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Investigation Date: 20th November 2005

Investigators present: Drew Bartley, Darren Ritson, Fiona Vipond, Lee Stephenson and Suze McKay

Guests: Dale and Cath Bartley

The Golden Lion Pub is one of Seaham's oldest building / public house. Not much is known regarding the actual history of the pub itself but what is known is that the hangman and executioner from Durham Gaol used to stay here while up on his business. It is also believed to have been a school of some sort, or Sunday school where children learnt and spent a great deal of time. Spirit children have actually been seen running around here by the owner (Gary Hepple) over the years and when research was carried out on the building itself, sure enough it was a School. Gary told us.

A friend of Gary (Brian Loughlan) is a psychic medium has visited the building on a number of occasions and has frequently picked up on the presences of two spirit children that run around and play in the upper corridors of the Golden Lion. He said they are brother and sister and one is older and also a little taller than the other. He also claims that one spirit child has a neck injury due to falling down a flight of stairs and this could be the result of one of their untimely deaths. Along with the children he claims there is a presence of a male adult too. This is believed to be a teacher type of person who had authority over the children at the school when alive.

Interestingly enough, when we arrived at the premises at 8.00pm our new team psychic (Suzanne McKay) clarified what Brian had picked up by sensing the two children and the male adult presence in exactly the same area in which Brian picks them up. Now Suzanne never knew this prior to her visit as these testimony are of the owner and his colleague and it was Brian who asked her to see if she could detect where in the building they were. (Like a test to satisfy his curiosity) She was spot on and this does indicate a certain credence to Brian’s testimony and adds to the credence of the building housing ghosts.

We then carried out a thorough Inspection of the building checking for draughts, creaky floorboards and taking room temperatures. A general baseline test. No EMF anomalies were detected although one or two readings were noted due to loose wiring and lighting etc. Apart from that everything seemed normal. (Although rather cold due to the November evening). Before splitting into our groups we set up some locked off spiritual interaction experiments (Trigger objects) in the hope we would have them moved by any of the spirits of the Golden Lion. We used a crucifix in the doorway and room where the children and male adult figure we sensed. We left some motion sensors in that same area too, and a flour tray with a cross in near the cellar in the bar.

Before the investigation began a few things were indeed seen, heard and picked up. Here is a low-down of those events.

It was now 11.00pm and it was time to start the actual Investigation. We split into three teams of three as we had one or two guests with the team and from the pub. Our team went up into the upstairs of the building first. There was myself (Darren), Suzanne and guest Damien. At 11.10pm Damien said he feels there is something in the room with us although he quite clearly stated that he doesn’t want this to be the case. Suzanne then hears footfalls swiftly followed by a sigh or breath. Suzanne picks up the name William, and also gets Bennett and Hardy. A dull but definite ringing sound is heard by Suzanne and Damien but I hear nothing. On venturing into the living room Suzanne gets the taste of having an abscess in her mouth, described as a vile taste. In here she gets the name Simon. 11.30pm end of first short vigil. (due to lack of activity / notes, I am unable to clarify what happed in the other two locations at this present time).

We reconvened at 11.30pm and headed off to the upper floors to conduct a séance. We ended up doing three in all with séance three in the living room providing the best results for us all. Although a long creak of a floorboard was heard and a sudden knocking noise was recorded in the first séance, it proved insignificant compared to séance three. To summarise, a crystal clear and long guttural breath was heard by both myself and Drew, and the sound of a short but distinct “Sniff” picked up and heard by Drew. Orbs or light anomalies were caught on night vision video camera, and when Suzanne sensed and saw a tall shift of energy behind Fiona and lee the EMF meter showed a reading of 5 - 6 milligaus. (Which in alleged paranormal terms is quite significant). The sound of a child laughing was heard along with the sound of a woman crying (as mentioned earlier on). A guest (Nicola) had to leave the séance due to feeling extremely nauseous and to top it off, my Dictaphone refused to tape the proceedings with any clarity. It wouldn’t work at all in that room but resumed normality when we got downstairs. However the recording was very poor indeed. This does not usually happen. This séance lasted about 30 minutes and the results were very good indeed.

At this point in the evening all the guests gad gone home leaving just the GHOST Investigation team to continue with the evenings work. We split into two teams again and we stayed in the main bar while the others investigated the Snug area of the premises. The snug vigil was quiet to say the least but our vigil proved interesting. While we were down in the cellar area / dance floor, I felt a sharp tug on my shirt sleeve and again we all heard the sound of a breath. It was not any of the investigators present. The best was yet to come though! While I was down there alone I was standing in the corner when I went absolutely ice cold to the bone. I proceeded to take a photograph and caught the most amazing mist I have ever seen. (Please note I held the camera out at arms length and refrained from breathing until I had taken the photo, however further breath tests proved it could not be, and is not breath).

After a short break we ventured back to the living room where we tried one last séance. One or two more breaths were clearly heard along with distant banging emanating from within the building, exactly where we don’t know. Not as good as the earlier séance held in here but nevertheless, very interesting indeed.

This experiment showed no results whatsoever.

A fantastic investigation at a wonderful and old pub. The auditoria phenomena heard and witnessed by all was absolutely astounding. Breaths and sighs were heard in abundance, along with the distinct sound of a woman crying heard in the location where women’s torment and anguish was sensed by Lee. Suzanne picked up the spirit children and the male adult exactly where she should have and along with the fact that freemasons once occupied the building. Something else she could never have known. To top it off we now have an amazing photograph of a ghostly mist in the cellar.

 All in all a successful investigation and our thanks go to Gary Hepple and his wife for allowing us into this wonderful haunted Inn.