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Newhaven Fort

Spiritwatch at Newhaven Fort

by Neil Pringle
It was a charity event for those who like their fund raising on the spooky side. I joined two dozen listeners looking for spirits. The black coffee flowed but would there be any strange bumps in the dead of night?

Supernatural Suspects

Martha Stevens was married to the fort blacksmith - In 1872 she committed suicide by cutting her own throat. It seems she had an alcohol problem.

Gunner O'Brien fell from the bridge into the moat and broke his leg in February 1873

Bombadier Doveton was severely injured by an exploding gun in August 1874

Gunner Mills was drowned at the base of the cliff in 1877

Now right at the start let me say that I am a skeptic. I don't believe in ghosts but I went along non the less hoping to see one! After all - if you're going to give up your cosy Saturday night in for an all night vigil - you want the effort to be rewarded.

Spiritwatch - listen to what happened >
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Producer Lanie Whiting and I turned up at Newhaven Fort at nine in the evening. There were 24 eager spirit hunters ready to be briefed by a friendly looking chap called Rick - a surveyor by day but ghost-hunter by night.

Spiritwatch photos >

The fort has a maze of tunnels and rooms which descend into the cliff and it's supposed to be haunted - but would we spot anything? Listen to some of the weird things that happened overnight.

0230am and still awake!

I'm sad to say that neither Lanie or I saw anything unexplained (though some members of the group seemed to bump into spirits every ten minutes). However exploring the fort in the dead of night was brilliant. And many mini-Mars bars were consumed to keep energy levels up. Most important loads of money raised for the Smile appeal.

last updated: 03/05/07

Have Your Say

Do you believe in spirits? Ever seen one? Tell us about your experiences or comments about Newhaven Fort.

matthew beavan
i do believe in spirits i have felt the presence of them myself.i believe they are lost souls searching a place where maybe they have left something,,or someone close or something they are wishing they could change has happened. i believe also we have spiritual guides everyone has their own spriritual guide who is with them always..and when we are in times of need if we ask the angels.spirits to help we see the changes occuring.i als believe in god the highest spirit of all our father.maybe one day when we go home we will find out the true meaning of spirits when we become on after our time on earth.thanks 4 reading this

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