The Case of a Lifetime – Hunting the Black Monk of Pontefract

Number 30 East Drive, Pontefract, is an unassuming little house, one of thousands like it across the United Kingdom. If one didn’t know of its incredible history, it would be difficult to believe that this was the scene of what many paranormal investigators claim to be the most violent poltergeist haunting ever recorded. The case, which became known by the name “The Black Monk of Pontefract,” first kicked off in the summer of 1966.

The Pritchard family were terrified halfway out of their wits by paranormal activity that steadily grew in intensity, frequency, and finally violence. It began innocuously enough, with chalk falling from the ceiling(!) and pools of water appearing out of thin air. Apart from the usual trappings of a haunting (lights turning themselves on and off, phantom footsteps, groans and disembodied voices) the Black Monk soon turned nasty, slashing paintings and photographs, and throwing heavy objects around as though they weighed nothing. This finally culminated in the Pritchards’ daughter Diane being dragged forcefully and violently up the staircase by some unseen force. When the poltergeist finally released her, Diane was found to have angry purple bruises around her throat.

Number 30 was exorcised multiple times, all to no avail; if anything, the rituals only seemed to piss the poltergeist off. The Pritchards dubbed their resident spirit “Fred,” and when the haunting reached its peak, Fred began to appear to the family. He (it?) took the form of a hooded, robed figure, shadowy and sinister in appearance. As if matters could not get any more terrifying, Fred never seemed to have a face.

Despite sounding like something out of a horror story, the initial events at 30 East Drive were witnessed by many credible observers. The case had all the makings of a good Hollywood ghost story, and so it should come as no surprise that the case was fictionalized in 2012 for the movie When the Lights Went Out. (See the trailer here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCcxOkBjI2I )

Generally speaking, most poltergeist cases simply fizzle out. Some fade into obscurity, whereas others (I’m looking at you, Enfield) become the stuff of legend. What is unusual about the Black Monk case is that at the time of writing, 30 East Drive is still very, very active. Much of this new wave of intense activity began with the release of the movie. Ever since then, interest in Number 30 has been at an all-time high, with paranormal tourism companies running for-profit ghost hunts in there practically every weekend. Results vary from the interesting to the downright spectacular, and interested readers are directed to the official website at www.30eastdrive.com to keep up on the latest happenings. Colin Wilson’s superb book Poltergeist and Andy Evans’ more up-to-date Don’t Look Back in Anger are also essential reading.

Which is where I enter the picture. After gaining permission from the current owner to research the house further and write a book about the more recent aspects of the haunting. “Fred” has just sent the Most Haunted team packing, with host Yvette Fielding claiming that “This house is evil!” Paranormal investigators and tourists alike are adding to the already massive stack of paranormal experiences at Number 30, and I hope that my team is no exception. Along with fellow investigators Jason Fellon, Linda Fellon,Charlie Stiffler, and Andrew Cooper, I’ll be moving in to the property next Monday and staying for five days, in the hopes of getting to the bottom of the Black Monk case once and for all.

I’d be lying if I said that I weren’t a little nervous. This case is one of the more extreme ones I will ever have investigated, and yet, who could turn down an opportunity to cross something this big off their bucket list? I have been reading about the Black Monk ever since I was a boy, and it is a little hard to believe that by this time next week, I will have spent the better part of a week living at ground zero.

One thing’s for sure: Number 30 hasn’t given up all of its secrets yet, not by a long chalk. I’m hoping to peel back a few more layers of this particular onion next week.

Stay tuned to find out what happens next…