April 9, 2009
GH: Belcourt Castle
Belcourt Castle in Newport, Rhode Island was apparently built as a summer home for the Belmont family but was purchased by the Tinney family in the mid 1950's. Jay & Grant investigated the location about ten years ago and knew Mr. Tinney personally before his passing. Now the reports of unusual activity in the mansion include reported sightings of the man they once knew. It certainly does seem an interesting premise.
Right as the investigation began it seemed Jay & Grant began hearing footsteps from the floor above them. They ran upstairs to investigate and briefly saw something odd on the FLIR: a hot spot on the floor which moved away from them as they approached. Now, they maintained it didn't move at the same exact time as they did — which would mean it couldn't be a reflection — however that's just bad science because we know at least three people were in that room and the only one we can even guesstimate motion for is Jay, because he is holding the camera.
That being said, I don't know how the heat signature could be a reflection of anyone in the room because of the angle at which it appeared. It was on the floor ahead of them, which would seem to mean if it were a reflection then the source must have been further ahead of them still, however there was only a wall — into which the heat signature disappeared. An alternartive explanation was nesting animals in the floor, but the heat signature would not have been so intense and it definitely would not have moved with the animal like x-ray vision. We have to rely on Jay & Grant's eyesight to rule out an actual rodent in the room, which doesn't seem very scientific either, but even in this case we're left with the mystery of how the rodent disappeared through a solid wall.
I've got to give TAPS props for starting this off with a proper mystery. I just can't come up with an explanation for it — although that isn't to say a reasonable one mightn't exist.
There were numerous "footstep" reports throughout the investigation. Amy & Kris heard activity from the spiral staircase but when they went up it they saw nothing, nor was anyone on the floor it led to. Steve & Tango investigated the interested story of a Monk Statuette, around which reports of a man in brown robes seemed to appear no matter where the statue was moved to. They didn't see any evidence of the apparition and their EMF detector suggested there was no unusual energy fields surrounding the object.
Jay & Grant kept hearing footsteps and later in the evening they followed the sound to Mr. Tinney's bedroom, outside which they claimed to clearly hear someone walking within (oddly, no such audio evidence was offered for the audience to examine) but the sound stopped the moment they opened the door. Jay stayed inside and Grant left, supposedly to go downstairs and listen for activity from below. While Jay was inside he pulled out his K-II meter and asked the alleged spirit to activate it. He received some sketchy "reponses" until he repositioned the meter to make it "easier" for the spirit — something I found particularly suspicious — at which point he asked the spirit to activate the meter if it wanted him to leave and he seemed to receive a distinct and immediate response from the K-II.
Of course, my concerns here are twofold: Why would moving the location from one part of the room to another make it easier for a spirit to activate? Where was Grant, really? The first question doesn't seem to have any rational explanation, even in the pseudo-science of ghost hunting, but if the answer to the second question happened to be that Grant was on the other side of a wall in the next room over then maybe moving the meter would make it easier for Grant to activate. Of course, that's just conjecture on my part.
There were also two EVP's caught by the team. One of them genuinely sounded like a woman humming, and I don't have much to say about it other than I don't feel certain we can rule out Kris or Amy, or perhaps even the furnace kicking on in the basement. Our minds hear human voices in all sorts of places they aren't; without clear syllables strung together we might mistake even a cat's meow for someone saying, "Hello".
The second EVP was a joke, however. Someone asked if the spirit owned all the items in the mansion and then everyone seemed to hear the answer "yes" in some incredibly small blip on the audio some seconds later. Their host even went so far as to insist the only person who would respond in that way was Mr. Tinney himself. Jay & Grant happily announced they knew the place was haunted all along and now it was even more haunted. Personally, it was all downhill after the thermal hit for me because that was the only bit of evidence I found to be both compelling and seemingly defying explanation.
Filed under Ghost Hunters, Posts by Logisti
 |
| ^ Please Support our Sponsor |
Comments on GH: Belcourt Castle »
alicat @ 3:12 pm
I just this instant posted the following in the forum:
This was an interesting mansion and would be great to tour as a "mansion" but not as a haunted or paranormal location. It certainly would be one on my list of places if I was heading to Newport to check out the mansions and it certainly would be a beautiful place for a wedding (minus the mice). That being said . . .
