30 East Drive, Pontefract
In August of 1966 Joe and Jean Pritchard would move into an unsuspecting house with their two teenage children (Philip and Diane), that house was located at 30 East Drive, Pontefract and would become one of the most infamous haunted homes in the United Kingdom. It wouldn’t take long before strange experiences were had by this family, within the typical semi-detached home, thrusting the property into the media spotlight and causing many stories to swirl about its ghostly inhabitants, even to the point that a horror movie was made about the house.
While some claim 30 East Drive to be a truly active paranormal hotspot, others aren’t so sure about the claims. So, what, or who could be haunting this home?
The Haunting of 30 East Drive
It wouldn’t take long before strange events were noted by the Pritchard family after moving in, they witnessed layers of fine dust hover beneath the home’s ceiling, water puddles that could never be cleaned, green foam appearing from taps, lights turning on or off on their own accord, plants leaping out of their pots. Additionally, cupboards and doors would slam on their own, photos were mysteriously slashed and objects levitated and thrown. In order to humanize the spirit, the family nicknamed the entity Fred, though once the press got a hold of this sensational story, a new name was given to the poltergeist “Mr Nobody.”
The activity within the household would only intensify with time, growing ever more violent and aggressive, the family saw a grandfather clock thrown down the staircase, bees would come out of the cupboards, bangs were common, people would be locked in rooms and most disturbing of all, a dark cloaked entity would be sighted throughout the house. This led many to believe a disgruntled monk was lingering, and yet another name for this entity grew into existence, the Black Monk of Pontefract.
Exorcisms of 30 East Drive were even performed. Yet, these were unsuccessful and only seemed to infuriate the spirit, leaving those involved pushed downstairs, have their faces slapped, witness holy water seep from the walls and witnessing a pair of ghostly hands appearing to mock them.
The family, attempted to stay strong in the face of such chaos, but fled the house when the life of their daughter was threatened in the most extreme event. Diane was dragged along the ground and then up the stair case by this seemingly evil entity, kicking and screaming along the way. Witnesses would also claim to see visible finger marks appear around her throat.
Today, the house remains open to paranormal investigators. People to visit commonly report foul smells, loud noises, voices and light anomalies. They’ve seen objects, especially marbles, be thrown across rooms, sighted shadow figures and some have claimed to endure physical attacks. Despite all these reports, many remain skeptical of this haunting and believe the stories to be sensational works of fiction. Even claiming that monks never inhabited this area, while others believe that a monk was executed in the area for hurting a young girl and buried beneath the house in a well. Though these claims have never been substantiated.
After personally visiting 30 East Drive, it seems the house could indeed be paranormally active. Though, it is difficult to say whether this is a result of the stories circulated by the house or whether the activity has been brought in by the energy and intention of paranormal investigators and overnight thrill seekers.
Visiting the Haunted 30 East Drive
30 East Drive is a prominent haunted location within the paranormal community. Whether it really does house a violent poltergeist is up for debate, but investigators are able to visit and judge this for themselves. Paranormal events are frequently run at the venue, which can also be booked privately for overnight stays. I highly recommend a visit to this historic paranormal location.
You might also like to learn about the haunting of Craig Y Nos Castle, another notoriously haunted house in the United Kingdom.
Thanks for reading!
xoxo
