Haunted Brookwood Cemetery

[Faeden]

Here is something I wrote up about a place I adore and respect greatly. I visited it only a few months ago. I also took the photos

In a Surrey Pirbright woodland, right on the Hampshire boarder of the training ground of the British army in England stands a cemetery of family tombs, gravestones and memorials of those from Victorian London and of soldiers tragically killed in wars gone by. The Necropolis was founded in 1852, but the land on which it sits goes back further still. The cemeteries occupants include Margaret, Duchess of Argyll (1912-1993). John Singer Sargent (1856-1925). Edith Thompson (that was executed in Holloway prison in 1923) plus many more.

It is situated directly next to Brookwood railway station, as it was used to house the dead of a ever growing London, as the population around the mid 1850s was growing beyond the control of the authorities, so Brookwood was built to take the strain away from London‘s all ready overflowing cemeteries. As the main line railway link from London runs right along side what is now Brookwood cemetery.

In the daylight and on hazy summer days Brookwood Necropolis is a place of beauty, stillness and tranquillity, with its huge Redwood trees, and never ending pathways, and rows as far as the eye can see of white crosses of the war dead, it stands out as one of the worlds most fascinating, yet owe inspiring places of rest and honour.

Even though many of the dead are victims of past wars, the cemetery is a mixed faith cemetery, of Christian, Muslim, and Zoroastrian beliefs, so stands as a monument of hope to many who wish for a more peaceful world, so the people buried within the graves did not die in vain.

By night the place takes on a whole new characteristic, one of mystery, and creeping foreboding, wonder and fear....

Many strange sounds can be heard coming from in and around the many tombs, and patches of forest, that some would suggest is nothing more than rats and birds, while others would suggest something a lot more sinister and spectral in nature, such as those spirits and ghosts that still have not found eternal rest. Visual sightings have also been reported, such as green and white shapes and mists hovering over graves, and moving across pathways and weaving in and around trees.

The unfortunate crime of graveyard vandalism has also taken place in the cemetery, due to it being so close to Brookwood station, were drunk louts have wondered in, and while in there drunken stupor have kicked over grave stones and littered the place with beer bottles, which is readily cleaned up by the cemeteries caring and loyal up keepers. Could the souls that still dwell there be showing there discontent for these mindless acts of modern society?

Reports of bizarre types of rituals quietly taking place by blacked robed figures, with a ominous hum of strange chanting has also been seen and heard late in the night, on full moons, and at certain times of the year such as Samhain (Halloween)

Could these rituals be just innocent Pagan ceremonies to honour the dead, or maybe a more morbid ritualistic type of supposed demon and Devil worship?

The unsettling cries and sobs of women and babies can also be heard in the twilight hours, that is said to stop anyone in there tracks who hears the creepy moans, that seem to come from nowhere.

Whether Brookwood cemetery and necropolis is haunted or not is down to interpretation, or ones beliefs, but would and could you spend a night alone by your self in such an eerie place?

http://www.tbcs.org.uk/

 

[Bishop]

I'm rather into religious sites at the moment so cheers Faeden, good pics
and write up/history.

Even though many of the dead are victims of past wars, the cemetery is a mixed faith cemetery, of Christian, Muslim, and Zoroastrian beliefs, so stands as a monument of hope to many who wish for a more peaceful world, so the people buried within the graves did not die in vain.

Zoroastrian beliefs? Heard of them but I can't say I know much about them
so I looked them up, Wikipedia link below for anyone interested. Thats nice
that its a mixed faith cemetery, makes it a lot more varied and interesting
I guess?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoroastrian

B

 

[Major_Tom]

Zoroastrian beliefs? Wikipedia link below for anyone interested.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoroastrian

I'm always confused by religions which preport to have "respect and kindness towards all living things" and condemn "the oppression of human beings" and yet on the other hand also stress that they abhor and condemn the sacrifice of animals.. which will presumerably be carried out by other human beings of different beliefs, and so cannot be prevented without oppressing those beliefs and those people.

