By Joan Furman
The white horse public house in Bridge is a beautiful old building, with real oak beams and plenty of atmosphere, originally an old Coaching Inn it has been welcoming travellers for over 500 years.
The Isle of the Dead team consisting of Woody, Joan, Denise, Michelle, Katy, Brian, Elaine, Jeri and Angela were certainly given a warm welcome by the current owner Carol Blake, when they arrived to carry out an investigation there on the 2nd February 2008
Some months prior to the investigation, Wendy, Joan, Michelle and Denise had visited the pub to meet Carol and to set a date for the investigation.
Wendy had brought her camera and decided to take some photos; and later discovered what appears to be a face in the corner of a mirror.
It is not a reflection of Wendy herself and there was nobody else in that area of the pub at the time it was taken, we have tried to duplicate this picture several times, but without success. There is nothing in this or the surrounding area to account for this image
Above photo take by Wendy, which shows what appears to be a face in the bottom right hand corner of the mirror.
During the week leading up to the investigation, Michelle had been made aware of a man, possibly in his late sixties wearing a scruffy coat tied up at the waist bearded and wearing boots who she felt came from the late 1830’s period, and had been a local resident connected in some way to sheep.
Night of the Investigation
We met up between 10.30pm and 11.00pm, and after the customers had left had a brief walk around taking photos and getting a feel for the place.
Denise picked up on a dog, which she felt was called Sandy, and a woman called Miriam from around the 1950’s era. She felt that the surname Winters might also be associated with this lady.
Angela who went outside for a while said that she felt that there had been a workhouse close by.
At 11.30pm Carol kindly laid out a buffet in the bar area and some vey welcome pots of tea and coffee which everyone thoroughly enjoyed.
Our investigation began at 12.30am, in the front bar area, where Michelle picked up on two energies by a table to the left of the bar.
Elaine, Joan and Woody got quite a bit of response when they placed their emf meters on and around this table, Elaine’s which was a standard Gauss meter reached 3+ Joan’s K-11 pulsed between green and orange and Woody’s cell sensor seemed to get an constant reaction, it would pause for a brief moment then go off again.
Brian, Denise, Michelle, Angela and Carol joined in circle in front of the bar, almost immediately Angela picked up on a dog, of a breed she had never seen before, but Carol from the description was able to confirm that such a dog had been seen several times and that it was in fact a lurcher.
Michelle was picking up on a Maypole and the names Rita and John who she felt were from the 1950’s era and had a connection with Bettshanger.
She also felt a residual energy of an elderly man with a large basket of fish.
For some reason she also picked up on
Denise felt a male energy, that had heart problems and also some kind of problem with the stomach, at this point she began to get pain in her stomach.
Katie also felt a pain in her left arm.
Carol confirmed that a previous landlord had indeed passed on with heart and stomach problems.
Denise asked if the pub had ever been flooded, again, Carol was able to confirm that in the past this had often happened to the pub and the village, Katie later found a picture showing one such flood, she also picked up the name Mac.
Brian felt the presence of a lady called Mary and Angela was aware of two Jack Russell dogs.
At 1.00am, we moved back into the area to the left of the bar, where we decided to use a glass for a yes/no question/answer session. It was decide that if the glass moved towards Angela that it would be a yes.
Woody asked if the spirit of the old landlord that watches over Carol was present, the glass immediately moved to Angela
Angela asked if the Jack Russell’s belonged to him
Again the answer was yes.
When asked to show us where in the room he was, the glass moved towards Joan.
He was quite happy to answer our questions and said he did not mind us being in his home.
It appeared that he had suffered quite a bit of pain before he passed over, and he confirmed that this is what had affected Denise earlier.
When asked if there were any other spirits with him, he said that there were and confirmed that Mary was one of them.
At this point, Mary appeared to take over, we asked if it was her that was affecting the emf meters and she replied yes.
When asked if she could make the light go to orange she replied no, but a few minutes later the emf meter did actually go to orange all be it very briefly.
Brian picked up on a Ted, who was possibly the owner of the lurcher dog that has been seen in the bar, the emf meter went to orange as if to confirm this.
We learnt that Ted was a poacher who sold his game to the pub, when asked what era was he from there was no response, although Michelle felt that Ted was in fact the man she had picked up on earlier in the week, as the description of him, had a close resemblance to the sketch she had made of Ted.
Denise who was sitting behind Joan began to feel really cold, when asked if you are behind Joan, the emf meter went to orange in response.
Denise legs were by this time icy cold, Joan’s meter stayed on orange and Woody’s began pulsing.
Then all three emf meters stopped at same time.
Brian who had placed a compass on the table asked the spirit to make the needle move, the needle moved in response.
At 1.30am we had another break, Woody checked out the wiring around that area, but although he did find a socket on the wall beneath one of the table that could have affected the meters he found nothing behind where Joan had been sitting to account for the reactions.
Elaine discovered that her meter was giving a reading around 6-10 in the area around the fireplace, Carol said that the old landlord died in the room directly above, and that he did walk in that area quite a lot.
