Paranormal Investigations Ltd
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BEDFORDSHIRE - INVESTIGATIONS
A SELECTION FROM MARK ABOUT HAUNTED BEDFORDSHIRE CLOPHILL CHURCH
This report comes from our new Bedfordshire Investigator - Mark and concerns an old derelict Church surrounded by much mystery and intrigue. Clophill Village in Bedfordshire has become notorious for two reasons. Firstly there are strange and mysterious stories centering around the Old Church of St. Mary situated up on the ridge above the village. Tales of Satanic Rituals and hauntings. There has been a church on this site dating back to the 1300's, allegedly being built on the site of a Leper Hospital. During the 1800's there were many improvements to the building and plans to renovate and enlarge the Church were put together. These were then shelved in 1830 as the Rector involved became very ill and died. The new Rector rebuilt the Church at the base of the hill in the Village. The old site became a Mortary Chapel as burials were still carried out here. The Old Church fell into disrepair and stories of Witchcraft, Satanism and Black Magic became associated with it. It is known as 'Black Magic Church' by the locals. In March 1963 the Tomb of an 18th Century Apothcary's wife - Jenny Humberstore who died in 1722 aged 22 was desecrated. Her bones were dug up and found in the Knave of the Church laid out in a Ritualistic fashion. The skull was found impaled on an iron spike and Cockeral feathers were found scattered nearby. In 1969 more graves were desecrated and again bones were found laid out. The site is a popular site for Paranormal Investigators as well as local teenagers. There have been sitings of a monk and a lady in a window five or six feet above the ground. Reports of a hoax that involved using a strategically positioned projector that threw an image of the monk on to a wall and then faded are well documented and may account for the 'Monk' but there again the Village was very near to a Benedictine Priory and other strange experiences have been reported here.There have also been sitings of a white horse in the lane leading to the church that then dissapears. A horse is quite often heard although there are horses in nearby fields.
Orbs photographed at the site. The second cause for notoriety in Clophill Village was a murder that shook the British Nation back in 1961. This was the infamous A6 murder that occured on Dead Man's Hill near the Village. Michael Gregsten was brutally murdered and his companion Valerie Storie was raped and shot during the attack although she survived. James Hanratty was convicted and executed in Jail in 1962. The Village is also home to the Flying Horse Public House that was an important resting station during the 'Stage Coach' era. It is alleged that Dick Turpin stayed here as he advanced towards York. Some new photos added 15/2/09 of Clophill.  Nice orb
More orbs HOUGHTON HOUSE, AMPTHILL  Houghton House was a Hunting Lodge constructed in 1615 for Mary, Dowager Countess of Pembroke, the land having been granted to her by King James 1st. The Lodge was completed by 1691 when King James paid a visit and contains both Jacobean and Classical Styles with two Italianate Loggies on the North and West walls thought to be designed by Inigio Jones. On the death of the Countess, the Lodge was converted and handed over to be the principle family seat of the Bruce family. It was then later bought by the Dukes of Bedford and was subsequently rented out as they had taken the wrong sides in the civil war and ended up in the Tower of London. Eventually, the 5th Duke of Bedford realised that the House couldnt be rented out without the Park so ordered for Houghton House to be dismantled in 1794. The Earl of Upper Ossary, the owner of nearby Ampthill Park accquired the Estate in 1804 and commisioned Capability Brown to landscape his estate incorporating Houghton House and gardens.
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There have been many reports of hauntings at Houghton House and the site is open to the general public.
Shadowy figures around the House that vanish into thin air if spotted have been reported on many occasions. There has also been the sound of several galloping horses pulling a coach reported on a regular basis. A small girl standing in the doorway and waving has also been reported.
Nearby in Ampthill Park a glowing ghostly Knight in Armor appeared in front of several witnesses along the road in the early 1900's. Soldiers in nearby barracks also reported a figure around the same time. This figure has been seen several times around the Park.
In Ampthill itself, hauntings have been reported in a Hairdressers in Church Street. A man was reported to be hanging in an upstairs room and was consequently exorcised.
Although the hanging man no longer appears to haunt anymore, the ghost of a young child has become more prevalent.
Nice veiws of Houghton House
An orb photographed at Houghton House.
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