 

[Crisp Monster]

Tom, it's good to know there are still plenty of us about who can pull a thread to the left field... . The thing that I find odd about zoroastrianism is that Freddy Mercury was a follower. Oddity by association.

Nice write up & pics Faeden, looks like a very atmospheric place. I always find it interesting to see war graves, particularly ones dating back to days of empire. Visiting 20th century war graves, particularly WW1 in France/Belgium, one is struck by the immense waste of life, often to little or no gain. There are a number of Ossuries (spelling?) scattered around the first world war battlefields, massive places full of nothing but bones of unidentified soldiers. Not to mention the number of graves which say " A soldier of the Great War, Known Unto God". At least some of these Victorian soldiers had some attention paid to their passing.

Spooky noises? Not convinced, but like Mulder "I Want to Believe". I love a good ghost story, and have had one or two spooky experiences, but remain somewhat sceptical. I kind of feel it would be disrespectful to hang out in a graveyard to see ghosts, but can see why people would find it interesting. As for people who go in for a piss up and kick gravestones over, I would be quite happy to lie in wait for them with a flamethrower.

Good post though, lets see a bit more of the place.

 

[Faeden]

I don’t want to get into religion, but personally I see good and bad people in every religion on earth, I respect anyone who respects others, and gives the tolerance to others that they seek to receive.

Thank you for all your kind words also

On the ghost hunting thing, I see it this way, as long as you respect the site, and respect those who are buried there, then there is no problem with it (unfortunately some who claim to be paranormal investigators do not stick by these rules) but if one follows them rules, I don’t see it as any different than someone walking about it investigating the history of the place, or those who just like to walk around and visit and browse grave stones, like I am sure many of you here on DP do. Its your intentions that are the key.

Thankfully I have worked with respected investigation groups, that have had decades of experience and who always ask for permission before conducting an investigation. Real paranormal investigators are nothing like you see on silly shows like Most Haunted. It is always good to ask for permission from the Monks who own this cemetery when going in there at night, because of the vandalism that has gone on there, the monks are surprisingly open if you ask them.

Good post though, lets see a bit more of the place.

Here are some more photos I took, I hope you enjoy them.

 

[Macguyver]

The railway of which you speak did used to run into the cemetery where there were infact 2 stations, one in each section of the graveyard although these are long gone, just like alot of the plots that "ran out of lease" in the early 1980's leaving huge vast empty spaces.

Ghost hunting? Sorry not for me. If you were dead why would you walk about a graveyard for eternity? What would you haunt? Yourself?

 

[Crisp Monster]

Macguyver has a point about haunted graveyards. There is a school of thought that says ghosts occur where people have died, whether they be crisis apparitions such as battle casualties or road accident victims, or simply places where people have passed on, such as homes, hospitals etc. Lets face it, not many people die in graveyards.

I think it would be facile to totally discount the idea of ghosts in any context. There is room for an intelligent, balanced and scientific approach to the subject, and I would imagine proper research groups do work in this way. After all, the idea of ghosts is no more whacky than a lot of mainstream scientific theory, just less widely accepted; this is probably the result of people like Derek Acorah and the downright silly people who seem to gravitate towards TV programmes about ghost hunting. Anyone can convince themselves a house is haunted if enough people around them are becoming hysterical at every bump in the night.

I think it would be worth starting a thread under general chat about uneasy experiences people have had in derelict buildings. I bet a lot of people who wouldn't admit to believing in ghosts have still felt odd in certain places. Some buildings just have a weird atmosphere.

 

[Faeden]

Hi Macguyver

People don’t believe that they haunted grave yards eternally, that comes from spooky story books.

But the theory goes, sometimes after death a spirit might wonder around near to its physical body until such time its ready to accept that its physical body no longer has any use for its new self. Many believe that some spirits are not trapped there, they just for a short period of time seem confused as to what has happened especially if they were complete atheists, and did not believe in any form of afterlife, imagine someone who believes that when you die that is it the end and that you simply no longer exist, then you do die and find they are still conscious, what would be the first thing they would think of doing in such a strange and confusing situation? dwelling around places that there body lies, would be a common choice.

