1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,400 Speaker 1: Hello, it's Richard mccleinsmith here with a quick update before 2 00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:06,800 Speaker 1: we dive into today's episode. Unexplained is very excited to 3 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:09,200 Speaker 1: be a part of Crime Wave at Sea this November, 4 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:12,600 Speaker 1: joining forces with some of the eeriest voices in the 5 00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:15,800 Speaker 1: world of true crime and the paranormal four Nights in 6 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:19,960 Speaker 1: the Caribbean, with amazing podcasts like Last Podcast on the Left, 7 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:24,400 Speaker 1: Scared to Death and many more live shows, meet and greets, 8 00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:27,960 Speaker 1: creepy Stories under the Stars and you can be there too, 9 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 1: but don't wait. Rooms are nearly sold out. Head to 10 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:36,600 Speaker 1: Crimewavetsea dot com forward slash Unexplained to grab your fan 11 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:39,600 Speaker 1: coat and lock in your cabin. We'd love to see 12 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 1: you on board. In the year eleven thirteen, the third 13 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:59,280 Speaker 1: Abbot of Saint Martin of Tournay documented something extraordinary in 14 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:02,240 Speaker 1: christ Church, a small town on the south coast of 15 00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 1: England just east of Bournemouth. It was a five headed 16 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:09,959 Speaker 1: dragon that, according to the abbot, emerged from the sea 17 00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:13,959 Speaker 1: before taking flight toward the town and destroying the church 18 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:18,880 Speaker 1: along with the number of nearby houses. Nine centuries later, 19 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:23,760 Speaker 1: the rebuilt priory still draws reports of phantom footsteps in 20 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:27,800 Speaker 1: its ruins, and the supposed apparition of an old caretaker 21 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:31,720 Speaker 1: nicknamed Old Joe, claimed by some to have been seen 22 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:36,440 Speaker 1: wandering about its gardens. These are just a couple of 23 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:39,520 Speaker 1: the strained sightings and hauntings that are said to have 24 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:43,280 Speaker 1: accumulated around the town of christ Church over the years. 25 00:01:44,160 --> 00:01:48,400 Speaker 1: But perhaps the most distressing is the story of Alma Rattenbury, 26 00:01:48,640 --> 00:01:53,200 Speaker 1: whose ghostly figure has reportedly been seen sitting mournfully among 27 00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:56,400 Speaker 1: the reeds on the banks of the River Stour, not 28 00:01:56,480 --> 00:02:00,560 Speaker 1: far from the priory. It was back in June nineteen 29 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:05,680 Speaker 1: thirty five that Alma, her handbag gripped tightly in her hand, 30 00:02:05,720 --> 00:02:10,480 Speaker 1: wandered forlornly through the meadows down to the water's edge, 31 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:15,480 Speaker 1: as buttercups swayed gently in the breeze and swallows warboard above. 32 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:19,200 Speaker 1: She pulled a knife from the bag and proceeded to 33 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:24,400 Speaker 1: stab herself in the chest six times. Having pierced her heart, 34 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:28,040 Speaker 1: the bloody knife slipped from her grip and Alma fell 35 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:33,359 Speaker 1: dead into the water. Almer's was a tragic and fascinating 36 00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:37,160 Speaker 1: story that gripped the nation at the time. A talented 37 00:02:37,240 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 1: musician born in Canada in eighteen ninety seven, the dark 38 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:44,680 Speaker 1: haired Alma lost her first husband to the First World War, 39 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:49,240 Speaker 1: with her second marriage ending in an acrimonious divorce. She 40 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:53,560 Speaker 1: eventually settled in Bournemouth, England, with a third husband, the 41 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:59,359 Speaker 1: architect Francis Rattenbury, who was forty years her senior. By 42 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:02,520 Speaker 1: all accounts, the marriage was a stale one in which 43 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:06,480 Speaker 1: the couples let in separate rooms. After the birth of 44 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:09,800 Speaker 1: their first child in nineteen twenty eight, they were said 45 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 1: to have remained celibate. The couple often quarreled, with Francis Rattenbury, 46 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:21,000 Speaker 1: at times physically assaulting his wife. In nineteen thirty four, 47 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:24,960 Speaker 1: they took on a seventeen year old servant named George Stoner. 