?

The Church Grim, Kirk Grim, Kyrkogrim (Swedish) or Kirkonväki (Finnish) is a figure from English and Scandinavian folklore, said to be a sentinel spirit overseeing the welfare of its particular Church and graveyard. They may appear as black dogs (sometimes as other animals, such as rams, horses, roosters or ravens) or as small, misshapen, dark-skinned people. There has always been a tradition that every historic graveyard and even some modern cemeteries have what is known as a ‘Churchyard Guardian’ or ‘Church Grim’.

So where do these Church grim come from?

They are said to be the spirits of animals sacrificed at the building of a new church. In parts of Europe, including Britain and Scandinavia, it was believed that the first man buried in a new churchyard had to guard it against the Devil. To save a human soul from the duty, a completely black dog would be offered as a foundation sacrifice, buried alive on the north side of the churchyard, creating a guardian spirit, the Church grim, to protect the Church and its grounds.

These black dogs can be the size of a calf, with a shaggy black coat and glowing, sometimes fiery red eyes. They are always solitary. Wandering black dogs may be encountered in almost any church area, standing guard over their domain generally at night. If anyone tries to strike it or take any other evil action, the dog will use its supernatural power to strike the offender blind, dumb, mad or worse.

Though usually not seen as such, the Church grim can sometimes be a harbinger too. According to Yorkshire tradition, the Church grim also serves as an omen that foreshadows death. It’s known to toll the church bell at midnight before a death occurs. During funerals, clergypersons would see it in the church tower and depending on its aspect, they could determine if the deceased's soul was destined for Heaven or Hell.

As it stands, a Church Grim is a silent and deadly protector of the sanctity of death, ensuring that everything from necromancy to demonic possession is thwarted to uphold natural order.

Of course, this Church grim may also form the basis for many other black dog tales in the UK. For example, in East Anglia, we have the black shuck, a large black dog with glowing eyes that is seen as a harbinger.

So there you have it, folks, two interesting subjects from one of our podcasts that just needed a bit more of an explanation. I hope you enjoyed my deeper delve into the background stories of the Banshee and the Church Grim. Why not dig to see what other information you can discover?

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Hands up, who got vouchers for Christmas? If you are looking for a few ideas for something to blow them on, how about a book or three?
I look at three separate titles, all with a common link. These books all take you on a journey. If you want to know where you are going, give the video a watch.

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Here we are again, another year of hopes and dreams to look forwards to ho-hum. Please excuse my somewhat cynical tone. I gave up saying happy new year a good while ago, as I’ve become a slightly curmudgeonly old man. As I’ve grown older, the change from the old year to the new has lost a lot of meaning, and I find it harder to get overexcited. I used to join in with everyone else, getting drunk, singing Auld Lang Syne at midnight, and making vague promises to be different next year.

My New Year's Eve these days mainly consists of me watching rubbish TV until midnight and then sending a Happy New Year message to close friends and family. Long gone are the drunken promises to resolve to change my ways. 

However, New Year's Day is the most popular time to hit the proverbial "reset button." Some resolve to lose weight, while others hope to spend more time with family and friends. But what is it about the New Year that brings hope for such change, and why do people make resolutions? People love to set goals, and setting objectives can lead to meaningful change. We tend to set resolutions because the New Year serves as a cyclical marker of time during which we reevaluate and take inventory of our lives. But let's face it: We could be better at sticking to those goals. 64% of us will abandon our New Year's resolutions within a month. I don't tend to make specific resolutions, mainly because I know I will be one of the 64% that has given up by February 1st! Nevertheless, I want to set myself a task or two, and this year I want to continue building on the hard work Juliette and I put into Out There in 2022. So expect more offbeat podcasts with special guests, a few more investigations of spooky places and a selection of what we hope will be exciting articles shared with you here.

 I'm also going to lose three stone in weight and exercise more. So let's see how that goes.

Happy New Year to all the lovely people reading and subscribing to "What's Out There?" We hope that 2023 turns out to be a fantastic year for you all.

