Ep 117: The Black Monk of Pontefract Part 1

Above image is from the 30 East Drive website, showing a dark shadow outside of Phillip's bedroom, some think might be the Black Monk himself.  Photo by house visitor Andy E.

“You’ve got the Devil in this house!”

– Maude Peerce, Joe Pritchard’s sister after spending one night at 30 East Drive.  From the book, Poltergeist: A Classic Study in Destructive Hauntings by Colin Wilson

Image of a “blacker than black” shadow on the stairs of the house, from the 30 East Drive website. Photo taken by visitor Craig L.

The Black Monk himself as seen from Phillip’s bedroom or some other entity? Photo from the 30 East Drive website, taken by visitor Andy E.

Two images taken in sequence, the bottom shows a shadow some think is responsible for the occasional shove down the stairs. From the 30 East Drive website, photo by Andy E.

Two sequential images, the right showing a shadow anomaly. From the 30 East Drive website, photo by Steven J.

The shadow in Diane’s room. The baby stroller, snow globe and ball if taken elsewhere, end up back in this room. From the 30 East Drive website, photo by Steven J.

Notice the shadow outside of the French Doors leading to the kitchen. It appears to be a figure reading. Bottom right is the chair that it would’ve been sitting in. From the 30 East Drive website, photo by Andy E.

The house sits where the Civil War of Royalists vs. Parliamentarians battle took place near Pontefract castle. Some believe the shadow could be a soldier carrying a Axe Pike. From the 30 East Drive website, photo by Andy E.

“He’s at the bottom of the stairs, watching you.” From the 30 East Drive website, photo by Andy E.

Some think this may be the image of a little girl named “Emma” a victim of the Black Monk. Or could it be the Monk himself? From the 30 East Drive website, photo from Amanda M.

The previous image outlined by an illustrator that may define what looks like a young girl’s dress and visage, except for the hideous face. From the 30 East Drive website, original photo by Amanda M.

 

Location: 

30 East Drive, Pontefract, England.  Where a 1950s style, 3-bedroom "Council House" was home to the Pritchard family, along with a very active poltergeist spirit Jean Pritchard eventually named "Fred" or as he is more notoriously known, "The Black Monk."

Background:

The quote, "Guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days" is attributed to Benjamin Franklin. We assume the esteemed Mr. Franklin was speaking only of human guests, but it could also apply to the subject of tonight's show.  Because the uninvited guest of 30 East Drive in Pontefract, England would prove to be more than an annoying visitor oblivious to hints or uncaring that they'd overstayed their welcome, it would show itself as a threat to the family's safety and sanity. In the mid-1960s and 70s, the Pritchard family who lived at that address experienced a visitor who was not only unwelcome but unseen, a capricious prankster whose sense of humor was offset by its sometimes vicious and violent power.  Human beings have an astounding ability to endure hardships they are powerless against and eventually, this poltergeist presence came to be somewhat accepted, with the mother of the family, Jean, giving it the nickname "Fred."  But what was this force in supernatural terms?  Was Fred merely poltergeist energy in the general definition, a collective of entities, a demon, or the vengeful spirit of a condemned man?  A local legend that a 16th century Cluniac Monk was tried and executed for a horrific crime on those grounds is the source for that last idea.  Some have seen a dark, shadowy figure wearing a black monk's robe around the property and it has reinforced that notion.  If that is the case, perhaps the Pritchards were the unwelcome visitors to the home of "The Black Monk."

Reference Links:

• 30 East Drive – The official site for "The Most Haunted House in Britain"

• 30 East Drive and The Black Monk on the Haunted Rooms website

• "Ghost hunters capture the eerie moment chair is pushed down the stairs by the 'Black Monk'" from The Express

Related Books:

Poltergeist: A Classic Study in Destructive Hauntings

By Colin Wilson

Buy on Amazon

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The Dark Myths Collective  

http://darkmyths.org/

CREDITS:

Episode 117: The Black Monk of Pontefract Part 1.  Produced by Scott Philbrook & Forrest Burgess; Audio Editing by Scott Philbrook; Ryan McCullough Sound Design; Research Assistance by Tess Pfeifle and the astonishing League of Astonishing Researchers, a.k.a. The Astonishing Research Corps, or "A.R.C." for short. Copyright 2018 Astonishing Legends Productions, LLC. All Rights Reserved.