Old Browfort - Haunting :

GHOMATS INVESTIGATION Friday, 22 nd April 2006: 8.30 to 11.30pm

Devizes, Wiltshire, UK Report by Kelly (Casper)

Having gained permission to undertake an investigation on a property dating from 1876, the Ghomats team gathered at 8.00pm on Friday, 22 nd April 2006. The weather was cold and raining. Typical April British weather.

Participating were Chris C, Chris D , Chris E , Chris F, Sue, Sarah, Joan, Ben and Kelly. A lot of Chris's makes for one confusing investigation!

Although the current property dates from 1876, to the east of the site was situated Brow Fort Villa, which was a squat house of two storeys and three bays. This house was purchased by William Brown in 1861. William demolished the old villa and built the current property, Browfort, to reflect his wealth and standing. William was born in 1830 and was Mayor of Devizes and a Justice of the Peace. His firm, Brown and May, was famous for producing steam engines for use in factories and traction engines. According to the 1881 census, he is classified as an engineer and iron founder and employed 230 men and boys. The firm gained considerable wealth in the burgeoning industrial revolution. The initials of the firm, along with the date, can be seen above the main door. The building is indicative of Victorian architecture. William and his wife, Ellen, employed two servants and a governess to look after the house and their six children. By the 1901 census, William had retired and moved to Church House in Potterne, with a Lady Francis Starkham living in the residence for a short while. A Reverend P L Bayly bought the property in 1907 and used it for official ceremonies including marriages. The Devizes Rural District Council then bought Browfort House in 1946 for £4,000. This proved to be a shrewd investment before post-war property speculators had forced up land prices to prohibitive levels. The new Browfort offices were built in 1974 when the current Kennet District Council was formed. So, you have a little of the history of our investigation site. Recent reports of paranormal activity include two members of staff in the housing department, who were working late, witnessing a large wooden door to their office half open, revealing a seven foot grey human shaped figure. The door then quickly shut. One of the staff rushed to investigate and found the figure had vanished. Staff in the neighbouring offices and walking in the corridor had not seen or heard anything unusual. Another member of staff claims to have been tapped on the shoulder whilst alone. A pillar of smoke has also been seen briefly standing in the middle of the room. Other staff report seeing the face of a lady at the windows late in the evening.

Two main areas were selected for investigation, the main staircase and the cellars. Both areas have reports of negative energies, the feeling of being watched, reports of hearing breathing and, near the main staircase, the feeling of being pushed.

The group separated into two groups, one of which took the cellar and the other the stairs. The plan being to swap over half way through the night.

The Cellar

Both groups, independently, discovered the energy of an older man in the cellar and all participants agreed that, whoever he was, he was not keen on the Investigators being in “his domain”. It was also felt that there was a young child – a girl – possibly related to the older man who was more friendly and wanted to play. The child was felt to be between 9-10 years of age. Several participants in both groups were quite clear in that the man did not want the teams there and did not want to communicate. One member reported that the man had a secret that he did not want discovered.

Of particular interest during the evening were several orbs showing up during filming. Another odd event, the team set up a camera at the beginning of the vigils and, at the changeover between the two teams, the camera apparently switched itself off! The camera being used is one used regularly by the team and it is very unusual for this to happen – in fact, it has not happened prior to this investigation. The team checked both the battery and film – both of which were fine. We can find no explanation for why the camera should switch itself off.

The Main Staircase

Again, similar information was received by both groups independently of each other. Both groups agreed that a woman, aged in her 40's, was present. It was felt that she may be a servant to the family who owned the building for many years. She had three children.

This is the area where staff who now work in the building, report the feeling of being pushed. Despite being asked to push a member of Ghomats, on this occasion no such feeling was received by any members.

The Back Staircase

An unplanned investigation was undertaken on a separate staircase. The reason for this being that one of the group picked up a presence on that staircase. Again, acting independently of each other, both groups received information purporting to be from a young boy (aged around 10) who accidentally died in that area. Both groups reported that the boy was happy and no negativity was picked up.