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Norfolk Tales-A County Steeped In Tradition

In a way, we are fortunate to live in one of the most haunted counties in the UK, Norfolk.

A glance at the above image shows several books written about the ghostly going on from way down south at Thetford to the North Norfolk coast at Hunstanton. Stories have been told of long-dead monks, strange black dogs, dragons under bridges, murder most foul, and white women drifting around, looking for their lost loves.

   It's always been our plan to look at these tales and bring them to life. So, a while back, I started to film a series called "Tales of Haunted Norfolk". The idea is to look at some of our local tales, tell the story itself, and then investigate where the account takes place. It was adventurous on my part. I am self-taught in the art of filming, and editing videos, learning most of what I know from watching YouTube "How too.." videos!! So, dragging poor Allison Harding from Out There over to Acle, we put together "Burge's Pooling Blood". An old country tale of a horrible murder that's re-enacted on the bridge every year.

This first attempt at telling the tale, then investigating afterwards, was well received, but it was a steep learning curve for me. I quickly learned that there is much to do, and it's more complex than YouTube videos would have you believe. Saying that important lessons were learnt and new equipment was purchased to address some problems.  

A long time goes by before I attempt another tale. This time round, it's off to Bacton Woods, with Juliette Smith telling us the story of "Bloody Will Suffolk", once again on the theme of murder most horrid. I am horribly attracted to these grisly tales!!

We follow the same format, tell the tale, and investigate the site. In the time lapse between the two videos, my editing skills have improved. However, I still have a lot to learn, and once again, new equipment was purchased, ready for another tale to be filmed and told.

The project was put on the back burner where it firmly sat, waiting for me to give it the attention it deserves. But, unfortunately, it was to be a long wait.

However, we found a different way to share the local tales with our audience, Podcasts!

So back to YouTube, I search for videos that will teach me how to record and edit a podcast. I introduced myself to this process, and as a result, "What's Out There?" our podcast channel was born, and we duly began to tell some more tales.

Our first foray into tale-telling via a podcast was an episode entitled "Ghosts of the Coast." Where we pick out a few ghostly stories from the Norfolk coastline.

Ghosts of the Coast

This proved to be quite successful, so we followed it up with an episode entitled "Tales From a Fine City", where we share a selection of stories from the city of Norwich itself.

Tales from a Fine City

Our last set of tales on the podcast front arrived in the shape of the "Fact or Folklore" episode, where we tell the Acle and Bacton tales again and add the gruesome story of Martha Alden to the mix. All three accounts tell of murder most horrid and the restless spirits left behind.

Fact or Folklore?

I still want to share stories via the medium of the video, though, and I remembered the long-stalled "tales of haunted Norfolk" project from a while ago. So a decision is made, and a trial episode is put together to see if we can reboot the project. The resulting video is an episode entitled "The Witch's Leg."

In this episode, we visit the ruined chapel of St Mary at East Somerton, where we tell the folklore tale of a witch said to be buried there. Then, following our original format, we return to the location to conduct an investigation.

The Witch's Leg

The resulting video shows how far we have come with our filming and editing process, a massive leap forward from the first episode we attempted from Acle.

There are so many tales we can tell. We have a hit list of stories we want to share with you via Youtube and our podcast channel. After all, everyone loves to hear a spooky or gruesome tale.

So keep an eye open because something wicked this way comes.

First of all, Juliette and I would like to take this opportunity to wish you the best for this festive season. I know there will be many variations on a festive theme, be it Christmas or Yule. However you decide to celebrate, we hope you have a thoroughly wonderful time with your families and friends.

I had such marvellous plans for a few articles to see us into this festive time of year. Unfortunately, reality stepped in to scupper my plans by giving me the December from hell to contend with. Rather than rush through the articles and provide a pile of substandard fare, I decided to hold back and get the festivities out of the way and then pop a few post-Christmas treats up to keep things going until we kick it up a gear in the new year.