48 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:29,799 Speaker 1: Within a year, Stoner and Alma began an affair, which 49 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:34,920 Speaker 1: was known about and tolerated by Almer's husband. Nonetheless, clearly 50 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:39,000 Speaker 1: the situation was not to every one's liking. In March 51 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:43,360 Speaker 1: the following year, Francis Rattenbury was brutally battered in the 52 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:47,880 Speaker 1: head by a carpenter's mallet. He died five days later 53 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:53,080 Speaker 1: from his wounds. Alma quickly confessed to the murder, and 54 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:57,000 Speaker 1: both she and George Stoner were arrested for the crime. 55 00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:08,160 Speaker 1: After a gripping court case covered by all the daily papers, 56 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:12,200 Speaker 1: Alma Rattenbury was found not guilty for the murder of 57 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:16,080 Speaker 1: her husband. George Stoner, on the other hand, was not 58 00:04:16,160 --> 00:04:21,560 Speaker 1: so lucky. He was convicted and sentenced to death. Alma 59 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:24,520 Speaker 1: was devastated by the decision, and in the court of 60 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:28,599 Speaker 1: public opinion, was still very much a guilty party, having 61 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:32,799 Speaker 1: been blamed for coercing the impressionable Stoner into doing the deed. 62 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 1: In the days after the conviction, Alma struggled desperately with 63 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 1: the guilt of what had happened to George. Feeling very 64 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:45,040 Speaker 1: much the pariah the nation believed her to be, she 65 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:47,400 Speaker 1: made her way to the banks of the Stour on 66 00:04:47,480 --> 00:04:53,479 Speaker 1: the southern fringes of Christchurch and ended her life. As 67 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:58,440 Speaker 1: it transpired. Not long after Alma's death, after a public outcry, 68 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:03,159 Speaker 1: George Stoner was oldultimately spared the death penalty. His sentence 69 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:07,760 Speaker 1: was reduced to life imprisonment instead. Only seven years later, 70 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:10,920 Speaker 1: in return for signing up to fight in World War II, 71 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:15,599 Speaker 1: he had his conviction quashed entirely. He returned a free 72 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:20,240 Speaker 1: man and eventually died in the year two thousand. But 73 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 1: why am I telling you all this, I suppose just 74 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:27,159 Speaker 1: to demonstrate that no matter how quaint or small a 75 00:05:27,240 --> 00:05:32,120 Speaker 1: town may be, tragedy and emotional distress is never far away. 76 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:36,720 Speaker 1: The sort of things that some believe can linger as 77 00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:41,760 Speaker 1: dark and malicious energies, only to then manifest in invisible 78 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:45,680 Speaker 1: and terrifying ways, just as they are believed to have 79 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:49,280 Speaker 1: done by one family who lived in christ Church back 80 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:55,039 Speaker 1: in nineteen ninety seven. You're listening to Unexplained, and I'm 81 00:05:55,120 --> 00:06:08,479 Speaker 1: Richard mc lean smith. Before we go any further, I 82 00:06:08,520 --> 00:06:10,919 Speaker 1: should explain that we're going to try something a little 83 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:15,279 Speaker 1: different with this week's episode. Earlier this summer, one of 84 00:06:15,279 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 1: our writers, Diane Hope, spent some time in Bournemouth, hosted 85 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:23,360 Speaker 1: by a family who once lived in christ Church. One evening, 86 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:27,360 Speaker 1: they began telling Diane of a strange series of events 87 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:31,720 Speaker 1: that took place in their former christ Church home. Amazingly 88 00:06:31,839 --> 00:06:35,919 Speaker 1: for us, they agreed to share their story. However, we thought, 89 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:38,880 Speaker 1: rather than write it up for me to tell, why 90 00:06:38,960 --> 00:06:42,640 Speaker 1: not just let the couple speak for themselves. It was 91 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:45,760 Speaker 1: back in nineteen ninety six that Teresa and her husband 92 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:49,320 Speaker 1: Sean moved down to Bournemouth from the northeast of England, 93 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:53,760 Speaker 1: along with their young children, looking for a change of scene. 