First thing I noticed was Steve carrying a note pad and writing down (I hope) the history as it was told on the "tour". Think they are listening about his misrepresentation of facts? Second, I had to laugh when Grant left Mr. Tinney's bedroom. Hmmm . . . did that have anything "remotely" to do with the K-2? And why did Jason, in the reveal, state it was lit "solid"?
On the other hand, somehow I may have missed this, but which Mr. Tinney did Jason & Grant actualy know? Didn't they say they were there about 10 years ago investigating? I don't remember them calling him anything but "Mr. Tinney". There is an interesting story that was on 48 Hours and an article written in July 2000 which I think is very interesting. I love the subtitle and then Mrs. Tinney's comments about Kevin about 3/4 of the way down the article. Maybe Jason and Grant were helping Kevin and not investigating? (You'll understand that when you read the link below.)
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2000/01/06/48hours/main146771.shtml#
Interesting that once again they are "investigating" in a place still undergoing renovations per Mrs. Tinney's "Meet the Owner" section of the Belcourt Castle website and that the Tinney Family has "created magic" for millions:
"Thank you for joining me in the preservation effort of this historic castle on Bellevue Avenue in Newport, Rhode Island. For more than fifty years the Tinney Family has created magic for millions of guests by opening their doors to visitors."
No where in the "History" portion of the website is any mention of paranormal activities – not even in the "Events" section. Maybe those making these statements don't want it actually in writing for obvious reasons. It's only when you go to the "Calendar" section you find two different "ghost tours" that cost $18 each. One is described as:
"Ghost Tour: The 90-minute tour begins with a slide presentation by Miss Virginia Smith, a world traveler, describing haunted places here and abroad. Mrs. Tinney, owner of Belcourt, and Miss Smith relate personal experiences in the Castle. The tour ends with a demonstration in the French gothic ballroom. The tour is not appropriate for children under eight. Ticket Price: $18.00 per person." Note: I added the bold to the ballroom bit. Interesting, huh?
The other is "Ghosts of Belcourt Castle. This tour describes first hand ghost stores that are specific to Belcourt Castle given by the residents of the mansion. Admission is $18.00 per person."
They also conduct "Mystery Tours" per the site: "Belcourt Castle’s “Who Dunn it”-style mystery tour is based on the game Clue II."
Also, on May 23 they have this event: "Spirit of Belcourt Castle 101. A comprehensive seminar, instruction, and question and answer session presented by certified paranormal investigators with complimentary ghost hunt at Belcourt Castle. $149.00 plus tax per person." Haunted Times Magazine is advertising on the home page Presenting Ghost Hunting 101. I'm going to call and find out the names/source of "certified paranormal investigators".
Here's the Castle website: http://www.belcourtcastle.com/default.htm
MissBlue @ 4:26 pm
So, let me get this straight: Jason and Grant investigated Belcourt Castle 10 years ago with inferior equipment and determined then that the house was haunted. Jason and Grant investigate Belcourt Castle again 10 years later with better equipment, find nothing except some footsteps and a blobby thing on a thermal camera, and decide that the location is haunted based on unspecified evidence from the previous investigation. That's great for them, but what are we supposed to take away from this case? Obviously, they're saying that the most recent investigation didn't prove a haunting, but that we should just trust them that the previous investigation did. Give me a break!
The Doctor @ 5:42 pm
Once again TechMangler Steve sets out 5 cameras, but only shows us the images from 4.
Curiously enough, the one "missing" angle seems like it might just be the hallway where he is called up to look at the thermal.
Even stranger, the reasoning they use for calling him up is so that he is sure to make a note to analyse it when he examines the tapes. Is the point here that they feel he might miss it ?
There's an evp on K&A's tape that Tango says " that's definately (us? it?) " Why is Tango cut off so tight, with J&G giving no more complete explaination during the reveal ?
J says "I believe that over time it would be able to turn over some incredible edvidence with the equipment that we bring in " ??? What, is this some new kind of excuse for not really finding anything … they don't have enough time ?
