The Inn with the Well (formerly named The Old Crown) is a traditional coaching Inn, dating back to 1647. It is situated on Europe's oldest highway, upon the Ridgeway path of the Marlborough Downs. It has a warm cosy feel and the most incredible feature the building possesses is a well, which sits right in the middle of the restaurant floor. For safety, a grid covers the well which is then also covered by bullet proof glass allowing those who do not fear heights (or long drops into icy cold water), the chance to stand on top of the glass and look inside the well down to the water below. 

The landlord, Mike has been at the Innsince 1991. He told us that when his daughter was a child, she used to say that when she woke up, there would be a person sitting on the end of her bed. Mike also told us that some Dutch crop-circles viewers claimed that there was a ghost in their room (Wayland Smithy). Reports from other residents say that this particular room is cold and when the TV is switched on, the shower comes on also. Mike also told us that there are graves underneath the car park.   

I found Mike's tales of paranormal occurrences at the Innfascinating and I hoped we would be able to unravel some of the mysteries from this location.                 

After looking around the public bar, the beer cellar and the outside areas, we came in from the rain. None of us had felt any psychic impressions at this point. We talked about the graves under the tarmac upon which we stood, wondering if the inhabitants were upset by their final resting place being covered and used as a car park. But all seemed peaceful. We could not wait to start the investigation.          

The Inn has six rooms, so we began a tour of these.

WAYLAND SMITHY           

We headed for Wayland Smithy where most of the alleged paranormal activity has taken place.

It was quite a cold room and Jacky said that she could smell blood.

Shelly switched on the kettle to see if the shower would come on. The shower made a gurgling noise but did not run with water. Shelly switched off the kettle and switched on the shower. The kettle did not switch on. We wondered if there is an electrical fault which sometimes causes the shower to activate the kettle and vice versa.             

We set up a trigger object in this room and left a Dictaphone running while we were investigating elsewhere.

James and Matt decided to separate from the rest of the group and sit in the very top rooms with camcorders, cameras and Dictaphones. They sat upstairs alone for a considerable time.

Upon rejoining us later, they said that they had not experienced anything which they could deem as paranormal but they had left a camcorder running in one room and a Dictaphone in another.        

WILTON ROOM

We decided to conduct a séance in this room. After spiritually protecting ourselves we asked for any spirits present to communicate with us. We soon made contact with a male called Robert who died aged 15. He did not live at the Inn but somewhere within the village. He told us a very tragic story.

Jackie said she could feel 'spirit breezes'.                      

Robert told us that both he and a little boy named Kenneth; aged 5 had disappeared in 1936. Although people searched for the children, they did not check the well inside the Inn. Robert knew how to get to 'the light' but Kenneth didn't and Robert could not rest until Kenneth was able to 'cross over'. Robert wanted us to help him and he wanted us to meet them. He told us that he was glad that we were there.

Robert also told us that there were two other spirits in the building.

We think the other spirits were (sounds like) Fashah aged 67 and Vasat aged 71. We believe that they originated from Poland. Although they gave us their ages, they claimed that they were not those ages when they died. This was confusing and we did not really understand. They did tell us that they were romantically involved with each other, but they should not have been. They were caught having an affair and there was a murder but we did not gain anymore information than that. However, they were happy within this vicinity so we gave them with our good wishes and left them in peace.

We decided to return to the main bar area and send Robert and Kenneth to the light.    

Some of us gathered around the well. I looked into the water at the bottom of the well and decided to attempt scrying. I have scryed in many places and but never down a well. But water is an excellent surface to scry.

I very quickly found gazing into the well effective and I saw the image of a young dark haired boy. He was dressed in dark clothing, I think his shirt was an olive green colour but it was difficult to tell as he was submerged within the water at the bottom of the well. I saw him thrashing about in the water. It was extremely distressing.

When we felt that the time was right, we gathered around the well, asking the Higher Realms for help and utilising the wisdom of our Spirit Guides, we asked for our energy to be used in helping the boys to cross over to the light. Initially Kenneth was alone. Robert soon joined him and within a brilliant bright light, angelic beings descended and took the boys with them, suddenly vanishing and then the light was gone. This was very moving and a wonderful experience.  

SILBURY ROOM

We conducted another séance and although we made some contact, there was nothing which was really connected to this building.

As it was very late and most of us were working the following day, we decided to end this investigation

Twilight Shadows Paranormal would like to thank Mike for letting us investigate his lovely Inn.

We would also like to convey special thanks to our wonderful friends from Phoenix Paranormal for inviting us to investigate with them.

Written by: Maria Williams

No EVP's were captured on Dictaphone and nothing of a paranormal nature appeared on film. The trigger object did not move.

The Inn with the well