Today, I’ve invited Helen Hollick to talk about ghosts. “Ghosts?” you say, wondering what the historical angle is. Well, there isn’t one – except that generally ghosts are assumed to be the spiritual imprint of people who lived and died long ago. I am not entirely sure I believe in ghosts (sorry, Helen) but I think all of us have entered places where we’ve felt some sort of presence. For me, it has happened once or twice in old churches, this sensation that thousands upon thousands have sat here before me, whispering their hopes and fears to God.
Those who believe in ghosts tend to be leery of them. Helen – and her daughter Kathy – have another take on things!
Things That Go Bump In The Night?
By Helen Hollick
I wrote Ghost Encounters with my dyslexic daughter because we wanted to show that not all ghosts are hostile, because there are animal ghosts as well as people, because we wanted to share this beautiful part of England’s West Country – and some of its history – in a slightly different (maybe quirky!) way!
Ghosts, apart from whether you believe in them or not, are often misunderstood. They haunt old places at night, don’t they? They’re scary spooks who clank around in chains and moan a lot. Or they chuck things across the room? (One ghost mentioned in the book, regularly throws a clock across the kitchen of a Devon pub!) But actually, most ghosts are quite friendly and care about us, which is why they are still here, keeping an eye on our well-being. Ever heard of ‘Guardian Angel’? Think ‘Guardian Ghost’ instead. A ghost is the spirit or soul of something – usually a person – who is factually dead, but seen as a living apparition, either in full form or as a misty, ‘shade’ or shadow. Christ appeared three days after his death as the Holy Spirit. In other words, a ghost. Ghosts are probably just as unaware of us we are of them. Most, are probably not even actually there, but are merely a hologram-like energy presence, a left-over remnant from something intense which happened in the past. There is no scientific proof that ghosts exist. But then, there is no proof that they don’t. There has never been a satisfactory explanation of why, or how, different people have seen the same anomaly at the same place, at different times. Several drivers and their passengers have seen a man running alongside a main road near where I live here in Devon, he suddenly vanishes. These witnesses all described the same occurrence.
The pseudoscience of Ghost Hunting has become a popular ‘sport’ in recent years, encouraged by TV and radio with programmes like Help My House Is Haunted, and Uncanny etc. Why do these programmes always imply a hostile presence? Filmed at night, in hushed whispers? Screams of scared surprise when there’s an unusual noise, and the sort of taglines that imply: ‘If you dare!’
All these shows focus on the frightening – presumably building on an audience liking to be scared out of their wits. Horror, I guess, is popular. I can’t think why. I emailed one UK presenter asking these questions,. And suggesting that maybe it would be good to show ghosts as benign, friendly entities? I didn’t get a reply. Wouldn’t it be just as interesting for viewers or radio listeners (or book readers) to discover non-hostile, friendly ghosts? My daughter Kathy and I think it would, which is why we’ve produced Ghost Encounters: The Lingering Spirits of North Devon. It’s about nice ghosts, not nasty ones.
Ghost hunters, whether amateurs exploring old buildings or TV presenters with a remit to entertain (gullible?) viewers, seem to rely on technology to locate ghosts. These Electronic gadgets do pick up strange noises but mobile phone and radio signals travel a long way and can penetrate most structures, with the receiving gadget blurring or distorting the sound, resulting in apparently eerie or weird communication. Equipment might also be triggered by other apparatus – the filming camera for instance. Please, please, don’t use these things as they cause great harm to wildlife, distorting the ability for bats to fly, for instance. And the only certain thing about anything picked up on this sort of apparatus is that they are NOT locating ghosts!
Old houses, pubs and castles are always assumed to have ghosts present because of their age and history. To be fair, this is where my daughter Kathy has seen most of her ghosts – our house dates back to 1769, the village pub was built during late Tudor. There are the remains of a Norman Motte and Bailey mound adjoining a car park here in North Devon. Three Norman ghost soldiers along with it. Go into any old pub and you can bet your next pint or glass of wine, that it has at least one ghost for the landlord to boast about, and the majority of individual landlords are quite happy to promote their friendly ‘residents’. I suppose because a hostelry also has other types of spirits?
Another two common misconceptions: Ghosts are not nocturnal, and they do not only linger where they died or are buried. In fact one place where you are most unlikely to see a ghost is in a cemetery. Most ghost presences remain because the departed soul is connected to that location in some way through an emotional tie. Maybe something traumatic, but usually because something memorable happened, or because those spirits were happy there. Our housemaid, Milly-Molly stays with us, we think, because she loved this house and sees it as her duty to keep an eye on it. (And us.) I like having her around.
