You are here: Real Ghost Stories :: Haunted Places :: The Ghost At The Abbey

Real Ghost Stories

The Ghost At The Abbey

 

I'm back with another story, this one takes place in 2018, when I went on my first proper ghost hunt to a haunted old mansion that used to be an abbey but is now turned into a museum. So firstly, for context the place has either had many various deaths occur there or there's records of certain spirits haunting there and the one I am focusing on is of a child spirit.

On Halloween in 2018 I had managed to capture two photos of a spirit during the ghost hunt, in one photo it looks like it was screaming in pain and the other looked like it was flying away, it looked almost like an alien to me. When I first saw the photos I nearly cried and I don't know why, but then later on we went to a room, it was called the children's room, it had colouring books and crayons all on the floor with a rocking chair, we were told there were spirit children there and we had a ball move on its own right in front of me.

After all of that I went home, got my tarot cards out and did various readings on this spirit, I always get that its a spirit of a young girl, she wants help, that's why she let me take the photos of her. I don't know if she was murdered there or just can't move on, but I feel a weird need as someone whose really into this stuff to help her, she's a child after all it must be terrifying. A few nights ago I had a dream about her where she told me her name was either Mary or Margret, she told me she couldn't wait for me to go back there which I am in September for another ghost hunt.

Other hauntings by occulting_

Hauntings with similar titles

Find ghost hunters and paranormal investigators from United Kingdom

Comments about this paranormal experience

The following comments are submitted by users of this site and are not official positions by yourghoststories.com. Please read our guidelines and the previous posts before posting. The author, occulting_, has the following expectation about your feedback: I will read the comments and participate in the discussion.

Aros (6 stories) (57 posts)
+2
3 years ago (2021-04-14)
It always makes me sad to hear of lost spirits "haunting" a location but especially children. It's good she is communicating with you and I do so hope you are able to have someone move her on in September. How frightening it must be as a child spirit to not be able to move on or communicate with most living people passing through.

I can see why some don't find the photos you submitted as anything really definitive but they have that look of authenticity to them as I myself have captured similar light anomalies through the years. And as a graphic designer by profession for decades I know how easy it is to fake a photo but these look nothing other than authentic photographs of some kind of energy disturbance.

As for hauntings in general I prescribe to the theory that there are several components that are involved whether a spirit remains earthbound or move into the Light to return HOME. Each of us has a vibratory imprint that has a signature frequency to it that you can't hide from. Our thoughts (negative or positive) manifest this vibration accordingly and often this seems to be the reason why some spirits stay earthbound. Perhaps they died suddenly and tragically and either don't even know they are physically dead or can't get past the notion. This alone would cause turmoil, frustration and even anger and sadness, both of which as I understand, are heavy cloaks that make it difficult to move onward.

Others simply loved their home, their loved ones or their lives so they choose to remain in and around these locations where they felt loved and comfortable.

Still, I think the vast majority do see that glorious Light and loved ones waiting for us so it's an easy transition back to where we all come from. But certainly I think each passing is as individual and unique as the person themselves. Thanks for sharing your story and I hope she returns HOME!
Breaghboo (2 stories) (15 posts)
+2
3 years ago (2021-03-24)
occulting. Thanks for the info. Interesting. I will look it up on YouTube. And I do hope you're right about lockdown being over by September.
occulting_ (5 stories) (27 posts)
 
3 years ago (2021-03-24)
Hi Breaghboo!

It's in Northamptonshire, the place is called Delapre Abbey, and hopefully by September everything should be back to normal with at least lockdown wise, there's barely any information out there about the spirits or experiences there that I can find online and there is a few ghost hunts that have happened there which have been uploaded to YouTube and I forgot about this but one of the ghost photos I took the room where it happened in one of the ghost hunts on YouTube the group either keeps catching the door opening on its own or they hear little knocks on the door that you usually go through to leave and they even go outside the door to check no ones there and all that, it's all very interesting stuff.
occulting_ (5 stories) (27 posts)
+2
3 years ago (2021-03-24)
Hi valkricry!