94 00:06:53,839 --> 00:06:56,560 Speaker 1: Eight months later, the landlord of the flat they were 95 00:06:56,560 --> 00:07:00,360 Speaker 1: renting decided to sell the property, forcing the fact family 96 00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:04,799 Speaker 1: to move again. The couple ran a used car business, 97 00:07:05,200 --> 00:07:08,160 Speaker 1: buying cars from the north of England and bringing them 98 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:11,040 Speaker 1: down south to sell, so they needed somewhere with a 99 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:14,680 Speaker 1: good amount of space to park the cars. They settled 100 00:07:14,680 --> 00:07:18,040 Speaker 1: on the perfect place in the nearby town of christ Church, 101 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:22,000 Speaker 1: not far from the banks of the River Stour. Now, 102 00:07:22,200 --> 00:07:25,280 Speaker 1: I said the couple would tell us their story. However, 103 00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:29,560 Speaker 1: in the end Diane decided only to interview one of them. 104 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:33,520 Speaker 1: A little more on that later, but for now, this 105 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:34,360 Speaker 1: is Terresa. 106 00:07:35,760 --> 00:07:38,840 Speaker 2: This property came up in christ Church and it had 107 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:41,440 Speaker 2: a very long drive up to it, and we could 108 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:44,560 Speaker 2: park a number of cars in the drive. It was 109 00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:48,040 Speaker 2: like the manor house at the back of the other properties, 110 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:51,120 Speaker 2: so it was an older house which had been built 111 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:56,160 Speaker 2: before the properties around it. It was secluded, like a 112 00:07:56,200 --> 00:07:58,520 Speaker 2: little forest at the back of it, so we thought 113 00:07:58,560 --> 00:07:59,360 Speaker 2: this is ideal. 114 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:02,960 Speaker 1: Almost immediately, strange things began to. 115 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:06,800 Speaker 2: Occur when we watched into the house. The first night 116 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:10,840 Speaker 2: we moved in, I felt something touch my back. I 117 00:08:10,840 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 2: couldn't really explain what it was I felt. I just 118 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:17,960 Speaker 2: thought it was strange, you know, like something was touching 119 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:21,720 Speaker 2: my back. It was the first night we'd been in there, 120 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:24,960 Speaker 2: and I'd never experienced anything like that previously. 121 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:28,560 Speaker 1: Then it happened again the next day. 122 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:32,800 Speaker 2: I was in the kid's bedroom and I felt it again, 123 00:08:33,280 --> 00:08:36,880 Speaker 2: a touch, you know, just touching me back. I just 124 00:08:36,920 --> 00:08:39,120 Speaker 2: couldn't explain how it happened. 125 00:08:40,480 --> 00:08:43,880 Speaker 1: Theresa wasn't one to think it might be anything supernatural. 126 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:47,720 Speaker 1: In fact, the thought couldn't have been further from her mind. 127 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:50,560 Speaker 2: I didn't even mention it to Sean because I didn't 128 00:08:50,559 --> 00:08:52,600 Speaker 2: think it was worth mentioning something like that. 129 00:08:53,679 --> 00:08:56,880 Speaker 1: But it wouldn't be long before Sean too became aware 130 00:08:56,960 --> 00:09:01,160 Speaker 1: of strange goings on because the creepy of events began 131 00:09:01,240 --> 00:09:02,040 Speaker 1: to escalate. 132 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:05,160 Speaker 2: We were in the living room one night, which faced 133 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:07,960 Speaker 2: the garden. The window face the garden, and we're just 134 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:12,120 Speaker 2: watching Telly and we heard somebody run past the window. 135 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:15,760 Speaker 2: You could literally hair running, maybe like they had big 136 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:16,720 Speaker 2: boots on or something. 137 00:09:17,679 --> 00:09:21,120 Speaker 1: The garden was equipped with motion Sense, a security lights 138 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:24,440 Speaker 1: designed to be triggered if anyone was trying to break in. 139 00:09:24,960 --> 00:09:26,480 Speaker 1: Or trespass on the property. 140 00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:30,600 Speaker 2: We looked out and the lights hadn't come on. So 141 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:34,199 Speaker 2: Shark got up and you know, went outside, and as 142 00:09:34,200 --> 00:09:37,480 Speaker 2: soon as he went outside, the lights lit up. It 143 00:09:37,559 --> 00:09:40,120 Speaker 2: seemed strange how you could hear something and then as 144 00:09:40,160 --> 00:09:43,960 Speaker 2: soon as he went outside, everything lit up. So that 145 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:47,640 Speaker 2: was the first experience after what happened to me, which 146 00:09:47,679 --> 00:09:48,520 Speaker 2: we couldn't explain. 147 00:09:51,280 --> 00:09:54,320 Speaker 1: There was no hiding it now. Theresa confessed to her 148 00:09:54,440 --> 00:09:58,360 Speaker 1: husband that she'd been sensing something strange going on in 149 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:02,400 Speaker 1: the house for a while, and soon the couple began 150 00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:06,080 Speaker 1: hearing the supposed footsteps inside their home. 151 00:10:07,880 --> 00:10:09,880 Speaker 2: They'd be sat in the living room on a night 152 00:10:10,280 --> 00:10:13,319 Speaker 2: and we could hear running up and down the hallway. 