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We like to get together to record our podcasts, so the sessions take place at Juliette’s house, where Izzi has free reign to go wherever she wants.

We set up all our gear, ready to record. Once we get started, you can guarantee that Izzi will appear, her arrival heralded by the tinkling of the bell on her collar. We used to edit out her guest appearances. Now we leave them in place for our listeners as we feel the bell ringing, meows and occasional purring add to the ambience. Plus, we get the added bonus of having her there with us as a fluffy security blanket whose ears we can tickle whilst we do our talking bits.

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Hands up now, who has an advent calendar? Yep me too. I have one that rewards me with a chocolate treat every time I open a door.

So, what exactly is Advent, and why does it need a calendar? Well, it just so happens we have the answer for you.

Traditionally Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, referred to as Advent Sunday (or the First Sunday of Advent). This means that depending on the year, Advent could start any day between November 27 and December 3. Advent derives from the Latin word for coming and has been celebrated since the 4th century. It was a period before the new year that involved prayer, penance and fasting before Christian converts were baptised. The exact opposite of dubious office parties and seasonal over-indulgence that usually takes place in the run-up to Christmas.

The Advent calendar originated in the 19th century in the German-speaking world. While the Catholic Church celebrated Advent with daily prayers, in Protestant families, this time of devotion and contemplation took place within the family. The Bible was read aloud, verses were recited, and people prayed together and sang devotional songs.

 Around 1840, parents began to think up various ways to illustrate the remaining time until Advent for their children to highlight the unique holiday atmosphere of the Advent season.

For example, families began to hang up pictures with Christmas themes on the wall or in the windows. Another variation was that parents would draw 24 lines with chalk on cabinet doors or door frames, the Sundays being marked with longer or coloured strokes. The children were then allowed to remove one stroke each day until none were left.

Little Christmas trees and handmade wooden frames served as “Advent trees”. Every day little flags or stars adorned with Bible verses were hung in the trees. In some families, an additional candle was put on the tree and lit daily. The increasing light in the trees symbolised the impending arrival of the Light of the World, Jesus Christ.

In Scandinavia, around the same time, the custom emerged of dividing a candle into 24 segments and letting it burn down piece by piece over 24 days.

At the end of the 19th century, creative parents made so-called “Christmas clocks” with a round face divided into 12 or 24 segments, on which the hands could be moved one step further each day. Each element was adorned with song texts or Bible verses.

Thus the Advent calendar became a way of measuring the days until Christmas Eve to demonstrate the remaining time to children and to heighten the anticipation of the Christmas celebration.

German-born Gerhard Lang is considered the producer of the first printed Advent calendar in the early 1900s.Thanks to some inspiration from his mum! Gerhard’s enterprising mum attached twenty-four “Wibeles”, a Swabian type of baked meringue, onto numbered squares of cardboard for the young Gerhard to scoff in the days leading up to the festive season.

Gerhard remembered his mum’s inspired idea and went on to manufacture his very own advent calendars. From 1908 onwards, Lang had his Advent calendar printed by the publisher Reichhold & Lang and sold these in the following years in increasingly high numbers and various types – including a version with Braille.

Gerhard Lang worked passionately on developing new variations, including the Christ child’s house, which you could fill with chocolate. Calendars that you need to break open to get the contents, ones with doors to be opened, Advent trees with angels to hang up and the little Advent houses. The Advent house was comprised of four coloured pieces of cardboard, which could be put together to make a house. The cardboard houses had windows and doors with coloured transparent paper covering each opening. Starting on December 1, one window would be opened each night, and on the 24th, the front door would be opened. Then, when you put a candle inside, it casts a bright holiday glow.

 A few years after Gerhard Lang began producing Advent calendars in larger print runs, other publishers started bringing out their Advent calendars. By the 1930s, the Advent calendar was widespread in Germany.