I think you're not seeing it I don't know how to show you it but I'll try to explain it better but the spirit is on the left side near the middle of the left side, you can see nearly like a full head, its eyes are somehow brighter than the rest of it and then if you look a little towards the right and up it does cast a shadow that looks like its head and one of its arms.

With the tarot reading its not always a single card draw I sometimes mix it up and will use spreads or pick three cards, and if I need more clarification or details I'll pick as many cards as I need to understand what they're trying to tell me if I don't get it after a while.

I hope that description helps you see it and if it doesn't I'll draw on it to point it out and then post the link on here.
Breaghboo (2 stories) (15 posts)
+2
3 years ago (2021-03-22)
By the way, good luck for September. We'll still be locked down.
Breaghboo (2 stories) (15 posts)
+2
3 years ago (2021-03-22)
I'm from UK. Where is this? It's a public place so no reason not to name it.
valkricry (48 stories) (3257 posts) mod
+3
3 years ago (2021-03-19)
Like Mack, I'm not picking up anything in those photos I'd deem 'paranormal' either, although I do see that shadow. Am I missing something?
Occulting_, from what you are telling us, you're using a very basic, single card draw, or what we call a 'Yes or No Reading'? (lady-glow, in order to reach a simple Yes or No answer, each card is assigned a positive or negative meaning, and is intended for quick answers to simple, specific questions. Usually it's used for simple day to day issues.)
occulting_ (5 stories) (27 posts)
+1
3 years ago (2021-03-19)
Hi Macknorton!

The first photo what I believe is the sprit is there is a white almost translucent looking thing which looks alien honestly, it's on the left side of the photo and if you look closely it even has a shadow even though there was no one around that photo when I took them I would take them when no one was around other than myself and my family would be far behind so I would have all the time I needed to snap the photos, the second one I can see why you would think what you thought but like the first one no one was around the area I took the photo again.

It's of course perfectly okay if you and others don't believe they're legit photos or they might have been something else, I know from my self I probably would think the same unless I was the one who took the photos, because I would know completely nothing has tampered or been accidentally mistaken for a spirit.

And I guess that's the beauty of ghost hunting, most people don't believe it until they've experienced or seen something themselves so people actively go out to have that happen, I like to think it even helps balance out our scepticism in a way, because I'm sure lots of people would love to believe everything paranormal that has ever been said but naturally there will be some fakes out there.

All I can offer is my word that those photos were taken in places people weren't with no torches, but like I've mentioned they'll always be personal to me because to me they're my proof of spirits, I know they're not faked or something but obviously I was the only one there, and I think it's perfectly natural and okay to be sceptic about them.
Macknorton (5 stories) (646 posts)
+3
3 years ago (2021-03-18)
Hi Occulting

Thanks for posting your photos. They are somewhat ambiguous, in my opinion. Others may see something I'm missing?🤔

The "close-up" one, is that the "screaming in pain" photo? I can't really see any definitive human face in it, but I do see what appears to be the shadow on the book in the background of the bright object in the foreground? Could be coincidence...

The second one looks to me like it could be the flash light of someone in the distance? I appreciate these are genuine "ghost" photos to you, and I respect that, but to me these could be explained away as something more "earthly" and boring, unfortunately. I think if they had a clear human form, face etc then it would be much stronger "evidence" of spirit activity.

But please don't be dissuaded, keep seeking and snapping photos, you just never know what you might capture.😊

Regards,

Mack
occulting_ (5 stories) (27 posts)
+1
3 years ago (2021-03-17)
Hi Macknorton!

To me a deity is in a way more powerful than a spirit because not only is this deity a worshipped being, their 'vibes' always feel so different from any normal spirit like more powerful energy wise and even ancient if that makes sense, I know ancestors and spirits can be worshipped too but it feels like wrong as well to just say he's a normal spirit, he feels so much more than that. I also feel like signs from him or deities in general are more likely to happen than a sign from a spirit, and so far he has been able to warn me of things happening moments before they happened which no spirit has done before.
Macknorton (5 stories) (646 posts)
+3
3 years ago (2021-03-17)
Hi Occulting

Thanks for your patient answers!