153 00:10:13,880 --> 00:10:17,120 Speaker 2: Because it was a bungalow, we all slept downstairs, big 154 00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:20,959 Speaker 2: kid's bedroom at the back. Our bedroom was opposite the lounge, 155 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:24,720 Speaker 2: the hallway was in between, and we could literally hear 156 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:28,040 Speaker 2: somebody running up and down the hallway, and we'd open 157 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:30,520 Speaker 2: the living room door and there was nobody there. 158 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:35,839 Speaker 1: Perhaps, wandered Terresa, it was all just in their imaginations, 159 00:10:36,280 --> 00:10:39,320 Speaker 1: a combination of the stress of adapting to life in 160 00:10:39,360 --> 00:10:43,720 Speaker 1: the new home and the unfamiliarity of their surroundings, but 161 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:46,920 Speaker 1: she couldn't quite shake the sense that there was something 162 00:10:47,040 --> 00:10:49,880 Speaker 1: more going on, and that they might even be in 163 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:52,840 Speaker 1: danger of somehow inviting it in. 164 00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:56,200 Speaker 2: We kept trying to pass things off as if did 165 00:10:56,200 --> 00:10:59,120 Speaker 2: we hear it are I didn't really like to talk 166 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:02,200 Speaker 2: about in the house. I was scared that something might progress. 167 00:11:02,920 --> 00:11:05,160 Speaker 2: Shan was start of thinking what's going to happen next, 168 00:11:05,240 --> 00:11:06,960 Speaker 2: and now thinking I hope nothing happens and. 169 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:10,760 Speaker 1: Eggs a few nights later to raise her and Sean 170 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:15,080 Speaker 1: was sat in the lounge watching television when Sean started 171 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:19,680 Speaker 1: hearing something, a peculiar squeaking sound that seemed to be 172 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:24,199 Speaker 1: coming from the back of the room. It sounded like 173 00:11:24,280 --> 00:11:25,520 Speaker 1: the lounge door handle. 174 00:11:26,480 --> 00:11:29,400 Speaker 2: We thought we heard it creaking, so we turned Helly 175 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:33,480 Speaker 2: down and Chan said I heard that handle. I said, yeah, 176 00:11:33,640 --> 00:11:37,400 Speaker 2: I'm sure I heard it. We both sat there, face 177 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:41,240 Speaker 2: in the door, looking straight at the handill. My eyes 178 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:44,640 Speaker 2: were literalist into water. I was looking at it so closely, 179 00:11:45,240 --> 00:11:49,880 Speaker 2: and all of a sudden it just went I mean 180 00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:54,240 Speaker 2: the shock. Shan flew back on the chair. It were like, 181 00:11:54,600 --> 00:11:57,920 Speaker 2: how did that just happen? And I jumped up and 182 00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:01,920 Speaker 2: I opened the door and the kids weren't there. Nobody 183 00:12:02,040 --> 00:12:02,360 Speaker 2: was there. 184 00:12:09,640 --> 00:12:13,000 Speaker 1: Suddenly it wasn't so easy to dismiss it all as 185 00:12:13,040 --> 00:12:18,520 Speaker 1: an overactive imagination, and before long others started to sense 186 00:12:18,559 --> 00:12:21,960 Speaker 1: it too. It had been a while since the couple 187 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:25,480 Speaker 1: last had some quality time together, so one night they 188 00:12:25,559 --> 00:12:28,360 Speaker 1: hired a babysitter and went out to dinner. 189 00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:32,760 Speaker 2: This young girl baby sat one evening when we were 190 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:34,920 Speaker 2: back in the house. She was in the living room 191 00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:37,800 Speaker 2: with the door open. The telly wasn't switched down. She 192 00:12:37,960 --> 00:12:40,720 Speaker 2: just sat there and I thought, eyes everything okay, because 193 00:12:40,720 --> 00:12:43,960 Speaker 2: obviously I hadn't mentioned anything, as she just went yeah, 194 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:46,680 Speaker 2: but with a really she looked scared. 195 00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:50,960 Speaker 1: There was no doubt in Teresa's mind that the girl 196 00:12:51,040 --> 00:12:55,920 Speaker 1: had heard or seen something, but Teresa couldn't possibly say anything. 197 00:12:56,800 --> 00:12:59,280 Speaker 1: For a start, she didn't want to scare the girl 198 00:12:59,400 --> 00:13:04,559 Speaker 1: unnecessary if she hadn't actually experienced anything untoward. But there 199 00:13:04,600 --> 00:13:08,520 Speaker 1: was little doubting the look on her face. The next 200 00:13:08,559 --> 00:13:11,760 Speaker 1: time the babysitter came round, she made sure to bring 201 00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:12,479 Speaker 1: a companion. 202 00:13:13,400 --> 00:13:15,960 Speaker 2: She came with her mom then the next time, but 203 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:18,160 Speaker 2: then they didn't want to come back to the house again. 204 00:13:18,920 --> 00:13:21,680 Speaker 2: I never mentioned anything. They never mentioned anything. To me. 205 00:13:22,880 --> 00:13:25,680 Speaker 1: Then there was the time their friend Lee came down 206 00:13:25,720 --> 00:13:29,280 Speaker 1: to visit from London. By now, Theresa and Sean were 207 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:32,920 Speaker 1: beginning to talk openly about the possibility that their house 208 00:13:33,080 --> 00:13:33,960 Speaker 1: was being haunted. 