Chris @ 6:50 pm
Been visiting this site for a while and I finally decided to chime in. Here are a couple things that I noticed
Did Steve really raise his hand to talk at the beginning? Wow
The thermal looked like a rabbit or a frog. Why in gods name didn't they have a normal camera on it.
Oh yeah one more thing….helmet cams. :0)
Chris @ 7:07 pm
One more thing I remembered that made me angry. When Jason is in a room with the K2 and he justs keeps asking questions until he gets a response and then he declares hes communicating with a ghost. He says, "Just make that device over there blink and I'll leave you alone" over a dozen times. He gets one reponse and then just leaves. What a douche. Oh yeah that reminds me. Why the hell would it be easier for a ghost to communicate through a K2 if its in a chair instead of on top of the table it was on? That just left me scratching my head. So apparently ghosts can only lift 1 pound and reach things that are a foot of the ground. Well then how that ghost grab Grant's jacket.
That scene with Tango dancing made me want to stab myself in the eye with a rusty screwdriver.
Sorry about that guys. Rant over
alicat @ 7:16 pm
@ Chris Don't think it was moving like a rabbit or frog but I guess the point is no one will know because they never put a spotlight on it with the infamous flashlight, the camera guy or even just turn on a darn light. Instead, they called Steve up to show him what they "caught" so he could be sure to examine it closely when reviewing. Funny, I could see Steve going up the stairs and talking to J&G and I could see J&G reviewing the thermal but no one tried to actually pan to the floor using that light. I also found it interesting they didn't do the norm and either call back to Steve and verbally tell him or just verbally record a note to Steve to be on the look out for the thermal hit. I guess they only use the flashlight for tricks nowadays.
Nosfer @ 7:24 pm
In the forums I put forth the idea that it was a reflection. It moves only when they do. It disappears partly (the heel-toe movement) because the floor is made of planks and the edges where they join aren't as reflective. It was either something in the next room on the ceiling that was reflecting up off the floor or it was possibly a reflection of the Pilgrim guy's IR illuminator. I haven't checked the mechanics of the latter yet so I can't offer that idea with any certainty.
A stationary object is probably more likely than the Pilgrim guy who may have been moving around. Jason also need to learn how to hold the damn thermal steady. You can't tell if the object is moving at times or if he's just waving the thermal around. Probably intentional….
alicat @ 7:47 pm
Nosfer ~ I don't remember the room they were in front of when they caught the thermal. Is it possible there was a chandelier of some sort either in the hallway or the room they were approaching – even a small crystal candelabra on a hall table? It looked to me there were a lot of reflective surfaces and all sorts of chandeliers and period light fixtures throughout the place. I think we saw some of it when Tango was supposedly dancing. I forgot to set the old vcr so I have nothing to review.
Nosfer @ 7:53 pm
Since the reflection (I'm calling it that until shown otherwise) actually moved to the doorway and slightly into the next room, it would have had to have been in the room they were heading towards (unless the IR illuminator was the culprit).
From what I could tell of the heat signatures of the lights down in Fort Mifflin, I am not convinced that they truly go dark and have the lights out all night. If they don't they could have shut off the lights prior to that scene and something in the other room (chandelier or other type of light) could still have been radiating enough heat to be reflected off the floor. I will go back over that footage and see what might be in that other room then or possibly during the tour.
kevin @ 8:05 pm
I agree with Chris about Jason and the K2 meter. How many times was he planning to ask the "entity" to set off the K2 meter before giving up? And when it did finally light up, Jason makes a big deal out of it, throwing his hands up, like he had just established communication with a ghost and was duty-bound to leave the room as he had promised. Makes me wonder why I still watch this show.
What's with all the footsteps? They seem to be the popular paranormal events on this season of Ghost Hunters. Last season it was voices. If ghosts are energy, how are their footsteps made audible?
Nosfer @ 8:30 pm
Okay…the part just before the footsteps show up on the thermal. Grant is sweeping the K2 around and then there is a "interview" where he says "We started getting some interesting K2 hits" Behind and above his left shoulder are two lights on. Either lights or illuminators…no matter which.
