Harwich Redoubt Fort Investigation

• Category: Visits, Harwich Redoubt Fort
• Date: 28/09/2012

Team: Simon, Russell, Ryan, Ross and Joe.

This was a very strange and scary experience for Essex Ghost Hunters. We arrived at the fort at 8:15pm after meeting the other teams (Essex Ghost Nights & SIPP) we had a brief look around the venue. Matt from Essex Ghost Nights gave a full tour of the redoubt and showed us all the rooms we would later investigate. There were in region of 12-15 room to investigate and whilst completing our tour both Simon and Russell had already picked up on areas of activity, the boat room, the cells and the gunpowder room all showed high activity.

At approximately 9.30pm we began our first three room investigations and strange things had already began in the boat room. In this room is an old whelking boat (photo below). We all lightly touched the boat and shortly after it began to rock and this was felt by the majority of the team. We then decided to take our hands off the boat which continued to rock and some of the team felt they were rocking. In this room we carried out the 2p test, where we drew around two 2p coins on a piece of paper and made sure these were centrally placed, all five members witnessed the placement of the coins. We then left the boat room and ensured no one else had access to this room, and carried on with our investigations in two further rooms where some orb activity was witnessed. After about an hour we returned to the boat room and all the team witnessed that the coins had been moved significantly.

We then progressed onto our second three room investigation. In one of the rooms Russell channelled into a repair man/engineer called Davey who used to work in the redoubt (awaiting confirmation) who gave us dates of when he worked there, 1943. As always we asked Dave if he had any messages for us – he advised not to go to the cell room as it was dangerous. At this point we took a short break which allowed Russell to re-focus and have some refreshments.

In the soldier’s room Joe (on his first ghost hunt) used the dowsing rods and was astounded by his success. Russell and Simon tried to goad the three spirits, who they had picked up, in this room and managed to get a lot of activity and questions answered. Ross also got great success using the rods. There were three men who had hid something from Stg. Wilson and didn’t like him nor being there.

Although we already witnessed a lot of activity, orbs, noises what was about to happen in the cell room was a first for Essex Ghost Hunters and a very scary experience for all of us. In the cell room there were three cells and a holding bay. The team first investigated the first cell and tried to establish contact. There was a presence but they appeared to give funny and confusing answers to any questions asked. In the second cell another spirit was answering, one of the team asked for the spirit to push or touch one of us, Russell was then violently pushed (see video above). In the third and final cell we all entered and Simon lost contact with his spirit guide (Karen) which should have been a warning of what was to come. Joe called out for the spirit to show us an orb on the ceiling, after a couple of minites Joe then asked for the spirit to move the Bible which was in the second cell. Simon felt a presence at the rear of the cell, at this point Russell told us all to be quiet as he had heard shuffling or footsteps in the corridor of the cell room. As not all the team could hear this, we gathered close to each other and listened for the noise, then we all heard it. What happened next we have never experienced before, it felt like two forces had met in the middle of our group and we were all pushed back onto the walls, it felt like our feet were being held. Joe managed to run our but felt as he was being held back. The other four remained in the cell for about ten seconds, still be pushed and unable to move. Simon had hurt his elbow, and some of the groups clothing was marked where they had been pushed ip against the wall.

The noise disturbed other teams for which we can only apologise but we are sure had they experienced the entity in that cell they would have felt the same. We re-grouped and our sceptical members of the team had tried to pass this off as hysteria. On review and after discussion with the group this was an entity and quite a force to be reckoned with. With thanks to the SIPP team who had a camera positioned in the corridor of the cell you can see the event unfolding in the video above.

It took quite a time to re-group but we decided not to go back into the cell room. We did investigate the gunpowder room and obviously our energies were high. Joe again used the dowsing rods and we picked up on two presences. They answered us through the rods, and they advised us that they didn’t want us to be there. We ended our investigations for the evening.

A great night at Harwich Redoubt Fort and well work another visit which we are planning for early next year.