209 00:13:34,760 --> 00:13:36,880 Speaker 2: We'd been friends with him from the previous house and 210 00:13:36,960 --> 00:13:41,559 Speaker 2: moved her and he was very confident and outgoing. We 211 00:13:41,679 --> 00:13:44,880 Speaker 2: came around and he was sort of laughing and joking like, oh, 212 00:13:44,920 --> 00:13:47,800 Speaker 2: come on, then, where's this girls? It would just trying 213 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:50,360 Speaker 2: to make a big joke of it. Shoun said, Oh, 214 00:13:50,440 --> 00:13:52,680 Speaker 2: it doesn't like it when you turn the Telly up loud, 215 00:13:52,880 --> 00:13:54,520 Speaker 2: that's when things start to happen. 216 00:13:55,280 --> 00:13:58,000 Speaker 1: Lee, who was planning to stay the night with the family, 217 00:13:58,280 --> 00:14:01,679 Speaker 1: couldn't help but laugh. So Sean offered to give him 218 00:14:01,679 --> 00:14:06,080 Speaker 1: a demonstration, and so it was with everyone gathered in 219 00:14:06,120 --> 00:14:09,720 Speaker 1: the living room. The skeptical Lee watched on with a 220 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:13,560 Speaker 1: right smile as Sean took the remote and switched on 221 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:20,120 Speaker 1: the TV. Then he steadily increased the volume. 222 00:14:21,640 --> 00:14:24,360 Speaker 2: Sean just switched to Telly at full blast, and all 223 00:14:24,400 --> 00:14:30,320 Speaker 2: of a sudden we had this almighty bang. It went. 224 00:14:31,680 --> 00:14:34,720 Speaker 1: It felt as though the entire house were shaking. 225 00:14:35,400 --> 00:14:38,960 Speaker 2: It sounded like something crashing down on us. I mean 226 00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:42,520 Speaker 2: we didn't have any big speakers. Where did this noise 227 00:14:42,600 --> 00:14:44,280 Speaker 2: come from? 228 00:14:44,440 --> 00:14:45,520 Speaker 1: The message was clear. 229 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:48,760 Speaker 2: You were almost like, don't mess with me. I mean, 230 00:14:48,760 --> 00:14:49,400 Speaker 2: that's how it. 231 00:14:49,320 --> 00:14:53,400 Speaker 1: Felt as for Lee. He wasn't laughing anymore. 232 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:59,040 Speaker 2: Lee were like shocked. He was absolutely petrified from it 233 00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:01,440 Speaker 2: being just one big joke all of a sudden. 234 00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:05,120 Speaker 1: He was so scared that night, rather than stay with 235 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:08,880 Speaker 1: the family, he immediately left the house and drove away 236 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:12,880 Speaker 1: as fast as he could, white faced and extremely shaken. 237 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:22,240 Speaker 1: As far as the family were concerned, there was no 238 00:15:22,400 --> 00:15:27,840 Speaker 1: denying it now. In such circumstances, the first question people 239 00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:31,040 Speaker 1: tend to ask is why didn't they just leave? But 240 00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:34,200 Speaker 1: the couple had paid six months rent in advance, and 241 00:15:34,280 --> 00:15:36,920 Speaker 1: not only had they only been there for six weeks, 242 00:15:37,520 --> 00:15:41,240 Speaker 1: they didn't have nearly enough money to move again, so prematurely, 243 00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:44,880 Speaker 1: appeals to the agent fell on deaf ears. 244 00:15:45,680 --> 00:15:48,680 Speaker 2: They weren't even interested. They didn't come back to us 245 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:52,200 Speaker 2: with any advice or anything, but didn't even ring us back. 246 00:15:53,320 --> 00:15:56,480 Speaker 1: At first, the family stuck it out as best they could, 247 00:15:56,880 --> 00:15:59,800 Speaker 1: only for things to get even more disturbing. 248 00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:03,960 Speaker 2: It was a beautiful sunny day. We'd just come back 249 00:16:03,960 --> 00:16:07,360 Speaker 2: from being out and we'd come back in. The kids 250 00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:10,320 Speaker 2: ran into their bedroom and all of a sudden they 251 00:16:10,360 --> 00:16:15,280 Speaker 2: were screaming. We ran into the bedroom. There was literally 252 00:16:15,560 --> 00:16:19,720 Speaker 2: like black sand and grit mixed with water dripping down 253 00:16:19,760 --> 00:16:23,440 Speaker 2: the walls, and there were circles of it on each bed. 254 00:16:24,640 --> 00:16:28,080 Speaker 1: The children claimed the sandy substance had been thrown at 255 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:31,520 Speaker 1: them the moment they entered the room to raise Her 256 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:34,240 Speaker 1: and Sean couldn't get their heads around it. 257 00:16:34,240 --> 00:16:36,040 Speaker 2: It's not like they had bucket and spade and a 258 00:16:36,040 --> 00:16:37,960 Speaker 2: bit of sound in the bedroom and they'd been messing 259 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:38,240 Speaker 2: with it. 260 00:16:38,840 --> 00:16:41,880 Speaker 1: And as for the possibility that someone had thrown it 261 00:16:41,920 --> 00:16:44,880 Speaker 1: into the house from outside, we couldn't. 262 00:16:44,600 --> 00:16:48,360 Speaker 2: Even open the windows in their bedroom. They'd been painted shut. 263 00:16:50,160 --> 00:16:54,960 Speaker 2: This is something now that couldn't explain. Before we could say, oh, well, 264 00:16:55,200 --> 00:16:57,840 Speaker 2: we heard these noises. It might have been the radiator 265 00:16:57,960 --> 00:17:00,240 Speaker 2: of you could sort of try to explain your off 266 00:17:00,280 --> 00:17:03,280 Speaker 2: out of it. Whereas now this was something which we 267 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:04,200 Speaker 2: couldn't explain. 