They continue on towards the banquet room and, still in IR, not the thermal, you can see some sort of round globe up in front of the doorway which looks like part of a chandelier. The chandelier can be seen again when the shot shows Steve coming up and walking towards them. Given the distance from the doorway when they see the thermal hit the first time, I do NOT believe the reflection is coming from the banquet room but rather from a light on the ceiling very close to the doorframe, that's why it disappears as they go across the threshold.
When they first see it, there is a shot which also shows the doorway. Interestingly the object on the floor is roughly halfway between them and the doorway.
"Look, it starts to pick up speed" Just as they pick up speed going after it.
"As we moved closer to it it seemed to move faster and faster to get away from us" The footage does not bear this out…it moves at the same rate that they do.
CrowTRobot @ 7:47 am
@ Chris,
Just watched this episode. It does seem to move like a frog. It just seems a bit large, though.
Everything else:
The EVP?: nothing
The sound of a woman humming?: Sounded more like something (furniture?) being dragged across the floor, then dropped. In fact, didn't the Bimbo team tell the Clown team that they had dropped or moved something? And apparently it was heavy enough to cause the chandelier below to move?
Oubliette @ 8:11 am
I think one of the girls bumped into a heavy chair or similar object.
Bimbo Team and Clown Team. Excellent descriptions!
Nosfer @ 8:22 am
"I think one of the girls bumped into a heavy chair or similar object."
Had this been at the Cuban Club I would have had a joke ready but since things were a bit more normal at the Castle I'll refrain!
StanTheMan @ 12:53 pm
It seemed to me that Jason was getting angry when he was K2 talking in the bedroom. It seemed he was expecting responses which weren't coming because Grant couldn't get it to light for whatever reason. I almost expected his final comment to be, "Grant, I'm leaving this room if you don't light this damn thing up".
I asked my daughter who worked as a tour guide in the Castle if she had ever seen or heard of frogs in the building and she said no. She did however see some good sized mice.
Lar @ 12:56 pm
I have been in Belcourt for HOURS walking about by myself (for my job) & NOTHING happened. This episode sealed it for me. Belcourt has had its share of financial woes & THAT'S IT. Yet another locale in need of national attention. The only thing that's chilling are the drafts that "haunt," the place.
I bet if Mango & Tango were in the same bedroom & one left leaving the other with the K2 NOTHING would've happened, no matter how many times they asked.I guess this was J&G's way of telling us, G has been wrongly accussed. How could the K2 light if G wasn't in the room?
That's just the problem. We couldn't see G, and when he's not visible oftentimes "evidence," is.
Nosfer @ 1:19 pm
I like how Jason said he was alone in the room. I wonder if that makes the cameraman feel like a Nobody LOL
CrowTRobot @ 9:20 pm
@ StanTheMan: Thanks for the tidbit about the frogs. I couldn't imagine a frog there either, but it sure did move like one. On the other hand, while a rodent seems the obvious explaination, I would have thought a rodent would have just taken off, not moved – and stopped – side to side.
On yet another hand, (that's three if your keeping score at home) it could just be what J&G implied……a pirate's ghost.
Get it? A pirate ghost: cause a pirate just has the one leg……and the other's a stick and……..and there was just the one footprint……and the pirate with the foot…….and the stick…….with the…..
Nevermind.
Nosfer @ 9:31 pm
See the post and experiment in the forums…an object warmer than the floor and which had been sitting motionless on the floor for an amount of time as shown would have left a heat signature on the floor where it had been after it moved. The signature would have dissipated gradually. A reflection would not have. In the case at Belcourt, the heat signature moves and the area where it had been returns immediately to ambient temperature. Classic reflection.
Hmmm…pirate? Wouldn't they have caught some Arrrrr EVPs then?
Nosfer @ 2:07 pm
"It was on the floor ahead of them, which would seem to mean if it were a reflection then the source must have been further ahead of them still, however there was only a wall — into which the heat signature disappeared." "….but even in this case we're left with the mystery of how the rodent disappeared through a solid wall."
Actually it appears that the signature goes up over a door jam (door threshold) and simply into another room where it disappears, not into a wall. The thermal definitely shows a room behind where (into which) it disappeared.