Like most people I have been exposed to many ghost stories over the years, some more credible than others and some more incredible than others.
I myself have witnessed some pretty strange things.
The Comprehensive school I attended, (sometimes), was very old and rumoured to have a couple of ghosts.
On one occassion whilst in the company of others, including a priest, we all thought we saw the most well known ghost, Harriet....but I'm not
convinced.
Many years later I was enjoying some 'after hours drinks' with the landlady of my local pub.
I had drank in this pub for quite a number of years and had heard several stories from previous landlords.
This particular night we were having a few more drinks, a couple of cigarettes and talking the usual cod# that get's spoken around 2am and after a
'few' pints.
Instinctively I turned to look at the end of the bar and a gentleman was stood in typical 1940's - 50's attire with a trilby hat.
I immediately turned to my friend, the landlady, who was staring at the same spot I had been, I looked again at the end of the bar but the man had
disappeared.
We looked at each other and I asked my friend what she had seen.
She described exactly the same thing as I had seen.
We promptly re-charged ourselves with several stiff drinks and laughed it off.
Neither of us spoke about it to anyone else until a couple of months later, at which time we received the expected suspicion and ridicule.
A couple of years later circumstances had it that I had become landlord of the self same pub.
I hadn't experienced anything more than the occassional 'is there someone over my shoulder feeling' apart from one night around about 5am when I
think excess may have clouded our experience.
However, one night around 1am I had to go into the cellar, something I had done on numerous occassions.
Upon coming out of the first part to the cellar I experienced a sudden chill and then a certain and definate touch on my right shoulder.
I turned around but apart from a sense of 'something', nothing or no-one was there.
This definately felt like a human touch and there was nothing else anywhere near that could have touched me.
Very strange and pretty spooking.
Unfortunately due to circumstances out of my control I had to leave this pub that I loved and had been a part of for many years. (This in itself is
worthy of another thread in another place).
However, I soon got myself another pub in my hometown which most of regulars follwed me.
There are conflicting opinions on how old this pub is but some reports state there has been a pub on this site since 1640 and some say 1750.
Regardless, it is reasonably old with plenty of history.
As well as my friends from my previous pub, my new pub had existing regulars and due to the locality a lot more of my friends from various parts of
the town have started visisting me more frequently.
Last Friday a good friend of mine who, amongst many other things has an interest in the paranormal, visited me for a couple of sociables.
My new pub has several little rooms as well as the main public bar.
My friend returned to the pub the following day and as we had a drink together he told me that the previous day he had taken a short cut through one
of these rooms in order to answer a call of nature.
Upon his return he noticed an 'old lady' sat in the room who hadn't been there previously.
Nobody else had seen this lady and no-one had seen her enter or leave.
My friend then reminded me that he was part of a group of paranormal or ghost investigators.
They have conducted many investigations, some in very well known and old buildings / sites etc.
He asked me if I would let them perform an investigation on my premises some time.
And so it is that this Wednesday, starting at 11pm, they will perform an investigation.
Now my question to my fellow ATS'ers is have you got any tips on what I should expect? What I should be asking? etc or even just an opinion.
I must admit that as this approaches I am starting to get slightly apprehensive and I am certain that there are ATS members who are much more
qualified than I and who maybe able help me.
I will provide a follow up detailing all our findings, if any.
Wish me luck!
Edit to correct various typo's etc.
[edit on 26/7/09 by Freeborn]