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Six psychic mediums, two historians and a television crew
from Australia on the search for the legendary ghost of the
last bear to be killed in England said to haunt Verdley Woods
just south of Fernhurst met at the ruins of Verdley Castle
to make a programme on animal ghosts. Based on the report
of the ghost in a book by Peter Underwood and others, the
Australian company Storyteller Media Group, contacted the
Fernhurst Archives and then came to England to find out about
and if possible film the ghost. The programme is one of ten
one hour programmes in the third series of the crypto-zoological
field already sold to the Americans.
They were there to prove during the night whether there was
a ghostly bear presence in the woods. That most people in
the village had never even heard the rumour did not seem to
put them off their quest.
They researched deeply, and contacted not only the West Sussex
county archaeologist, Mark Taylor, but also talked to local
historian Nigel Headland, the two of whom had very different
ideas about the origins of Verdley Castle. Six psychic mediums
including a psychic artist and a psychometric medium were
brought along under the leadership of Crag Hamilton-Parker
to see what they could find out and feel from the stones that
remains of the ruined castle and the surrounding area. They
had done no research on the area, and were not told of the
reason why the programme makers were there, so they would
not be influenced sub-consciously.
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The historians gave their opinions on the castle from it
being a thirteenth century hunting lodge to being a roman
outpost from the garrison at Chichester overseeing the slaves
making tiles and bricks from the clay of the area and other
activities based on the locally available materials. They
then watched and commented on the mediums' thoughts on close
circuit television while the latter walked over the site to
see what they were able to feel and find out.
Filming from early evening until late into the night they
covered a wide range of sensations, feeling that the ruins
were once a defensive place; had some religious connection;
a place with animals, possibly even breeding horses; a great
hall, and a tall tower at one end; and a hunting lodge.
Together they covered many possible uses of the ruins over
several centuries.
But no-one had any feeling that there had ever been a bear
there, but, said the programme makers, "The legend says
it only appears at Christmas".
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