I'm curious regarding your comment" "... I use tarot cards to talk to deities so to me it would make sense that there is a possibility to use them to talk to a spirit..."

What's the difference, in your opinion, between a deity and a spirit?

Regards

Mack
occulting_ (5 stories) (27 posts)
+1
3 years ago (2021-03-17)
https://flic.kr/p/2kLUV7y

Https://flic.kr/p/2kLUVJW

These links might work, let's see. Okay yep, these links work.
occulting_ (5 stories) (27 posts)
 
3 years ago (2021-03-17)
lady-glow

I agree but this ghost hunting team I am joining one of the members or the person leading it rather has had probably over 10 years of experience with ghost hunting and even if they don't know much about tarot reading I'd still like to tag along and see what happens plus we are allowed to ghost hunt there on our own for the last few hours there to see what we can get, all I'd ask them is if they have any information on the children that haunt the place like a name, any experiences or background information for example.
occulting_ (5 stories) (27 posts)
+1
3 years ago (2021-03-17)
Hi lady-glow!

Sorry to confuse you, I use tarot cards to talk to deities so to me it would make sense that there is a possibility to use them to talk to a spirit, I agree it doesn't look like I believe they work 100% to talk to spirits but that's just because I am still sceptical sometimes because I've only used them before to gain insight on past or future situations nothing that can solidly be proven to be said by a spirit yet unless I am right about the spirit in this post.

To me they don't have straight yes or no answers but I'll give you an example to try and help you understand how I would interpret a card for example if I asked them "Do you think a spirit in this room or home is scared?" And if I pulled something like the ace of cups to me that would mean yes, if I got something like the tower card that would be a no it all depends on the card and it's like more than a yes or no question to me it's like for the question I've just said it'll be like my tarot deck is saying "yes they are scared they're trying to reach out to you and let you know this."

I don't know if I am a medium or have a little bit of their sense but when I do a tarot reading with a spirit I'll usually almost feel them sitting down in front of me and guiding my hand towards the card to pick for the answer, to me the difference between a tarot deck and an ouija board is with an ouija board it can very easily be faked unfortunately either on purpose or by accident so I don't really trust them a lot but then with using a tarot deck each card can mean something different and it feels more likely to be true for me, I've just never been able to fully clarify if what it's said about a spirit is true like if there's a document or record that could prove what I've been told. I also think tarot cards make me se a lot more intuition that I would with an ouija board.

I only have one maybe two kind of stories of the tarot deck communicating with a spirit, the first one was on my grandma's death anniversary I asked them if she was here and how she felt about the day so far and I was taking a photo because I thought the tarot deck looked pretty nice and I managed to capture an orb which I don't really know how to feel about, and when I have used an ouija board before I sometimes will use my tarot deck during or after it and it'll usually line up with whatever the spirits said through the ouija board.

I also do readings from my home with my clients all over the world, I once used them to pick up on a friends feelings who lives all the way in America and I got through the cards that he wasn't doing okay so I asked him and he told me he was struggling and feeling really upset even though he is the kind of person to never tell anyone about those kind of feelings especially when he's feeling them and I hadn't spoken to them before that reading on that day so I had no way of telling he wasn't feeling okay other than what the cards told me.

With my deity he has warned me before about my mother becoming very unwell, and at the time I didn't get what he was trying to say because I thought everything was fine but then in the morning I found out my mum was in complete agony and had called out an ambulance because she couldn't move and then later on that day she called out another and was rushed to hospital.

I try to be sceptical about these kind of things because if it can be explained I want it to be explained but if it can't then it can't, I just want or need more proof that the deck can actually communicate with the dead but I feel like I'm not going to get that proof at home, I might attempt it later though just to see what happens though, I have friends who use tarot decks and they have told me using it to contact spirits can happen it's not something impossible.
lady-glow (16 stories) (3149 posts)
+3
3 years ago (2021-03-17)
Occulting and Macknorton.