268 00:17:05,119 --> 00:17:08,600 Speaker 1: More than that, Theresa now had to face a new 269 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:13,240 Speaker 1: horror that whatever this appeared to be turning its attention 270 00:17:13,560 --> 00:17:14,360 Speaker 1: on the children. 271 00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:19,400 Speaker 2: That was really frightening. After that, I saw a big 272 00:17:19,440 --> 00:17:22,720 Speaker 2: spider in the kid's bedroom. It looked like a transler. 273 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:27,080 Speaker 2: It was huge. I had this tape recorder deck thing 274 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:31,439 Speaker 2: and it crawled into it. So I shut the tape 275 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:34,359 Speaker 2: recorder and threw it in the bit and Shan would 276 00:17:34,920 --> 00:17:38,240 Speaker 2: why would you do that? I was so scared of 277 00:17:38,320 --> 00:17:41,560 Speaker 2: it coming back in because it was absolutely huge. I 278 00:17:41,600 --> 00:17:43,440 Speaker 2: didn't want to getting back out of that tape deck. 279 00:17:43,960 --> 00:17:48,120 Speaker 2: That's how scared I was. First it was outside, then 280 00:17:48,160 --> 00:17:51,160 Speaker 2: it's in the hall. Then it's like the banging, then 281 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:53,480 Speaker 2: the sand in the kid's bedroom, and then the spider. 282 00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:56,560 Speaker 2: I just felt everything was, you know, why is this happening? 283 00:17:56,640 --> 00:17:58,720 Speaker 2: Thought of thing, and it was all drawn towards a 284 00:17:58,800 --> 00:17:59,920 Speaker 2: kid's bedroom as well. 285 00:18:00,640 --> 00:18:04,480 Speaker 1: The spider was the final straw. The family needed help. 286 00:18:05,280 --> 00:18:07,720 Speaker 1: But where do you even turn to for that sort 287 00:18:07,760 --> 00:18:08,080 Speaker 1: of thing. 288 00:18:09,040 --> 00:18:11,840 Speaker 2: There wasn't the Internet in them days. We just didn't 289 00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:14,480 Speaker 2: know what to do. But that was really frightening. 290 00:18:25,520 --> 00:18:28,439 Speaker 1: In the end, Theresa and Sean reached out to a 291 00:18:28,480 --> 00:18:30,400 Speaker 1: friend from back home in Bradford. 292 00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:33,960 Speaker 2: We ran a friend of ours who was a preacher 293 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:37,800 Speaker 2: in Bradford called Bob's given us his Bible as a 294 00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:41,320 Speaker 2: leaving pression. We just tesked him if there's anything, if 295 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:44,000 Speaker 2: what we could do, because it keeps happening and we 296 00:18:44,080 --> 00:18:47,280 Speaker 2: just don't know what to do. First, he said you 297 00:18:47,359 --> 00:18:49,920 Speaker 2: need to leave, and we said we're with pay six months. 298 00:18:49,960 --> 00:18:51,720 Speaker 2: In our fans, there are only two months. Saying it's 299 00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:54,119 Speaker 2: cat hard to just upsticks. 300 00:18:54,760 --> 00:18:58,600 Speaker 1: Bob suggested he leave it with them. A short time later, 301 00:18:58,880 --> 00:18:59,840 Speaker 1: he called them back. 302 00:19:00,760 --> 00:19:03,399 Speaker 2: It's brought to the elders of his church, and he said, 303 00:19:03,640 --> 00:19:05,760 Speaker 2: you need to read in the Bible here though what 304 00:19:05,960 --> 00:19:09,080 Speaker 2: through the vallee of no able to our fear, and 305 00:19:09,119 --> 00:19:13,600 Speaker 2: read these verses and go with the children into every room, 306 00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:17,280 Speaker 2: the garage, the call shed, everywhere. You need to recite 307 00:19:17,320 --> 00:19:18,120 Speaker 2: these verses. 308 00:19:19,080 --> 00:19:22,240 Speaker 1: And so together the family gathered first in the living 309 00:19:22,320 --> 00:19:25,480 Speaker 1: room and did exactly as Bob told them to do, 310 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:30,440 Speaker 1: moving steadily from one room to the next, reciting Psalm 311 00:19:30,520 --> 00:19:36,080 Speaker 1: twenty three from the Bible. The last space to exercise 312 00:19:36,280 --> 00:19:39,960 Speaker 1: was the garage. When that was done, Theresa felt the 313 00:19:40,119 --> 00:19:41,800 Speaker 1: change almost immediately. 314 00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:44,840 Speaker 2: I said to Sean, do you feel like something is 315 00:19:44,920 --> 00:19:47,320 Speaker 2: just lifted off you? And he said, yeah, we actually 316 00:19:47,359 --> 00:19:50,760 Speaker 2: felt it lift off us. It's like you have this 317 00:19:50,920 --> 00:19:54,040 Speaker 2: heavy feeling overa which I didn't even realize. We had 318 00:19:54,640 --> 00:19:56,960 Speaker 2: it literally lifted away from us. 319 00:19:57,720 --> 00:20:01,480 Speaker 1: Not only did the negative feelings disappear, the couple's work 320 00:20:01,680 --> 00:20:02,960 Speaker 1: even began to pick up. 321 00:20:03,600 --> 00:20:06,040 Speaker 2: For the last three or four months, it was just 322 00:20:06,040 --> 00:20:10,000 Speaker 2: a different feeling altogether. There were trading cars to the 323 00:20:10,040 --> 00:20:13,439 Speaker 2: main dealers at the time, and every time I rang something, 324 00:20:13,600 --> 00:20:16,000 Speaker 2: it were almost like it turned to gold. We were 325 00:20:16,000 --> 00:20:19,160 Speaker 2: making more money than we'd ever made, even just trading cars, 326 00:20:19,680 --> 00:20:22,399 Speaker 2: and before that we hadn't done half as much as 327 00:20:22,560 --> 00:20:25,439 Speaker 2: what we met in that house. So it's almost like 328 00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:28,240 Speaker 2: it was a good thing from a bad thing, which 329 00:20:28,240 --> 00:20:29,080 Speaker 2: I can't explain. 