Denise’s meter gave a reading of 10.
One of the few orbs captured that evening was in the area of the fireplace.
Small orb to right of cooking pot.
2.10am and we moved to the area at the side of the bar near the restaurant, the energies here were very relaxed, Michelle felt residual energy in the doorway, we learnt that a wake was held there quite recently.
Michelle was given the name Molly, and felt a cold rush of energy, there was memory of a maid carrying a coal shuttle, and she felt her face being stroked.
Denise felt as though we were sitting on cobbles and asked if there would have been an archway that led to the rear of the pub, Carol confirmed that the stables were at the back of the building and that the horses would have had to enter them this way.
The restaurant part of the building was an annex that had been added on.
Michelle had previously picked up on horses in this area.
A tapping noise was heard by Katy.
Angela began to pick up on a female called Mattie, Denise suggested that she might have been in her teens, Angela confirmed that this was the age the Mattie was showing herself as, but felt she might have been older when she passed over.
Again Angela picked up on a workhouse and felt that Mattie or Matilda had been connected with the workhouse, and had been a maid in the late 1800’s
All of us, (especially Angela,) were very surprised when Carol told us that there had indeed been a workhouse in the village, in fact it had only been a short distance from the pub. The building itself built in 1835 still exists, but was converted to residential use in 1982
We later discovered the in the 1881 census there was indeed a Matilda Reid listed at Bridge Union Workhouse, her age is given as 55, and she is listed as a causal pauper. This would indicate that she was not a Permanente resident, but only went there when circumstances left her no choice, so it is quite possible that she worked in various places around the village, one of which could have been the White Horse.
Although there is no evidence to prove that this lady and the Mattie picked up by Angela are one in the same, it is a possibility. As she might well have been showing herself at the age she was when she was associated with the pub.
Michelle was aware of a group of men sitting happily chatting together in the mid area of the restaurant, she also heard conversation of men directly behind Joan.
One photo taken in this area by Joan shows what appears to be a small rainbow coloured orb, another picture taken at the same time does not show this anomaly which can rule out it being reflection or something on the floor itself
Uncropped photo taken by Joan which shows what appears to be a rainbow coloured orb
Cropped slightly enlarged copy of same photo
Photo of same area, but it doesn’t show the anomaly
Woody called out and Michelle picked up on the name Jack.
Denise asked Carol if she had a problem with wasps nesting in this area and Carol confirmed that some wasps had been found.
Denise picked up on a Wing Commander Bryant from Stoke Newington, this proved very significant as Carol was able to tell us that the RAF had taken over the White horse during the Second World War and that RAF officers had been stationed there.
At this point, Elaine heard a knocking on the window.
Brian felt a cold breeze as if someone was blowing in his face.
At 2.40am, we moved to the area adjacent to the bar to try some table tilting, Denise asked the previous landlord if he could move the table for us
At this point we all heard banging from upstairs, Carol said that everyone should be in bed asleep by now and that there shouldn’t be anyone walking around up there. But as we did not go up and investigate we cannot discount that it could have been someone walking around.
At this point there was a slight vibration on the table.
Elaine thought she saw a tatty face with very dark stubble.
Joan who was sitting next to Carol saw a flash of light pass over her shoulder between them, Carol also saw this.
Again there was a knocking sound which everyone heard.
By now it was 2.55pm, Brian and Denise thought that perhaps the spirits were unable to move the table because their energy was so gentle, so it was agreed to try and use the glass again for yes/no answers.
It was decided if the glass went towards Joan it would be a Yes
Denise asked if Mary was with us, the reply was yes.
She told us she had been a landlady at one time, and that she had suffered from a throat affliction, when asked to give the date she passed over, she seemed unable to give exact date, but we believe it would have been sometime around 1875,
She said that she was a widow, she’d had no children, and that she had passed sometime around her mid twenties, she had not died in the pub, and she was not buried in the local churchyard.
When asked if it was her that walks along the landing upstairs, she said yes
Carol confirmed that there is activity on the upstairs landing.
Although we questioned Mary about her husband it was clear she did not want to discuss him, it transpired that he had left her.
She was either unable or unwilling to tell us how many spirits there were in the pub, but she did confirm there were several, and that they were aware of each other.
Denise at this point, heard a noise by the sofa opposite the bar, and also picked up on a young teenage girl again
Carol explained that directly across the road there had been a farm where a young teenage girl had died, we do not know if this is the young lady that Denise had picked up on earlier.
Brian did not feel that the spirits in the pub are trapped there rather that they come in visitation.
Michelle picked up on a vicar, and two terriers.
Michelle had also been having quite a chat with the spirit of the old landlord who was anxious for her to pass on several pieces of advice to Carol, (which have not been included in this report as they are of a more personal nature.) but Carol was able to confirm the things as being relevant to her.
At this point we decided that it was unlikely we would get anything more from spirit and out of respect for Carol who unlike us wasn’t likely to get a nice lie in the next morning, decided to bring the investigation to an end.
We would like to thank Carol for welcoming us into her home especially as it was her birthday and for making the evening so enjoyable.