There's actually some information about using tarot cards to communicate with spirits, no mention to the "yes/no" options though.

Https://www.google.com/amp/s/tarotpugs.com/2017/10/01/how-to-communicate-with-spirits-using-tarot/amp/.

Still, after reading the previous link it doesn't seem to fit the description given by the OP. Definitely not "yes/no" options from the cards.

Occulting.

I have never joined a ghost hunting tour but am under the impression that not all the people attending such events are necessarily experts on this field.
valkricry (48 stories) (3257 posts) mod
+2
3 years ago (2021-03-17)
Sharing your pics: select a free hosting/sharing image site, such as;
Google Photos.
Imgur.
Dropbox.
TinyPic.
Flickr.
500px.
SmugMug.

Once uploaded they will give you a sharing url that you can post here in comments.
Macknorton (5 stories) (646 posts)
+3
3 years ago (2021-03-17)
Hi Lady-Glow and Occulting,

Sorry to butt in butt in, here's my 5 cents worth on your conversation topic; I honestly don't know much, if anything, about Tarot cards, however my limited knowledge of them is that they are "usually" used between two "flesh and blood" people, and generally are used to facilitate a more open discussion about the subjects personal circumstances.

I assume then, that the person doing the reading is either a kind of "Agony Aunt" who gives wise guidance and counsel to the subject, or has perhaps "mediumistic" abilities and can then tune into the subjects spiritual companions, once the Tarot cards gives them the more open connection.

Personally, I've never heard of people using Tarot cards to communicate with those in Spirit as they would by using an Ouija board. Not to say that it doesn't happen...

However, as Lady-Glow pointed out, the Ouija board has "Yes" or "No" and letters that enable some kind of communication, whereas Tarot cards are much more symbolic. So, to me, it would make more sense to either communicate "directly" with those in Spirit via mediums or via an Ouija board, rather than a Tarot card deck?

Nonetheless, it's interesting stuff...

Regards

Mack
lady-glow (16 stories) (3149 posts)
+3
3 years ago (2021-03-17)
Hi occulting and thanks for replying to my questions though, to be honest, I got really confused with your answers.

"For tarot reading what I would do is I would just ask if anyone was there or did something that I thought had the potential to be supernatural I would ask my tarot deck if it was something supernatural and then from there ask it questions to figure out who it was and why they did that"

Are you sure this is a tarot reading? In my opinion it sounds more like a Ouija board session and nothing like a tarot card reading... Is there even a card for "yes" and "no"?

Do you know the difference between a deck of tarot cards and a Ouija board? Though they both are tools of divination, their use couldn't be more different.
Based on your comment, it seems to me like you don't even know how they "work". Thus making it difficult to take your story seriously.
occulting_ (5 stories) (27 posts)
-2
3 years ago (2021-03-17)
Hi lady-glow!

For tarot reading what I would do is I would just ask if anyone was there or did something that I thought had the potential to be supernatural I would ask my tarot deck if it was something supernatural and then from there ask it questions to figure out who it was and why they did that, for the dream I had where I think the spirit tried to tell me her name I can't say that was 1000% her it could just be a dream for all I know, I want to go back and go on another ghost hunt so I could see if what my tarot deck has been saying is all correct like if I ask the deck if she could knock on a door or table and if it says yes then would that actually happen or not, I'd love to get more evidence basically and unfortunately I have no idea how to help a spirit cross over even though I've tried looking for a way for years, if I knew I would definitely do it to help her.

As for the last question, I don't think I could, to her I think she just sees me as someone who could help not like a friend or anything, and I also don't know if her spirit is well known or if there's any documents on her so going on the ghost hunt would also give me the opportunity to ask the group to see what they know and if it's possible they can find out and get back to me on it.

