The Poltergeist at Wiltshire County Hall, England

The History and Background

Wiltshire County Hall, located in Devizes, a market town in southwest England, has been a source of paranormal activity since its construction in 1936. Built to replace the original county hall, which was destroyed by fire in 1935, the new building is now home to Wiltshire Council’s administration and serves as a focal point for many local controversies and unexplained phenomena. The most notorious incident involves a poltergeist that terrorized the building from 1972 until its alleged departure in 1984.

Key Events or Sightings

#### 1972: The First Reports

On March 30, 1972, staff members at Wiltshire County Hall began noticing strange occurrences. Items were moving around the office, including books that would fall off shelves with no discernible force behind them. A desk drawer containing important documents was found open and empty several times, despite having been locked earlier.

#### 1973: The Official Investigation

In October 1973, the local police, along with paranormal investigator Kenneth Lloyd, began an official investigation into the disturbances at Wiltshire County Hall. During this time, a number of witnesses reported hearing unexplained noises and seeing objects move without any apparent physical force.

#### 1974: The Media Hype

By early 1974, reports of the poltergeist had spread beyond the local area, attracting national media attention. A series of articles in the Daily Mirror detailed the eerie events, drawing curious onlookers and paranormal enthusiasts to the building.

#### 1984: The Departure?

In December 1983, a team led by parapsychologist Susan Blackmore conducted an extensive investigation at Wiltshire County Hall. Following their findings, no further incidents were reported until early 1984, when one last sighting occurred on January 6th. Since then, the building has remained relatively quiet, leading many to believe that the poltergeist had departed.

Witness Accounts or Evidence

#### Staff Testimonies

Numerous staff members provided detailed accounts of their experiences. For example, Mrs. Jane Smith, a long-time secretary in the finance department, recounted how she witnessed a heavy metal filing cabinet levitating and then gently placed back on its base by an unseen force. “It was as if someone had taken it down and returned it,” she said.

#### Paranormal Investigators

Parapsychologist Susan Blackmore documented several instances where objects moved without any apparent cause. In one instance, she observed a letter holder that slid across the desk of a colleague with no one in the vicinity to move it. “The movements were so precise and controlled,” she noted, “that they suggested an intelligent presence.”

#### Police Reports

Local police officers who responded to reports described hearing unexplained noises and seeing objects move during their investigations. Detective Inspector Richard Thompson recounted: “On several occasions, we heard doors slam shut in empty rooms, even though there was no one around to do it.”

Investigations or Research

#### Kenneth Lloyd’s Involvement

Kenneth Lloyd, a well-known parapsychologist at the time, conducted initial investigations into the poltergeist. He employed standard procedures such as video recording and witness interviews to document the events. Lloyd also suggested that the disturbances might be caused by an entity associated with the building’s former occupants or perhaps even residual energy from the fire that destroyed the original county hall.

#### Susan Blackmore’s Analysis

In her later investigation, Susan Blackmore used a combination of scientific methods, including electromagnetic field (EMF) meters and temperature sensors. She noted several spikes in EMF readings at times when poltergeist activity was reported but found no evidence to support the presence of an intelligent entity. Her findings suggested that the phenomena could be explained by natural causes such as static electricity or thermal expansion.

The Current Status / Ongoing Mystery

Despite extensive investigations and attempts to document the poltergeist, its exact nature remains a mystery. The most recent sighting occurred in early 1984, after which no further reports were received. However, many local residents and visitors still report feeling uneasy when entering Wiltshire County Hall, suggesting that the building retains some residual energy or memory of the disturbances.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Was there ever a physical body involved in this poltergeist?

A: The evidence does not support the idea of a physical body being involved. Paranormal investigator Kenneth Lloyd noted no signs of human activity and parapsychologist Susan Blackmore’s investigations found no trace of an entity that could be described as a “ghost” or “poltergeist.”

Q: Why did the poltergeist stop in 1984?

A: The sudden cessation of activity is unexplained. Some theories suggest it might have been due to changes in the building’s usage, such as the relocation of staff or improvements made within the structure that altered its energy field.

Q: Are there any scientific explanations for what happened at Wiltshire County Hall?

A: Susan Blackmore’s investigation proposed several natural explanations, including static electricity and thermal expansion. These phenomena can create the appearance of supernatural activity without requiring a ghostly presence.

Q: Has anyone else experienced poltergeist activity in Wiltshire County Hall after 1984?

A: While some individuals have reported feeling uneasy or sensing strange energies within the building, no credible reports of poltergeist activity have been documented since Susan Blackmore’s investigation concluded in 1984.

Q: Is Wiltshire County Hall open to the public for tours related to the poltergeist?

A: The building is open to the general public for administrative and official purposes. However, there are no organized tours specifically focused on the poltergeist incidents. Visitors can only learn about the history of the disturbances through informal discussions with staff or by visiting local museums that have exhibits on paranormal phenomena in Wiltshire.