With the outbreak of World War II, the paper was rationed in Germany. At the beginning of the 1940s, printing illustrated calendars was stopped because it was considered “unimportant to the war effort”. In 1941, church-run media was forbidden. Instead, the National Socialist German Workers’ Party produced its calendar and distributed it among citizens. It comprised a small booklet which included stories, songs, and sayings, as well as instructions for colouring and arts and crafts. The apparent goal was the reinterpretation of the Advent season. All church-related and religious elements were removed and replaced with symbols of the new ideology regarding supposedly Germanic roots. The Advent wreath became the Solstice wreath, and the Christ child became the “child of light”. The German word “Vorweihnachten”, roughly translated as pre-Christmas, replaced the Latin term Advent. Saint Nikolaus was replaced by the Rider on the White Horse, associated with the pagan god Wotan. 

After the war ended, Richard Sellmar of Stuttgart obtained a permit from US officials to begin printing and selling the calendars again.

Impressively, the Advent calendar company set up by Sellmer still operates today, producing over 140 different product varieties. In addition, Sellmer’s original Advent calendar design is still available for consumers to buy.

An Advent calendar helps count the days until Christmas, usually with a small item or devotional phrase revealed each day. Traditional calendars are rectangular cards or boxes you can hang on the wall or sit on a table, with small sealed doors or windows you open in order on each day of Advent. The most traditional Advent calendars provide a kind of guided reflection on one’s religious values in the form of Bible verses, prayers, or devotions to be read daily. Sometimes these calendars may incorporate some of Jesus’ teachings and sermons or offer condensed retellings of the Christmas story over the four weeks of Advent. 

 Advent calendars have become a common and popular holiday tradition. Today you can find everything from traditional religious calendars to ones with Santa or festive winter imagery, versions shaped like Christmas trees, sports or hobby-themed varieties, or calendars featuring TV shows or cartoon characters. They can contain chocolates and sweets, small toys or gifts, or other surprises, including alcohol and even cheese, behind each numbered window.

Which leads me very nicely to our version. Welcome to the Out There Paranormal Alternative Advent calendar. 

We have scoured the internet to bring you a selection of festive fun in the shape of stories from around the world, where Christmas is celebrated most unusually.

You can enjoy the calendar by following this link https://www.outtheregroup.net/alternative-advent. Then, click on the numbered door to find out what story we will tell you. We have been a bit sneaky, so to warn you, the doors will only become active on the date they are numbered, so you can’t click on every door and binge-watch the lot.

We will share the door daily on our Twitter feed, so follow us there and watch out for the doors. https://twitter.com/outtheregroup1

We hope you enjoy the tales we tell.

Loads of festive love

Nigel & Juliette

     xx

As the title says, hello and welcome to our latest venture, the What’s Out There? Newsletter.

So why a newsletter?

Expanding on topics we cover in our podcast, and our YouTube videos might be fun. We touch on many things when we are chatting on the podcast, but we wanted to share more detail with you all. Of course, we would love to wax lyrical about every topic endlessly, but you only have a finite amount of time to say what you want.

We decided to set up this new outlet for our paranormal enthusiasm, thus giving us a chance to select snippets from our podcasts and video and dig a little deeper. As we feel it might be something that you would all enjoy.

It also allows us to share more visual elements, which we can’t do on our podcast channel.

Rather than save all the articles and write one big post once a month with everything on it, we decided to add single pieces in a blog style as we went along. By doing this, we can reward our subscribers with more regular content they don’t have to wait for.

If you want to know a little bit more about us, click “About Us” in the menu, and you will find some background info. Nigel and Juliette will be contributing articles, and we may also try to get some guest articles on here.

Please feel free to comment on any of the articles. Feedback is important to us, even if negative, as it will help us improve our content.

You don’t have to subscribe to us; you can easily click to read. However, we recommend that you subscribe because every time we add content, we will send you an email to tell you. That way, you don’t miss out. Better still, it does not cost you a penny to do so.

Thank you all for your support. We are so looking forwards to sharing our paranormal world with you all.

Nigel & Juliette

xx