The Reverse Haunted House

[Tempest63]

Over here in the US we can always blame an "Indian burial ground" for the hauntings in new buildings. In Britain I suppose you have to blame barrow wights or something.

I work in major construction in the U.K. and when things go wrong I always joke that we must be building on an old “injun” burial ground.

As an aside whenever we build in London these days the archaeologists get free reign over the site for several months and on a recent large project at Shoreditch they uncovered a few Roman burials, which is very common. However all the problems we had with the later building seemed to manifest in the corner directly over where the burials were found.

Now thinking about it I may start another thread on haunted construction sites as it is quite common to hear rumours of such strange happenings, probably more so with older buildings being refurbished.

 

[catseye]

Could be. Man, I would love to live in an house as old as yours. I was too young to appreciate the one I lived in, although it was a tiny place, so not much to invesigate anyway really. All I remember is no central heating- just a coal fire, single pain windows that froze up on the INSIDE, a leaking roof, and a larder that was far colder than any fridge. I don't know how I survived let alone how they did back in the 1600s.

I live in a house like that now. My 200+ year old house has never been updated, so I've got the lot, dislodging roof hatches, rattling door furniture, curtains that freeze to the window panes and no central heating. I suspect there are plenty more people like me, in houses they are too poor to do anything about! If I were haunted, I suspect the place would be warmer!

 

[GerdaWordyer]

Interesting to read of everyone's' non-scary events.
Are we just the opposite of clairvoyant or is it that sometimes nothing awful lingers? We've always lived in old-ish houses. The first house we bought was the site of a murder. The old fellow who lived there was strangled and not found for days. His daughter, who sold us the house, admitted after we'd bought the place, that she couldn't stand the place, because because it had "the smell of death." We perceived nothing, mercifully.
We now live happily in our newest house, a late 40's, where the only remnant of previous tenants is adorable markings on a door facing recording how tall a kid is growing.

 

[Floyd]

I live in a house like that now. My 200+ year old house has never been updated, so I've got the lot, dislodging roof hatches, rattling door furniture, curtains that freeze to the window panes and no central heating. I suspect there are plenty more people like me, in houses they are too poor to do anything about! If I were haunted, I suspect the place would be warmer!

Sounds like a great place you've got! I also remember net curtains freezing to the glass. You must be tough-I'm too much of a wimp now regarding the cold (although to be honest, even though I hate the cold I hate radiators. They seem to dry the air too much and it makes me even more irritable than usual. I was only there till aged 8 and wish I'd been older as I would have taken more interest, although it was only a very small cottage. I remember finding loads of old clay tobacco pipes. Wish we'd kept them.

 

[Floyd]

Interesting to read of everyone's' non-scary events.
Are we just the opposite of clairvoyant or is it that sometimes nothing awful lingers? We've always lived in old-ish houses. The first house we bought was the site of a murder. The old fellow who lived there was strangled and not found for days. His daughter, who sold us the house, admitted after we'd bought the place, that she couldn't stand the place, because because it had "the smell of death." We perceived nothing, mercifully.
We now live happily in our newest house, a late 40's, where the only remnant of previous tenants is adorable markings on a door facing recording how tall a kid is growing.

I don't think I could live in a house where there'd been a murder. (But I suppose, for all I know I may have done so unknowingly in the past!).

 

[catseye]

Sounds like a great place you've got! I also remember net curtains freezing to the glass. You must be tough-I'm too much of a wimp now regarding the cold (although to be honest, even though I hate the cold I hate radiators. They seem to dry the air too much and it makes me even more irritable than usual. I was only there till aged 8 and wish I'd been older as I would have taken more interest, although it was only a very small cottage. I remember finding loads of old clay tobacco pipes. Wish we'd kept them.

Not tough. Just poor.

 

[catseye]

Interesting to read of everyone's' non-scary events.
Are we just the opposite of clairvoyant or is it that sometimes nothing awful lingers? We've always lived in old-ish houses. The first house we bought was the site of a murder. The old fellow who lived there was strangled and not found for days. His daughter, who sold us the house, admitted after we'd bought the place, that she couldn't stand the place, because because it had "the smell of death." We perceived nothing, mercifully.
We now live happily in our newest house, a late 40's, where the only remnant of previous tenants is adorable markings on a door facing recording how tall a kid is growing.

There's a house not far from where I live that was the location of a murder/suicide (he shot his wife then hanged himself in the outhouse). It was for sale a while back whilst a friend was looking for a house to buy, fairly cheap, lovely (isolated) location. She looked at it, but decided not to go for it, not because of the house itself (which was lovely), but because she said that she'd never ever be able to hear anyone talking anywhere nearby (it is quite close to a touristy woodland location) without worrying that what she was hearing wasn't 'real people'.

I don't know if the house ever sold actually. It was on the market for a very long time...