330 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:40,359 Speaker 1: Although Theresa no longer felt the unwanted presence in her house, 331 00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:44,000 Speaker 1: she often found herself wondering what on earth it was. 332 00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:47,760 Speaker 1: Perhaps she thought it had something to do with the 333 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:51,439 Speaker 1: mysterious box they found in the attic shortly after they 334 00:20:51,560 --> 00:20:52,040 Speaker 1: moved in. 335 00:20:53,119 --> 00:20:56,040 Speaker 2: There was an upstairs bedroom. There were ladders what you 336 00:20:56,119 --> 00:20:58,879 Speaker 2: had to pull down to get up there. There this 337 00:20:59,400 --> 00:21:03,560 Speaker 2: box there. It was probably three foot by two for something, 338 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:06,520 Speaker 2: but the weight of it you couldn't possibly lift it. 339 00:21:07,119 --> 00:21:08,880 Speaker 2: I don't even know how they got it up there, 340 00:21:08,920 --> 00:21:11,240 Speaker 2: because you couldn't physically put it up there. 341 00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:14,760 Speaker 1: Though they couldn't get into it, they could tell it 342 00:21:14,800 --> 00:21:16,160 Speaker 1: had something inside it. 343 00:21:16,760 --> 00:21:19,040 Speaker 2: They could hear something rattling around in it, but we 344 00:21:19,160 --> 00:21:20,280 Speaker 2: never found the key for it. 345 00:21:21,280 --> 00:21:26,359 Speaker 1: Whatever it was, the family never found out in any case. 346 00:21:26,520 --> 00:21:29,600 Speaker 1: As the weeks went by, they soon forgot all about 347 00:21:29,680 --> 00:21:33,760 Speaker 1: those peculiar and terrifying first few months as their lives 348 00:21:33,840 --> 00:21:42,480 Speaker 1: moved on. But the terror wasn't over. When the sixth 349 00:21:42,520 --> 00:21:45,640 Speaker 1: month Lise was up, the time came to leave the property. 350 00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:51,320 Speaker 1: After packing everything up inside, Teresa and Sean headed into 351 00:21:51,359 --> 00:21:54,240 Speaker 1: the garden to gather all the toys that their kids 352 00:21:54,240 --> 00:21:59,080 Speaker 1: had left scattered about. Then Sean turned and looked up 353 00:21:59,160 --> 00:21:59,760 Speaker 1: at the attic. 354 00:21:59,760 --> 00:22:03,560 Speaker 2: Win though he just turned round to look at the windows, 355 00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:07,120 Speaker 2: and Sean said he felt like somebody were looking at 356 00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:10,600 Speaker 2: him through that window. He just dropped the toys. 357 00:22:11,560 --> 00:22:14,680 Speaker 1: Sean hustled Theresa and the kids into the car and 358 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:18,359 Speaker 1: drove off at speed, leaving the toys strewn on the lawn. 359 00:22:19,440 --> 00:22:22,080 Speaker 2: He didn't see anybody, he knew there was somebody looking 360 00:22:22,119 --> 00:22:26,040 Speaker 2: at him, or something looking at him, which really scared him. 361 00:22:26,800 --> 00:22:30,520 Speaker 1: It wasn't until years later that the family realized that 362 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:34,159 Speaker 1: the attic was the one room where they hadn't recited 363 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:35,360 Speaker 1: Psalm twenty. 364 00:22:35,080 --> 00:22:39,320 Speaker 2: Three, we had prayed in that room. Bob said, make 365 00:22:39,359 --> 00:22:43,479 Speaker 2: sure you praying everywhere the garage outside, and we hadn't 366 00:22:43,520 --> 00:22:46,520 Speaker 2: physically gone up there with the kids. It was almost 367 00:22:46,600 --> 00:22:47,440 Speaker 2: like we trapped it. 368 00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:50,200 Speaker 1: Upstairs, but that wasn't all. 369 00:22:51,000 --> 00:22:54,080 Speaker 2: Years and years later we're talking about it and my 370 00:22:54,200 --> 00:22:56,960 Speaker 2: son said, well, you never liked that lady who we 371 00:22:57,080 --> 00:22:59,320 Speaker 2: used to stand next to a car. She used to 372 00:22:59,320 --> 00:23:01,919 Speaker 2: be stood next to carry along black hair, carrying wood. 373 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:05,240 Speaker 2: My kids said, mum, musa ignoris used to be stood 374 00:23:05,280 --> 00:23:09,840 Speaker 2: next to the car. Obvious they hadn't seen anybody. They 375 00:23:09,840 --> 00:23:12,359 Speaker 2: could actually see something, which they never even said to 376 00:23:12,400 --> 00:23:15,440 Speaker 2: me until years later. Maybe because me and Sean never 377 00:23:15,480 --> 00:23:18,120 Speaker 2: said anything to them to scare them that they never 378 00:23:18,359 --> 00:23:20,160 Speaker 2: mentioned it to us. 379 00:23:22,520 --> 00:23:26,280 Speaker 1: Having had enough of old properties, the couple moved into 380 00:23:26,280 --> 00:23:31,439 Speaker 1: a newly built housing estate on the north side of Bournemouth. Thankfully, 381 00:23:31,640 --> 00:23:35,240 Speaker 1: whatever they felt had stalked them in christ Church didn't 382 00:23:35,280 --> 00:23:37,200 Speaker 1: follow them into their new property. 