The history Standing not far from Billinge's 18th century village church, the Stork Inn is a large, grand looking building. It was built between 1640 and 1752 (there are varying reports) as a jail that was allegedly used by Cromwellian troops. Beneath the inn is a crypt of an even older building and legend has it that it was here a Cavalier was tortured to death and left to rot. It's believed that this tortured soul still haunts the building, along with a highwayman called John Lyon, who was a regular visitor to the pub and has also been spotted riding through the village in a horse.
Spritualist medium James captured these orbs in the cellar, in the corner where he said he could see a male spirit
2100: The cellar
The part of the cellar in which it's thought the Cavalier was tortured has never before been explored by a paranormal investigation team. It was blocked off from the working part of the cellar by a wall, which had only recently been knocked down. On entering the cellar, you could see the wooden bed believed to have been where the Cavalier was strapped down.
James: "I feel a mixture of anger and sadness here. And I feel really unsteady on my feet. The name George Caldwell or Caulderwell is coming to me and I can see a man cowering in the corner."
James described this man as being thin-faced, with light brown thin hair down to his shoulders. He said the man had a wife and family and was very much into religion.
James: "He is giving me the year 1422. He wants to leave this place and it's his religion that's been keeping him going. In fact I can hear praying. I can smell fresh flowers now... he wants to go to fields somewhere."
When James talked about religion to the man, some investigators reported seeing sparkling lights in the corner of the cellar, and felt the area get extremely warm.
James: "I feel that this man was caught down in this dungeon with a younger man, a man aged about 17. And the Cavalier is worried about this young man."
2150: Upstairs - Room 3
Staff at the Stork Inn say that even when this room is not being used and the door has been closed for days, when they look inside the bed nearest the window looks as if its been slept in.
James: "There is a man in here. He's a big man. This is a weird room. By weird I mean some days it's ok, and then some days it's very heavy and depressing. I can also see a woman. She's wearing a bonnet."
The investigators sit on the two beds facing each other and then put a small round table in the middle. They all place their fingers lightly on the table. This is called table tipping. When James asked if there was anyone there, the table tipped lightly towards him. It then started rocking back and forth as James continued to try and communicate with any spirits present. James believe that a former landlord or owner of the pub was trying to contact him.
2215: Upstairs - Room 2
There are no reported sightings or experiences in this room that the investigators were made aware of.
The group sat on the room's two beds, placing the small table between them with a glass in the middle of it. They all placed one finger on the bottom of the glass before James started calling out for any spirits.
James: "There's a man in here called Samuel Morris. He worked in the fields but wasn't wealthy enough to own a farm."
As James communicated with the spirit, the glass moved in what was believed to be confirmation of what he was saying. The glass then started to move in a figure of eight.
James: "It's a bit different than an eight. I reckon its an old fashioned type of writing that he's trying to get across to us."
As the glass was moving, one of the group said they felt as if something was jumping up and down on the bed behind her. When the light was turned on the headboard of that bed had slightly moved away from the wall.
Have you ever had an unusual experience at the Stork Inn? Can you confirm any of the historical details or names that James discovered? Get in touch with us by emailing webeditor@guardiangrp.co.uk. Remember to include your name and address.
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Standing not far from Billinge's 18th century village church, the Stork Inn is a large, grand looking building. It was built between 1640 and 1752 (there are varying reports) as a jail that was allegedly used by Cromwellian troops. Beneath the inn is a crypt of an even older building and legend has it that it was here a Cavalier was tortured to death and left to rot. It's believed that this tortured soul still haunts the building, along with a highwayman called John Lyon, who was a regular visitor to the pub and has also been spotted riding through the village in a horse.
