Joanna Cowell from Cotgrave, has published a book titled Travels with the Reluctant Ghost Hunter, featuring a collection of her own experiences travelling around Nottingham and the UK visiting various mysterious or haunted locations.
Standing proudly on the High Street “The Saracen’s Head” in Southwell is olde-worlde perfection (and also happens to have an occasional rug sale of which we became the latest recipient). Never let it be said that ghost hunting and retail therapy cannot be combined!
The manager kindly gave up most of her morning to show us around and tell us all about both ghostly encounters and also the most important visitor that ever graced the premises, King Charles I.
For a nominal fee you can actually sleep overnight in the suite where he spent his last night of freedom. Atmospheric indeed!
But the best places for encountering the supernatural appear to be dotted all around the hotel, including the ubiquitous ladies toilets!
Before you groan in despair, I have been surprised over the years to hear how many toilets are said to be haunted. Due possibly to the running water channelling energy perhaps – or just certain individuals pulling my chain? Certainly a subject for another time.
The ghost of a man was seen walking across the hallway, but Charles I appears to be confined to either his suite or the adjoining corridor.
Perhaps he is also now looking for his death warrant, which was stolen off the wall by someone of flesh and blood variety rather than ectoplasm.
But by far the creepiest place was in one of the decaying outbuildings due for renovation. There was certainly a sense of something else being present – watching us watching them.
Time to go!