383 00:23:38,600 --> 00:23:42,080 Speaker 2: Before that, I would have said absolutely that I didn't 384 00:23:42,119 --> 00:23:47,440 Speaker 2: believe in the paranormal or girl's share. Since that experience, 385 00:23:47,800 --> 00:23:51,679 Speaker 2: there's definitely some form of activity. And also when we 386 00:23:51,720 --> 00:23:55,359 Speaker 2: did pray about it, it did go away or nearly 387 00:23:55,400 --> 00:23:57,320 Speaker 2: went away. 388 00:23:57,359 --> 00:24:01,080 Speaker 1: Recently, Theresa has watched a number of pro guns featuring 389 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:05,880 Speaker 1: people who claim to have experienced poltergeist hauntings the way 390 00:24:05,960 --> 00:24:09,080 Speaker 1: events Onfold are only too familiar to her. 391 00:24:09,760 --> 00:24:12,840 Speaker 2: I've seen programs on telling where mediums go in there 392 00:24:12,880 --> 00:24:16,080 Speaker 2: and they do pray to lift the spirit away from 393 00:24:16,119 --> 00:24:19,400 Speaker 2: the house, and the owners do feel like this way 394 00:24:19,400 --> 00:24:22,240 Speaker 2: it's being lifted off the And I know exactly how 395 00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:25,920 Speaker 2: that feels, because I've experienced it. I understand, and if 396 00:24:25,920 --> 00:24:29,280 Speaker 2: people haven't experienced it, they can't relate to it until 397 00:24:29,320 --> 00:24:30,440 Speaker 2: you have to go through it. 398 00:24:31,840 --> 00:24:36,280 Speaker 1: Almost thirty years later, Theresa has never stopped wondering if 399 00:24:36,320 --> 00:24:37,720 Speaker 1: there was a reason for it all. 400 00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:41,240 Speaker 2: I didn't know how previously lived there. I didn't know 401 00:24:41,280 --> 00:24:44,920 Speaker 2: any past history. Even now I've looked on the internet. 402 00:24:45,520 --> 00:24:50,119 Speaker 2: Maybe somebody will know. Somebody will know. Maybe it was 403 00:24:50,320 --> 00:24:54,240 Speaker 2: quite a not so pleasant ending for somebody. Maybe that's 404 00:24:54,280 --> 00:24:57,679 Speaker 2: what drew them. They say that manor houses and like 405 00:24:57,760 --> 00:25:02,440 Speaker 2: coach houses can be counted, and this was the manor house. 406 00:25:09,240 --> 00:25:12,159 Speaker 1: You may remember. Back near the start of the episode, 407 00:25:12,400 --> 00:25:16,560 Speaker 1: I mentioned that Diane, who recorded this interview, decided only 408 00:25:16,640 --> 00:25:21,119 Speaker 1: to record Theresa's version of events. The reason is because 409 00:25:21,320 --> 00:25:24,880 Speaker 1: when Diane first spoke to Theresa and Sean about the story, 410 00:25:25,160 --> 00:25:28,959 Speaker 1: it was clear that Sean found it uncomfortable. It seemed 411 00:25:28,960 --> 00:25:32,760 Speaker 1: to Diane like he was reliving the whole traumatic experience 412 00:25:32,840 --> 00:25:37,359 Speaker 1: all over again. The couple had avoided speaking about it 413 00:25:37,440 --> 00:25:41,240 Speaker 1: for thirty years, worried that by doing so they might 414 00:25:41,359 --> 00:25:46,200 Speaker 1: somehow invite the darkness back into their lives, So Diane 415 00:25:46,200 --> 00:25:49,480 Speaker 1: decided it was probably best not to push Sean to 416 00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:55,159 Speaker 1: formally record his account. Just then, Sean said he felt 417 00:25:55,200 --> 00:25:58,520 Speaker 1: something in his back, as though someone had just prodded 418 00:25:58,600 --> 00:26:03,080 Speaker 1: him with a finger. They carried on talking, then Sean 419 00:26:03,359 --> 00:26:06,560 Speaker 1: felt the prod again, and that was enough to make 420 00:26:06,640 --> 00:26:11,160 Speaker 1: him stop. After all, it was exactly how things had 421 00:26:11,200 --> 00:26:16,880 Speaker 1: started all those years ago. If there's anyone out there 422 00:26:16,960 --> 00:26:20,560 Speaker 1: who's heard anything about possible strange goings on in an 423 00:26:20,560 --> 00:26:24,000 Speaker 1: old manor house in christ Church with a long driveway 424 00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:27,480 Speaker 1: alongside it, feel free to get in touch with us 425 00:26:27,640 --> 00:26:31,520 Speaker 1: at Unexplained pod at gmail dot com. We'd love to 426 00:26:31,560 --> 00:26:36,359 Speaker 1: hear more. In the meantime, whatever it was that occurred 427 00:26:36,400 --> 00:26:40,159 Speaker 1: into Resa and Sean's home back in nineteen ninety seven 428 00:26:40,840 --> 00:26:49,560 Speaker 1: remains to this day unexplained. Thank you so much to 429 00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:52,960 Speaker 1: Teresa and Sean for sharing their story with us, and 430 00:26:53,040 --> 00:26:56,600 Speaker 1: thank you to Diane for finding and recording it. The 431 00:26:56,600 --> 00:26:58,879 Speaker 1: rest of the episode was written and produced by me 432 00:26:59,280 --> 00:27:04,120 Speaker 1: Richard mcleaye Smith. Diane is an audio producer and sound 433 00:27:04,160 --> 00:27:06,880 Speaker 1: records in her own right. You can find out more 434 00:27:06,880 --> 00:27:11,000 Speaker 1: about her work at Dianhope dot com and on Instagram 435 00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:15,760 Speaker 1: at in the Soundfield. Thank you as ever for listening. 436 00:27:16,200 --> 00:27:19,960 Speaker 1: Unexplained is an AV Club Productions podcast created by Richard 437 00:27:20,040 --> 00:27:24,040 Speaker 1: McLain Smith. All other elements of the podcast, including the music, 438 00:27:24,440 --> 00:27:28,720 Speaker 1: are also produced by me Richard McClain smith. Unexplained. The 439 00:27:28,720 --> 00:27:32,840 Speaker 1: book and audiobook is now available to buy worldwide. You 440 00:27:32,880 --> 00:27:37,560 Speaker 1: can purchase from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Waterstones and other bookstores. 441 00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:40,840 Speaker 1: Please subscribe to and rate the show wherever you get 442 00:27:40,840 --> 00:27:43,639 Speaker 1: your podcasts, and feel free to get in touch with 443 00:27:43,680 --> 00:27:46,760 Speaker 1: any thoughts or ideas regarding the stories you've heard on 444 00:27:46,800 --> 00:27:49,919 Speaker 1: the show. Perhaps you have an explanation or a story 445 00:27:49,960 --> 00:27:52,400 Speaker 1: of your own you'd like to share. You can find 446 00:27:52,400 --> 00:27:56,080 Speaker 1: out more at Unexplained podcast dot com and reaches online 447 00:27:56,119 --> 00:28:00,000 Speaker 1: through x and Blue Sky at Unexplained Pod and Facebook 448 00:28:00,400 --> 00:30:17,120 Speaker 1: at Facebook dot com, Forward Slash Unexplained Podcast O M.