UK: Ghost-hunting duo called to old hotel in Canterbury

From This is Kent: Ghost-hunting duo called to old hotel in Canterbury
A HEADLESS figure, a farrier with unfinished business and a group of mischievous children are just some of the spectres supposedly uncovered at a former city hotel.

Ghost-hunter John Hippisley called in psychic medium Suzanne Artus after residents thought they heard things going bump in the night in Canterbury's former Pointer Hotel.

Within minutes of arriving at the building at 1, London Road, now converted into flats, Suzanne was deep in gory conversation.

She claimed she was talking to the spirit of a farrier from 1490 who knew the location of a decapitated head.

She also solved the mystery of the self-opening dishwasher that had spilled foam into the kitchen the night before.

The spirits told her four ghosts had been trying to get the machine started but obviously failed to read the instructions.

Mr Hippisley was called in when one of the residents believed he had seen a headless man as his cats started clawing at the wall.

Mr Hippisley had thought it might have been the ghost of Sir Thomas More, whose head is allegedly buried in the vault of St Dunstan's church opposite.

But Suzanne dismissed the theory – after talking to her farrier friend.

She did say the hotel was home to a "very elegant" woman and two housekeepers called Sarah and Emmalene.

The former hotel was once used by guests of Canterbury Cathedral and boasts a well in its centre into which, according to Suzanne, French prisoners of war were thrown and left to die.

John, who leads spook-searching tours around the city every Friday night, says he had detected the ghosts of French soldiers above Revivals and at Cafe St Pierre.

According to the hotel's owner, oranges had been found stabbed with a kitchen knife. Suzanne chatted to the spirits and explained: "One of the ghosts worked on the boats, which brought oranges to this country. They could not face the sight of them any more."

Residents had also complained of a coldness in some rooms. Suzanne told them: "Nothing can be done to remedy this – it is the cold nature of the spirit world."

But to everyone's relief she said there were no nasty ghouls present. She said: "They only linger because they had strong links with the building."

John said afterwards: "I thought there was only one spirit here. I had sensed a presence upstairs and downstairs but thought it was the same ghost. It is surprising Suzanne was able to contact so many in one place."

To contact John Hippisley visit www.canterburyghosttour.com or call 0845 519 0267.