BLAKEMERE CRAFT CENTRE

BLAKEMERE CRAFT CENTRE
BLAKEMERE
CHESHIRE


31st October 2009 HALLOWEEN


GROUPS ... PARANORMALRESEARCH UK




This area of Cheshire in prehistoric times was covered in what we call today Delamere Forest. This area is full of history, a Bronze Age Burial ground in Norley, Iron Age hill fort at Eddisbury and Oakmere, a medieval road running along the line of the A49 called Peytefinsty (sty was a Saxon term for old roman road). Saxons are said to have built a small settlement in this area and also a buriel ground.



Saxon Kings and Earls, Norman Monarchs, Cheshire Barons, Edward 1st, James 1st and up to Charles 1st, there households and possibly themselves have all hunted in this area.

Delamere has always been thinly inhabited with small settlements. These possibly grew to the villages/towns we see today.

Delamere was much larger than today. It wasnt all woodland, it was pastural and arable land. Hunting was the realm of the very high class and if an ordindary person killed or hurt one of the hunting beasts, like boar, it was punished by death or mutilation. These regulations were enforced by special courts, a Chief Forester and the Forest Eyre (travelling justices for the King or Earl).

Our area, Cuddington and Sandiway, is closely associated with Vale Royal Abbey, near Whitegate, once the largest Cistercian Abbey in Britain. Vale Royal was founded by Edward 1 in 1277. Most of this area was held and ruled by the Abbott. The Abbey was lost during the Dissolution and a Mansion was built by Sir Thomas Holcroft. This later became the home of the 1st Baron Delamere (Cholmondeley Family). This mansion has now been divided into apartments and a club house for Vale Royal Golf Club.




As I travelled to the Craft Centre, I passed the Round Tower Lodge on the A556. This was built about 1816 as a Gate Lodge to Vale Royal.






Also in this area was Delamere Lodge (later renamed Delamere House). This house was built for the Wilbraham Family with 100 acres of parkland. This family owned and controlled thousands of acres of land and farms around Cuddington and neighbouring villages. This building survived until just before the second world war when the last George Wilbraham built Delamere Manor nearby. After Delamere House was demolished, its parkland became an army camp and it housed British and American troops prior to the D Day invasion. This area is now a housing estate.

Blakemere is derived from little black mere. Blakemere Craft Centre is housed in a restored Edwardian Stables. These stables were built around 1890 for both coach and riding horses. They belonged to Blakemere Hall. The hall was built in 1878 for Mr Berkeley Paget.

During WWII, the Government commandeered the premises to use as a bake house to supply American soldiers with bread and then later to accommodate Polish refugees and then German prisoners of war. Returning troops were also seen here by military doctors.


Blakemere Hall was demolished in 1950 and now only the stables remain.


PARANORMAL ACTIVITY

--- Children --- seen and heard everywhere
--- Lady --- named Sarah
--- 2 men --- both called Henry, seen in the crystal shop and one walks along the 1st floor
--- 2 white ladies --- seen in 1st floor office and in the end shops
--- white lady with a baby --- seen in wool shop
--- feeling of being watched
--- hair pulled
--- voices heard


INVESTIGATION

This was PRUK's first evening in charge of guests.

We started the night at 9pm in the Saddler's Kitchen. We introduced the team and mediums to everyone and Nicola gave a brief history of the site.

The mediums took us on a short walk around the site, telling us about anything they picked up on.




We split up into two groups, me and Nicola took our group into the wool shop. We stood for a while asking out and we all heard a few noices. So we decieded to sit around a table and started glasswork with Caroline (one of our mediums) and 4 guests. The information they picked up on was 2 women came through. One with a baby and one with a 2-3 year old child, a couple of children and the letters O,E and T. No details or other information came through. The people sitting around the table went very cold and we all heard the sound of fragging of chairs and tables from upstairs. At this point, I would like to say that no one had access there and it was locked up.




At 10.30pm, we moved to the Wendy House. Caroline picked up on a nasty man. This man hated women.
As this man hated women, we decieded to split into male and female groups.
We stood either end of the shop. The men and Caroline picked up on a servant girl who was killed by this nasty man. With the all girl group, I was trying to bring this man out. We all heard a growl followed by a sickly sick smell. I decieded to face this man alone and stood in the middle of the shop. We all heard dragging sounds again from upstairs but nothing else happened.








We moved into the end shop. There was the smell of lavender as you entered, which wasnt normal. Caroline picked up ona woman who walks through the shop.
Most of the group stood in a circle asking out, there were getting headaches and feeling cold. Many thought they saw a figure and at the same time, I got the feeling we were being watched. I has stood just to the side of the main group so I could watch that no one moved.

Phil's group had been upstairs in the Conference room across the courtyard. They had heard whistling, scratching on the table, heavy breathing and many people felt cold on their hands. Geoff (our other medium), picked up with a man named Henry and a boy named Jabcab.

We all met up in the courtyard and made our way back to the kitchen for a brew.
Some people thought they saw dark figures in the courtyard after most of the group had left.





At midnight, our group went into the conference room and Phil's group covered the shops.

Again our group split into male and female groups and we sat at either end of the 1st floor.
The men were hearing a few noices and I saw a dark figure by the door leading to the stairs. But when I went to look, I saw nothing.
The ladies in the far room were sat around a large table. One of the ladies became very weepy and had to leave. When she came back, she sat down and her whole body started to hurt. She became upset again but she stayed. I felt a cold blast on my back and the EMF reader, placed on the table, went off a couple of times.

Just after 1am, we all met up and went for a walk in the woods. Both mediums picked up on people hiding in the woods. We all heard noices but this could have been animals. We also saw a few strange lights but we cant discount car lights. But to me, this was unlikely.




By 2.30am, we all headed into a building called The Paddocks. This building is under going work. We all stood in a large circle, asking out. We heard footsteps from upstairs but this was not possible as there was no floor laid.
About 15mins later, one lad started sweating and his girlfriend didnt feel very well. This was the same poor lady from earlier. I showed everyone how to use dowsing rods and pendlums. Everyone had different results. I spent time with the lady who had been effected and by using these rods, she felt that she was in contact with a family mamber.

While Nicola took the group around the courtyard, Phil, myself and a couple of other people went into the Clockhouse. One of the group told us that he too was a medium and he asked if he could do an experiment.

I sat in a chair and he told me to relax and close my eyes. I held a light that changed colour. I didnt feel any change but Phil and everyone else saw my face change. I changed into a male with a high forehead and it looked like my eyes opened and closed. I looked evil.

We finished just after 4am.



For our first organised event, I think we did very well.
A few things happened, footsteps, dragging sounds, dark figures, the poor lady who had been effected most of the evening and what had happened to me.