As for the photos I don't know where or how to upload them but if you or anyone can tell me I'll happily do so, the photos I took have been personal to me over the years since I took them because to me its real physical evidence of ghosts existing in some way, and I know its real to me at least because I took them, I know that they haven't been tampered with and there's no way they should have turned out like that and when I first saw them I nearly cried I don't know if I was picking up on the child spirit or if it just shocked me that badly.
occulting_ (5 stories) (27 posts)
+2
3 years ago (2021-03-17)
Hi Manafon1 & Kindly_refrain for posting your comments!

It's really interesting and won't lie spooky to hear your stories, information and thoughts, it's making me come up with a theory now that maybe when we die depending on how we react to it or how we were when we were alive effects us when were in spirit form like if you're freaking out and panicking that you're dead you can't move on or escape from wherever you died but if you're accepting of it you can or something along them lines, the two spirits I've talked about in my posts both have told me they wanted help to move on and they've both had such high emotions of sadness they've made me cry before so for me it all checks out that they're both usually upset whenever I contact them and they're 8/10 times asking for help as well.
occulting_ (5 stories) (27 posts)
+2
3 years ago (2021-03-17)
Hi Macknorton!

I only mentioned people had died there because it's a part of the history I don't really know where I stand on places being haunted because someone died there, I think it's possible but probably not always the case, from my own ghost experiences most of them can follow you around and be in different places but then some can't cross over for whatever reason or they don't want to, I've never asked a spirit about it before but now I want to.
occulting_ (5 stories) (27 posts)
+1
3 years ago (2021-03-17)
Hi Rajine!

Where would I post the photos so you and others could see them? I've never tried it before but I'd love to share them with you and everyone else.
lady-glow (16 stories) (3149 posts)
+3
3 years ago (2021-03-16)
Could you explain how to do a tarot card reading on a spirit that has been trapped in their past for many years?
To be honest, I find this very hard to swallow.

Another thing that just doesn't seem right about your narrative:

"she told me her name was either Mary or Margret, she told me she couldn't wait for me to go back there which I am in September for another ghost hunt."

What are you planning to do during a ghost Hunt? Are you going to ask the rest of the group to join the crossover ritual?
Since this spirit seems to have developed some connection to you, wouldn't it be possible to help her from afar?

I would love to see the pictures you took.
Macknorton (5 stories) (646 posts)
+2
3 years ago (2021-03-16)
Hi Mrs Ramsay

You make a good point re battle locations. Many people report to be able to "pick up" on the suffering,noise, horror of such locations.

I'm not saying that there are NOT places where deaths occurred that leave imprints or have spirits attached to them, I'm playing devils advocate by challenging the seemingly widely held belief that a death = a haunting.

I'm basing my discussion on the premise that when we die, our spirits / souls leave our physical body and then continue their existence in the next world, a spirit world. I respect the fact that not everybody believes that theory but this site certainly suggests some kind of survival in another dimension, so I feel OK to make that presumption here.

So if you take each individuals death, no matter where they are, or how it happens, it's not a guarantee / natural law that "because you die = you will haunt this Earthly plane."

I believe individuals choose to manifest here, choose to show themselves, choose to interact with us. I also believe some individuals are chained to a spot, or a person and don't want to exist fully in the other dimension. Many other hauntings are residual with no consciousness behind them.

So even in places where a higher proportion of deaths may occur, I feel it's still up to each particular individual whether they want to hang around that place, regardless of how they passed.

All just food for thought at the end of the day.

