OLD ST CHADS

FINDING OLD ST CHADS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS YOU ARE LIKELY TO DO, THE ONLY PEOPLE TO KNOW OF ITS EXISENCE ARE THE LOCALS.

ITS SETTING, WHEN FOUND, IS IDEALLIC, FROM THE MAIN A41 HIGHROAD, A NARROW COUNTRY TRACK OF AROUND ½ MILE LEADS TO A DEAD END WITH THREE GATES LEADING INTO THE FIELDS, THEY ARE THE ONLY VISIBLE MEANS TO CARRY ON. LOOKING OVER THE MIDDLE GATE A CHURCH SPIRE IS BARELY VISILE IN THE DIP BETWEEN THE TREES. ANOTHER SHORT WALK IS HEREBY REQUIRED. DOWN THE HILL ALONG A FAINT TRAIL, LEADS STRAIGHT TO THE CHURCHES FROT GATE. OLD ST CHADS IS TOTALLY ALONE IN THE FIELDS.

WHEN A VICTORIAN CHURCH WAS BUILT NEARLY A MILE AWAY - NEW ST CHADS - IN 1863, THIS TINY CHAPEL WAS LEFT TO STAND, AS ITS GRAVEYARD WAS THE ONLY ONE IN THE PARISH, AND REMAINS SO TODAY.

OLD ST CHADS WAS ORIGINALLY BULT IN 1689, BUILT UPON THE FOUNDATIONS OF AN OLDER TIMBER FRAMED CHURCH, LOCAL GENTRY HAVE LONG PATRONISED THE CHURCH, WITH A GALLERY AND VIEWING BOX REFLECTING THEIR INFLUENCE.

ALONG WITH THE CHURCH AND GRAVEYARD STANDS AN OLD GARAGE, THIS HOUSES WHAT IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST VICTORIAN HORSE DRAWN HEARSES IN EXISTANCE. IT IS HERE OUR GHOSTLY TALES BEGIN. THIS HEARSE HAS OFTEN BEEN REPORTED TO BE HEARD MAKING A SPECTRAL JOURNEY AT NIGHT, PEOPLE HAVE CHECKED, BUT THE HEARS REMAINED STILL IN ITS HOME, ALTHOUGH THE SOUNDS CONTINUED..

WE HAVE RECEIVED MORE REPORTS FROM WITNESSES REGARDING THIS SITE, BUT A WELL KNOWN AND HIGH STANDING PERSON FROM THE LOCAL COMMUNITY TOLD OFF HIS VISIT TO THE GROUNDS ONE EVENING, HE DESCRIBED HEARING THE SOUNDS OF THE SINGINIG PARISONERS EMINATTING FROM INSIDE, HE DECIDED TO INVESTIGATE, AS HE KNEW OF NO EVENT THEIR OR PERSON WHO SHOULD HAVE BEEN WITHIN ESPECIALLY A CHOIR. HE PEERED INTO THE CHURCH, AND AS HE DID SO, THE SINGING STOPPED. HE BACKED AWAY, FEELING BOTH SCARED AND AS IF BEING WATCHED, AND RETREATED SAFELY TO HIS CAR. IT TOOK THE GENTLEMAN SOME TIME TO RETURN TO THE CHURCH.

A LADY IN WHITE HAS BEEN REPORTED WITHIN THE FIELD, ALTHOUGH THE WITNESS WAS UNABLE TO DESCRIBE THE INCIDENT WELL, HE WAS UNSURE OF OTHER PERSONS IN THE AREA. ALSO IN THE FIELD WE HAVE BEEN TOLD OF A SPECTRAL HOUND, RUNNING ACROSS THE FIELD. REGARDING THESE TWO SIGHTINGS, ALTHOUGH REPOTED AS UNKNOWN BY RESPECTABLE WITNESSES WE BELIEVE THAT, NATURE MAY HAVE A HAND, PEOPLE NOT WISHING TO BE SEEN, A DOG, OUT FOR A RUN, FOXES, MAYBE EVEN A BIG CAT. ALTHOUGH THE WITNESSES MAY HAVE SEEN MIST FORMATIONS.

FINALLY A REPORT OF A LARGE COWL CLAD PERSON LEANING AS IF TO PRAY OVER A GRAVESTONE, WHEN CALLED UPON, THE PERSON DEMINISHED. THIS IS MADE MORE EXCITING, BY A UPIA INVESTIGATOR WITNESSING A SIMILAR INCIDENT, A MIST LIKE VAPOUR IN A HUDDLED MAN TYPE SHAPE NEAR TO A GRAVESTONE. PHOTOGRAPHS WERE TAKEN IMMEADIATELY AND ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AFTER, VIDEO FOOTAGE WAS RECORDED, NONE OF THESE RECORDINGS, ALONG WITH AUDIO RECORDING AROUND THE YARD, CHURCH OR HEARSE GARAGE HAVE REVEALED ANY UNUSUAL SIGNS.

THE CHURCH IS VERY BEAUTIFUL AND THE SCENERY AROUD IS AN ARTISTS DREAM AND OH FOR ITS QUIETNESS.

This case was discussed at the MAPIT conference in Ellesmere Port in September 2000 at at several other lectures, it was also published in the Chester Evening Leader.