Cross
Keys Handsworth 22nd March 2005
Team
Bren, Mick, Mikey, Steve Strange, Roy, Landlady's son
and friend.
Arrived
at Cross Keys at 10.30pm, we went had a look at the cemetery
while we were waiting for the pub to close.
We
decided to do a vigil in the cellar first. here was originally
a tunnel in this cellar which led to Handsworth Hall.
Mikey took the far end of the cellar as his place to do
the vigil the rest of us stayed in the main area at the
bottom of the steps. Mick and Mikey took some digital
photo's at random. We took temperature readings in various
parts of the cellar and charted these readings. We then
all sat and waited to see if we could pick anything up.
By
now it was midnight and we had agreed to spend an hour
in the cellar. Mick explained to the new people about
the infra red thermometers and EMF meters and how to use
them. The coolers started up and were very noisy which
made it difficult for Brenda and Mikey to hear what the
other was saying as they were at opposite ends of the
cellar.
Brenda
picked up on a man in a brown sack cloth tunic and lighter
coloured breeches who seemed to be moving sacks of something.
She also picked up on a priest who was dressed like a
monk, Mikey also picked up on him and described him as
a bit like 'Friar Tuck'.
Brenda
thought she could see something next to where Steve was
sat in front of the 'tunnel' (which is now bricked up).
She also saw a shadow move across the entrance to the
other part of the cellar where Mikey was sat, she thought
it was Mikey but he had also seen it. Steve could also
see something to Mikey's left but nothing showed up on
the camera. A few of us thought that the part of the cellar
where Mikey was sat originally went back a lot further (apparantly
a grave was found in this part).
Roy
thought he saw someone walk past the door which leads
down to the cellar and this turned out to be the landlady
on her way home.
Brenda
and Mikey inspected the back of the cellar with torches,
both thought they could smell old sacking and potatoes
as could Roy. The reason they inspected this area was
because they had both thought they could see someone moving
sacks about in this area and it looked as though they
were carrying them through the back wall towards the graveyard.
Once again Brenda thought she could see something near
Steve.Both Roy and Mikey thought they saw a dark shadow
to the left of the tunnel.
Roy
saw something move across thebottom of the doorway again
so Mick went to check if there was anyone there and set
up a beam barrier. He returned and told us that there
was no one in the bar area. Steve saw something through
the camera which then went out of focus.Mick took several
digital photographs again at this point.
Light
anomalies were seen on the stairs and shadows were seen
under the door.
Several
of us heard footsteps on the stairs and more light anomalies
were witmessed by three of us with the naked eye.The EMF
meter which was on the stairs went off on its own (no
one was near it). The name of Primrose was picked up by
Brenda and Mikey. at 1am we left the cellar to do a vigil
upstairs.
Mick
walked around filming the other bars. The landlady's friend
thought he saw a figure move behind the bar.Brenda picked
up on a man with a beret type hat with a plume (like the
type an old French artist would wear) probably Elizabethan
with pleated leg of mutton sleeves. He ordered and was
drinking a flagon of ale. She also saw a young lad serving
some food. Both Mikey and Brenda thought that the room
used to be set out the other way around (much longer).Brenda
also saw the room being much bigger with no bar and long
bench tables.
The
room started to feel a lot colder and it felt like someone
was trying to push in between Brenda and Mikey who were
both sitting on one of the long seats, at this point the
temperature either side of them was 20-21 degrees but
between them it was 24 degrees and they both physically
noticed the difference in temperature.
Brenda
felt there was a rowdy party going on but not like a pub
and got the word 'debauchery'. There were some quite strong
smells.
Brenda
went into trance and channelled a man called Thomas who
was a grave digger aged 39 years old in 1561. He said
he worked for his food and lodging and said he as there
to take care of his child. He said his wife was buried
there and we should go and see her grave. When asked who
the king was he replied that it was a queen. At this point
it was freezing cold around Brenda and the beam barrier
alarm went off on its own. Brenda came out of trance and
we decided to call it a night.
We
were told afterwards that noises like a full bar of people
were heard when the pub was actually empty. We were told
about thr grave in the cellar and also that someone felt
like they had their ear pulled whilst near where the tunnel
was in the cellar.
The
pub itself is said to date back to the 13th century when
one William de Lovetot had it built along with the church.
The pub building was the church house and was used by
the chaplains. It was reputedly used as a schoolroom for
about 200 years then sold for £43 before becoming
a public house in the mid 19th century. It has the dubious
distinction of being one of the few pubs in England situated
in a cemetery.
The
tap room which is the oldest part of the building has
one timber that is reputedly dated from the 13th century.
The present building is probably dated from around the
17th century. |