Not all people believe spirits in grave yards are of those who lie there, some believe spirits are free to come and go as they please, to places they found comforting in life, or that they might simply wish to visit the place every now and again that there tomb or grave is, or where there family might be laid to rest, or be with someone living that is mourning for them that happened to be visiting the cemetery around the time. Would you not visits your own grave every now and again if you could?

Spirits are not trapped in grave yards, they simply visits them because of the connection cemeteries have from the living world to the spiritual one.

Also some believe that many of the dark and sinister rituals that are performed in cemeteries can cause strange and evil spirits (some would call demons) too dwell there, they were summoned there, and therefore dwell there.

These are not my beliefs as such, just the more popular opinions on why spirits can be housed in certain lands or buildings. Spirits are never trapped anywhere, the veil to this one and the next doesn’t have doors or gates, if a spirits wants to be there or doesn’t is up to its own free will to do so or to leave or stay.

Also it is said that some spirits can be so obsessed with certain places or hold a strong love of a certain building or place they refuse to let it go even after death, and wont move on to where they are supposed to be.

Its why many religions believe that attaching your self to physical material things is not a good thing.

On the railway track that used to run through the cemetery yes you are right. Here is a picture of the platform. As it was in 1976

 

[rikj]

Hi Faeden

Welcome aboard! Always nice to have somebody come to a forum bearing gifts.

And what can I say? A disused railway in a cemetery? Have I gone to heaven?

Does it have an air raid shelter as well?

Cheers

rikj

 

[Faeden]

Hi Rik

Actually the area is directly in the middle of where the British army train, although there is no bunkers in the cemetery, there are many surrounding it. So remember to duck when the red flags are up

Another thing I forgot to add about spirits being in cemeteries is that some believe also that the reasons why so many religious figures are seen as ghosts such as Monks and Nuns in grave yards is because many religious people have been brought up to believe that there is a fiery hell, where people burn in agony eternally, so when they die they become paranoid about passing over completely, because they are worried that they might not have been as holy as they thought they had to be, so find it safer to stay earthbound, rather than risk possible burning for eternity. Fear can be a crippling emotion even for spirits.

Also many people in life go to churches when in need for comfort, churches are often connected to cemeteries, so spirits in trouble might also find comfort in and around church grounds, which would explain why so many spirits are seen in and around churches.

 

[Macguyver]

The nearest training ground is 3 to 4 miles away and the cemetery is in the middle of a residental area and a golf course, so I can not see any one getting shot anytime soon.

The platform in your picture is still there, the other long gone,sadly. I checked them out while visiting an old friend recently.

As for the ghost stories, when I can see, smell, touch, taste or feel it then I will believe.

Other than that I am not convinced.

 

[Faeden]

Hey that’s cool, I am not here to convince anyone, but hope one day your be honoured with a sighting your self

By the way I know no one will get shot that red flag thing was a joke, although they do put up red flags in the surrounding woodland or danger zones when in training. I was brought up around there so remember it well.

The cemetery is not on army training ground no, but its right next to it, the surrounding land is woodland and yes some housing.

Here is a map of the local area.

 

[Faeden]

Here is a photo of something an investigation team caught, some would argue it is only mist, which may well be so, but if you look the shape looks like a winged type creature, like in the shape of a dragon, you can even see bat type wings with veins in them.

From here http://www.ghostlights.co.uk/home_page/page/main.htm

 

[krela]

I'm going to clean up this thread soon, please keep all ghost talk in the off-topic forum please.

 

[turkey]

Its someones breath...simple as!

p.s., or some idiot smoking...

 

[Cosmicmoon]

Some of those statues are so creepy... great pictures though.

 

[scribble]

There is a novel by Andrew Martin called The Necropolis Railway - a novel of murder, mystery and steam. It uses the Brookwood railway and Cemetery as its setting.

 

[gaara]

Such beautiful images, Faeden. Gravestones fascinate me.