David Phillips: Night time visit to Berry Pomeroy Castle had me hooked

Recently, our beloved Berry Pomeroy Castle, allegedly the most haunted in the country, was brought to my attention for three very different reasons, sadly not all of them good.

Firstly, my friend, Christine Donnelly, a fellow local writer, came to me proposing to write a new book, focusing on more recent stories and experiences that people have had there.

Several of us investigative types, plus mediums and sensitives, were gathered together by another good friend of mine and long term TIP member, Matt, who, having a deep interest in the ancient ruin, wanted our help to put together a series of original YouTube videos, showcasing people’s stories, both anecdotally, and via walk rounds live on camera.

This had given her the idea of assembling them all in book form and she wanted my help in trying to collect some other as yet untold tales through these very pages by asking readers to contact me via email, something I was only too happy to oblige with as well as contributing a chapter of my own...

At the same time, an offer appeared on one of Matt’s Facebook pages from the owner of the cafe at the castle no less, asking if those of us with a particular interest in the place would like the opportunity to gather there for a meeting and a meal one night, after normal opening hours in the near future.

Sadly, this offer coincided with the unwelcome attention of the unscrupulous Nighthawks, who decided to help themselves to artefacts that might still have lain buried beneath the lawn inside the castle walls with the use of metal detectors and in so doing caused untold damage, not only to the grassed areas, but also to the fabric of the building itself as they climbed in.

Now I know people do climb in illegally, hoping for a spooky encounter and by no means do I condone this activity, but that’s completely different from going there with criminal intent. The Nighthawks just give a bad name to anyone who goes there for innocent purposes and who stay within the regulations of a public access area.

With the infringements of that group fresh in the mind, it didn’t sit well initially, contemplating spending an evening after hours in the vicinity of the castle in case anyone saw it as an opportunity to climb inside.

I therefore contacted the cafe owner to discuss his offer further and the result of that conversation means we are now arranging an event together, consisting of an evening of storytelling alongside a two course meal.

It is open to anyone who has an interest in the castle, wishes to hear other people’s unusual experiences around the property and maybe has some tales to share themselves, with a like-minded group. I know I myself would be eager to hear them as possible inspiration for the radio recordings and articles that I put together, plus Christine will be present, wishing to talk with anyone willing to have their tales included in her book.

The accompanying two course meal consists of a choice of Chicken or Vegetable Curry, with possibly a non spicy option to be arranged, plus a dessert for £20 a head, limited to around 40 people. Already over half those places have been taken.

I must stress, NO ACCESS TO THE CASTLE IS PERMITTED OR ENCOURAGED DURING THIS EVENT, and security will be making sure of this on the night. The gates will be open to give access to the castle car park for arrivals at 7pm (food served 7.30pm) and locked once all expected guests have arrived until the end of the event at around 11pm and locked again once all cars have left the car park. I am not regarding this as a paranormal investigation, but anyone sensitive to spirit is welcome to see what they pick up on the night, whilst in the vicinity of the castle and cafe and to share it with the gathering.

Anyone wishing to attend the event, can register their interest by contacting me via email on davidtiptrips@gmail.com and I will add you to the list. Payment can be made on the night.

My own personal connection with the castle began back in 1987, when I arrived in Paignton straight out of drama school to take part in a Summer Season at the Palace Avenue Theatre. As has always been my habit since very young, one of the first things I do, upon arriving in a new place, is to buy the local ghost book and plot all the locations on my map. Imagine my delight to find that I had landed on the doorstep of one of the most haunted places in the country. At the first possible opportunity, I took a group of my fellow actors on a night-time visit to the place and as we walked down the long, tree-lined driveway, the silhouette of the majestic ruins loomed large in front of us out of the darkness and I was hooked!

Since then, I have visited Berry Pomeroy on many occasions, both day and night, as my group of paranormal Investigators was the last team to have official permission to stay there in the hours of darkness. Over the years, I have had several odd experiences myself, including hearing gunfire in the distance,  both in daylight and during a night-time visit, possibly the sound of a battle being re-enacted in the vicinity, plus a light in a high window that was there one second and gone the next, maybe a non-existent door being closed on a non-existent candle?

My most unusual experience was being featured in an episode of Countryfile, where presenter Sue Perkins was being encouraged to spend the night there. I had been invited along to tell Sue about its haunted history in an attempt to make her stay a little more unsettling. She was expecting the luxury of a four poster bed, but the segment ended when she was handed a tent, and realisation dawns that she is to spend the night alone under canvas amongst the spooky old ruins...

I plan on sharing further details of my experiences, along with stories told to me by visitors to our Monday night meetings over the years at the cafe for it seems that practically everyone has a tale to tell about their own visits there, and, hopefully, as word starts to spread new people might turn up on the night with some that we haven’t heard before.

Finally, I would like to remind readers that, although the evening at Berry Pomeroy is now the first TIP on the Road event of the year, there will soon be another one, at Bovey Tracey, on Monday March 11, in the Cromwell Arms, with others to follow in places like Chagford and Princetown, as the year unfolds. Hopefully, I will get to meet as many of you as possible at these gatherings and hear lots more stories to add to my repertoire.