 

[Ghost In The Machine]

My old man is buried in a sprawling cemetery in Streatham, south London and you only get 30 years in there before they dig you up and cremate what’s left. He went in, in 1986. It’s a double plot that my Mother is expected to join him in so we’ve already had to renew the lease once and at 86 mum is still ploughing on.

I wonder how you find out about family plots? Am pretty sure my grandparents were buried in a plot which may have room for a few more, ditto my great grandparents on t'other side, who are a mile down the road from me. But I've never got round to trying to find out who owns/leases what and there's certainly no paperwork.

My dad's ashes are on the funeral director's shelf, awaiting the Cathy and Heathcliff like reunion (barf) with my delightful stepmother. She is a human cockroach though and showing no signs of joining him. He requested to the funeral home (so we can't stop this happening) his ashes to be mixed with her's, then he wanted the ashes divided half to us and half to stepfamily, to put where we see fit. I know at least 2 of my stepsisters don't approve of this and neither do I. But I doubt we can stop it as it was his wish. My stepmother was/is an evil shit. I can't in all conscious chuck my dad's ashes on my mum's grave if there's stepmother content in there... Nor would I dishonour my grandparents by putting his ashes there if her's are mixed in. Dilemma.

I suppose I should be asking here if dad will come back and haunt me if we didn't carry out his wishes? But then, the funeral home probably can't be stopped. So long as that old bat my stepmother doesn't haunt me.

 

[GerdaWordyer]

I wonder how you find out about family plots? Am pretty sure my grandparents were buried in a plot which may have room for a few more, ditto my great grandparents on t'other side, who are a mile down the road from me. But I've never got round to trying to find out who owns/leases what and there's certainly no paperwork.

My dad's ashes are on the funeral director's shelf, awaiting the Cathy and Heathcliff like reunion (barf) with my delightful stepmother. She is a human cockroach though and showing no signs of joining him. He requested to the funeral home (so we can't stop this happening) his ashes to be mixed with her's, then he wanted the ashes divided half to us and half to stepfamily, to put where we see fit. I know at least 2 of my stepsisters don't approve of this and neither do I. But I doubt we can stop it as it was his wish. My stepmother was/is an evil shit. I can't in all conscious chuck my dad's ashes on my mum's grave if there's stepmother content in there... Nor would I dishonour my grandparents by putting his ashes there if her's are mixed in. Dilemma.

I suppose I should be asking here if dad will come back and haunt me if we didn't carry out his wishes? But then, the funeral home probably can't be stopped. So long as that old bat my stepmother doesn't haunt me.

Wow, talk about "blended family." Wonder if the funeral director can be talked into divvying up for the survivors? A few of my relatives wanted to keep some of my MIL's ashes, the rest wanted her scattered in her daughter's meadow (which I think was her wish). The result was three tiny urns and a beautiful scattering ceremony.

 

[Ghost In The Machine]

Wow, talk about "blended family." Wonder if the funeral director can be talked into divvying up for the survivors? A few of my relatives wanted to keep some of my MIL's ashes, the rest wanted her scattered in her daughter's meadow (which I think was her wish). The result was three tiny urns and a beautiful scattering ceremony.

That sounds good (being in the meadow, I mean!) I dunno in our case. Stepfamilies... I have 4 step sisters and I think 2 would be amenable. The other two are in huge denial about their abusive, deeply unplasant mother. I know it was what my dad wanted and suspect the reason he gave clear instructions to the funeral directors (he knew he was dying for ages) was because he knew that would subvert us just not doing it.

 

[Sogna]

I work in major construction in the U.K. and when things go wrong I always joke that we must be building on an old “injun” burial ground.

As an aside whenever we build in London these days the archaeologists get free reign over the site for several months and on a recent large project at Shoreditch they uncovered a few Roman burials, which is very common. However all the problems we had with the later building seemed to manifest in the corner directly over where the burials were found.

Now thinking about it I may start another thread on haunted construction sites as it is quite common to hear rumours of such strange happenings, probably more so with older buildings being refurbished.

I’d love to read a thread on haunted construction sites

 

[Tempest63]

I’d love to read a thread on haunted construction sites

There are plenty out there to be found, not just structures etc., but there are some famous roads and bypasses that seem to have stirred the paranormal hornets nest.

 

[GerdaWordyer]

That sounds good (being in the meadow, I mean!) I dunno in our case. Stepfamilies... I have 4 step sisters and I think 2 would be amenable. The other two are in huge denial about their abusive, deeply unplasant mother. I know it was what my dad wanted and suspect the reason he gave clear instructions to the funeral directors (he knew he was dying for ages) was because he knew that would subvert us just not doing it.

She sounds just evil. You'll have memories and hopefully some material keepsakes that you can cherish, and that she can't touch.