Cheers

Mack
MrsRamsay (guest)
+1
3 years ago (2021-03-16)
Mack,
What about battle fields?
When I was a kid, we visited many in our travels throughout the south and I used to believe it was just because Dad would describe for us what happened there... Things like, "Imagine all these men and horses, charging right here..." and the feeling would be fairly overwhelming to me as a little girl. Now as an adult visiting battlefields, I feel touches, emotions and am compelled to stare in various directions (now I make sure to take pictures of the places that catch my attention). It's not so overwhelming, and it could still be because of the emotions Dad instilled, however I have EVPs now that I didn't have before... And those hair flicks/touches too... Undeniable. I'm a sane and rational former newspaper columnist and teacher!
Macknorton (5 stories) (646 posts)
+2
3 years ago (2021-03-15)
Hi Manafon & Kindly_Refrain

Thanks for the input. There certainly are a number of reported sightings of ghostly nurses doing the rounds (not many Doctors?) and also there is much anecdotal evidence of those in hospitals, hospices about to pass over who report seeing deceased loved ones near them to escort them into their next phase of existence.

Also consistent reports of patients being visited by deceased family and friends, sometimes repeatedly as the patient nears the point of their leaving the physical body. Apparently, some people are visited by deceased loved ones, but these patients are not considered terminal, or expected to pass over, but then unexpectedly do.

Although do we often read / hear about large numbers of ex-patients being seen in hospitals etc whom have passed?

Perhaps they are still "haunting" these places? Maybe we don't hear about them and perhaps it's not as "interesting" seeing the spirit of old Mrs Humphries, hunched over, bewildered, shuffling around in a hospital gown as it is seeing a matronly-looking nurse figure gliding silently through the wards?

I'm not sure, but I have certainly read about ghostly nurses being seen. Whether those nurses died on the premises where they were sighted is unknown to me.

It's all very interesting stuff.

Cheers

Mack
Kindly_refrain (16 stories) (193 posts)
+3
3 years ago (2021-03-15)
Hello Macknorton, a friend's wife is a nurse (now retired). She reported frequent spectral forms in the hospitals she worked at, some of them nuns who were employed in the one hospital, in the past.

While not a place where death occurs but is still a focus, funeral homes also seem to have a more than fair share of ghosts. I am aware of two morticians that say it is common enough to see the spectral form of the deceased calmly standing by as their body is prepared. Another mortician I know, of, however, says they have never seen this happen.
Manafon1 (6 stories) (712 posts)
+4
3 years ago (2021-03-15)
Hi Mack--I'm heading out but just quickly wanted to state that there are an unusually high number of paranormal incidents reported in hospitals. There was a study conducted by an M.D. Who compiled a compelling number of cases amongst terminally ill patients. One of the most commonly reported phenomenon is that of a kindly nurse who checks in on patients who are soon to die.

I discussed this study a couple of years ago on YGS but can't remember the doctor's name. I imagine it could be found without too much difficulty searching online. I also have several paranormal case study books that discuss, specifically, the "phantom nurse" phenomenon. Fascinating stuff!
Macknorton (5 stories) (646 posts)
+3
3 years ago (2021-03-14)
Hi Occulting

Thanks for posting. As Rajine suggested, it would be great to see these photos. Whilst photos are now very easy to fake, and fake quite convincingly, at least something you captured is worth sharing and discussing.

Re your comment: "...for context the place has either had many various deaths occur there..." - for me personally, and I have banged on about this before, I do struggle to understand the link (or our perceived link), regarding places of death = haunted places.

I wonder, is this a misconception regarding spiritual activity / an old superstitious idea, or is there some actual basis for this theory?

If we examine where MANY deaths occur in a small-ish location such as a hospital, or a retirement home or geriatric hospital, for example, then following the premise of "place of many deaths = place of many hauntings" then surely these kinds of places would be absolutely teeming with all kinds of ghosts / spirits / activity?

Personally I'm not aware of this being the case? Does anyone have anything to add to this idea?

Just a thought I'm throwing out there...

Regards

Mack
Rajine (14 stories) (740 posts)
+2
3 years ago (2021-03-13)
Hi occulting_

I believe that this spirit is trying to reach out to you,
You read tarot cards so I'm assuming that you are a intuitive person so maybe that's why she chose to reveal herself to you.
It would be nice to see the pictures you took.

To publish a comment or vote, you need to be logged in (use the login form at the top of the page). If you don't have an account, sign up, it's free!

Search this site: