Paul Jeeves
EVERY child will have asked the question on whether ghosts really exist, but Sir Simon Marsden has made a career out of it.
Sitting around a roaring fire as a five-year-old in his family home at a haunted Lincolnshire mansion, his lifelong fascination with the paranormal was born as his father regaled him with tales of the unexplained.
Over the intervening decades, the internationally-renowned photographer has amassed a vast library of eerie black and white images documenting some of Britain's most haunted locations.
He has now published more than 100 of the atmospheric shots in a new book, launched yesterday at Clifford's Tower in York, which lays claim to being the world's most haunted city.
The 176-page photographic journey includes images from across the country to reveal the hidden past of English Heritage's properties which are shrouded in supernatural folklore.
Working alongside authors Val Horsler and Susan Kelleher, Sir Simon spent six months last year travelling the length and breath of England visiting abbeys, stone circles, castles and stately homes to capture the stark photographs for the book, entitled This Spectred Isle – A Journey Through Haunted England.
To celebrate its publication, a paranormal investigation was held at Clifford's Tower last night until dawn today to try and answer one of the most enduring conundrums as to whether ghostly spirits are indeed fact or fiction.
The stone tower, which was originally part of York Castle, has become synonymous with the city's fabled ghost stories as its walls appear to drip with blood.
The gruesome phenomenon is said to be caused by the slaughter of York's Jewish community who took refuge in the tower during the anti-Semitic riots which gripped the city in 1190. Scientific tests have shown that the red stains are caused by iron oxide in the stone. However, none of the stone taken from a quarry near Tadcaster used to construct Clifford's Tower has ever contained iron oxide.
But Sir Simon remained sceptical as to whether the group would have any other-worldly experiences.
The 56-year-old, who has exhibited in New York, Milan, Paris, Tokyo and Venice, said: "Everybody has an opinion about ghosts and is obviously something that fascinates me. It brings up the great questions about life and death.
"Whenever you are at a dinner party and the conversation turns to the topic of ghosts, you can sense a change in the mood. I am a strong believer and I have seen nothing to make me disbelieve.
"But experiences often happen when you least expect them to. I am always sceptical when a group of people gather together to find a ghost, nothing normally happens.
"Two weeks ago I was staying in a semi-derelict chateau in France, where only 20 out of 197 rooms are lived in. Throughout the night I didn't sleep a wink. I didn't see anything, but I kept hearing things all the time."
A veteran ghosthunter himself, Sir Simon's experiences would chill the bones of even the most hardened non-believer.
He was knocked to the ground by an unseen force at an ancient stone circle in Oxfordshire when his camera was torn from his neck. He later discovered a bruise the length of his arm which bizarrely caused Sir Simon no pain.
One of his most vivid personal encounters was shared with thousands of radio listeners. He travelled to Ireland's Leap Castle with BBC Radio 4, and during the broadcast a ghostly voice mysteriously appeared during the programme.
With an estimated three or four ghosts for every village in England, the subject matter which Sir Simon has tackled is immense. Yorkshire has provided him with rich pickings for the book, and the county holds a special place in his heart.
A student at Ampleforth College, Sir Simon's family also moved to North Yorkshire during his childhood.
He said: "I grew up with tales of ghost stories and my father had a library full of books on the occult. I suppose I am the one that it really stuck with.
"During my time at Ampleforth there were the monks wandering down the corridors in their cowls, which did nothing to dull this fascination.
"We used to sneak out and catch a taxi to York, and I remember walking around the city thinking that it really did feel quite a haunted place."
And Whitby, the North Yorkshire town which inspired Bram Stoker to write Dracula, remains Sir Simon's most evocative location to get in contact with the spirit world.
He said: "North Yorkshire is one of the most haunted areas in the country, especially in the most remote parts such as the Yorkshire Moors. Whether it is because people in these remote parts hang on to a sixth sense more than others, I do not know."
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Yorkshire's HERITAGE of The Paranormal
l Clifford's Tower, York
Not long after the original wooden tower was re-built in stone on the site of an anti-semitic massacre of Jews in 1190, people reported a red fluid oozing from the walls, thought to be the blood of those who died there.Scientific tests reveal that this was probably iron oxide, or rust. Staff today have reported a feeling of being watched, several having experienced a ghostly touch when working in the tower's chapel, which had previously been used as an office but is now open to the public.
l Scarborough Castle
Edward II's lover, Piers Gaveston, is said to haunt the ramparts of Scarborough Castle, luring unwitting victims to their death over the walls. Gaveston was the governor of the castle in the early 14th century. Besieged by local barons unhappy with his influence over the king, Gaveston was captured in 1312 and was beheaded on his way to London.
l Whitby Abbey
Although Whitby Abbey was the inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula, its ghosts are slightly less demonic. The weeping ghost of Constance de Beverley, a nun who fell in love with a knight and was locked in the dungeon for her sins, is sometimes seen on the steps leading down to her prison. Also, on the old Christmas Day, around January 6, the voices of a ghostly choir can be heard.
l Helmsley Castle
The ghost of a soldier sitting forlornly in the ruins of Helmsley Castle is thought to date back to the Civil War, when the castle was besieged and the great keep ruined. A lady in a green dress has also been sighted in the ruins, her soft green dress rustling as she walks past people late at night.
l Byland Abbey
The 14th century monks of Byland Abbey may be responsible for some of the legends surrounding the site, as one wrote 12 ghost stories about the place. More recently, in 1996, an historic re-enactor sleeping overnight at the site reported being rocked awake at 2am from behind – but realised that there was a stone plinth behind him. This is the time when monks would have woken each other for the first service of the day.
l Richmond Castle
As well as the legends of King Arthur sleeping with his knights beneath Richmond Castle, there is a story of a young drummer boy who was sent down a tunnel, thought to link the castle with Easby Abbey. The soldiers who sent him down told him to beat his drum every few seconds so they could mark his progress. The sound carried on and on, but the boy never emerged again.