The ghosts within our village pub are nearly all friendly – or have no idea of our modern-day presence. They remain, I think, because a burst of energy has been imprinted in some way, caused by an important event. One group is an English Civil War troop, wounded and anxious to find replacement horses in order to get away to safety. We think these are Cavaliers escaping the disaster of nearby Torrington, where gunpowder blew part of the church up, and Cromwell was subsequently victorious.
So, treat the technology and the TV programmes (and the findings) with a large dose of salt. A genuine Medium or Spiritualist who can connect with ghosts does not require electronics, or need to ask: ‘Is there anyone there?’
A genuine person will simply say, ‘Hello’.
Ghost Encounters: The Lingering Spirits of North Devon
By Helen Hollick (With daughter Kathy Hollick)
Everyone assumes that ghosts are hostile. Actually, most of them are not.
You either believe in ghosts or you don’t. It depends on whether you’ve encountered something supernatural or not. But when you share a home with several companionable spirits, or discover benign ghosts in public places who appear as real as any living person, scepticism is abandoned. In GHOST ENCOUNTERS: The Lingering Spirits Of North Devon, mother and daughter share their personal experiences, dispelling the belief that spirits are to be feared.
Ghost Encounters will fascinate all who enjoy the beautiful region of rural South-West England, as well as interest those who wish to discover more about its history… and a few of its ghosts.
(Includes a bonus of two short stories and photographs connected to North Devon)
Book Links:
Pre-order the e-book on Amazon
https://mybook.to/GhostEncounters
Paperback published February 28th – e-book will also be available on Kindle Unlimited
ABOUT HELEN
Known for her captivating storytelling and rich attention to historical detail, Helen might not see ghosts herself, but her nautical adventure series, and some of her short stories, skilfully blend the past with the supernatural, inviting readers to step into worlds where the boundaries between the living and the dead blur.
Her historical fiction spans a variety of periods and her gift lies in her ability to bring historical figures and settings to life, creating an immersive experience that transports readers into the past. Her stories are as compelling as they are convincing.
Helen started writing as a teenager, but after discovering a passion for history, was published in the UK with her Arthurian Trilogy and two Anglo-Saxon novels about the events that led to the 1066 Battle of Hastings, one of which became a USA Today best-seller. She also writes the Jan Christopher cosy mystery series set during the 1970s, and based around her, sometimes hilarious, years of working as a North London library assistant.
Helen, husband Ron and daughter Kathy moved from London to Devon in January 2013 after a Lottery win on the opening night of the London Olympics, 2012. She spends her time glowering at the overgrown garden and orchard, fending off the geese, helping with the horses and, when she gets a moment, writing the next book…
ABOUT KATHY
When not encountering friendly ghosts, Kathy’s passion is horses and mental well-being. She started riding at the age of three, had a pony at thirteen, and discovered showjumping soon after. Kathy now runs her own Taw River Equine Events, and coaches riders of any age or experience, specialising in positive mindset and overcoming confidence issues via her Centre10 accreditation and Emotional Freedom Technique training to aid calm relaxation and promote gentle healing.
Kathy lives with her farmer partner, Andrew, in their flat adjoining the main farmhouse. She regularly competes at affiliated British Showjumping, and rides side-saddle (‘aside’) when she has the opportunity. She produces her own horses, several from home-bred foals.
She also has a fun diploma in Dragons and Dragon Energy, which was something amusing to study during the Covid lockdown.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
Website: https://helenhollick.net/
Amazon Author Page: https://viewauthor.at/HelenHollick
Bluesky: @helenhollick.bsky.social
Blog: supporting authors & their books https://ofhistoryandkings.blogspot.com/
Monthly newsletter : Thoughts from a Devonshire Farmhouse
https://ofhistoryandkings.blogspot.com/2024/01/thoughts-from-devonshire-farmhouse.html
Kathy’s Official Website:
For additional (and any new ghost encounters!) visit
https://ghostencountersofdevon.blogspot.com/
Cover design: Avalon Graphics https://avalongraphics.org/
Cover image: Chris Collingwood Historical Artist
http://www.collingwoodhistoricart.com/
Thank you Anna – will have to convince you about ghosts when you get a chance to visit our village pub! :-)
Sounds intriguing!