Grafton Village Inn
Grafton, Ont
May 13, 2017
The sun was shining and the weather was warm as the team drove east on the 401 towards the Northumberland County. Exiting the highway, the team soon found themselves in a tiny country town, with a lot of character. It wasn’t hard to find the location and soon enough, the team was out and about exploring. Not only did this location have its main building, but also had 2 other buildings, along with a church and pioneer cemetery. It also boasted a very long history of owners and many unexplained events and findings.
Located on Highway 2 (locally known as the Apple Route) in Grafton, the Grafton Village Inn has been in operation since the 1830s. Originally known at the Mansion House Hotel, it has changed names numerous times throughout the years as well as owners. Today, the Grafton Village Inn also uses the Barton Cottage (also known as the “Pumpkin Cottage”), the Guest house (located to the west of the main building) and the Aird Street Suites (located beside the church) as guest rooms for those staying overnight. That evening, the team was going to focus on the locations that had some unexplained activity – The Pumpkin cottage, Guest House and Main Inn.
Alison was the last to arrive, but that didn’t stop the rest of the team from starting a tour. Our lovely guide and host, Monique, let us into the main building and gave us a quick tour and told us some of the things that had been going on. Strange noises, sensations and door knobs rattling seem to have been a common occurrence in the Main building. While doing renovations, a piece of a tombstone was found in the basement. The only thing readable on the stone was part of a name – “Fran”. Finally Alison arrived and we continued on with are tour. Next stop was the Pumpkin Cottage. In this building, guests have heard strange noises, taps turning on and even a possible apparition. It was quickly decided that this building would be our Base and where we would set up our DVR camera system. We then ventured over to the Guest House. Once again, reports of strange sounds and feelings have been reported at this location, specifically in one of the rooms on the second level. Housekeeping staff have also had things move on them while doing their work in the basement laundry area. After spending an hour touring the property, Monique headed home for a quick bite to eat. The team decided to do the same and begin set up of the DVR system. Once Monique returned, we began our investigation.
The Pumpkin Cottage
Since this was our base for the night and we had just finished setting up the DVR system, we decided to start our investigation here. Built in 1859, this building now hosts 3 overnight rooms, 2 full bathrooms, a small kitchenette area and a living room. It was decided that a P-SB7 ghost box session would be best. The team gathered in the living room, with Monique joining us, and began the session. Watch the following video to see part of our session. If you hear anything we want to know!
Located on Highway 2 (locally known as the Apple Route) in Grafton, the Grafton Village Inn has been in operation since the 1830s. Originally known at the Mansion House Hotel, it has changed names numerous times throughout the years as well as owners. Today, the Grafton Village Inn also uses the Barton Cottage (also known as the “Pumpkin Cottage”), the Guest house (located to the west of the main building) and the Aird Street Suites (located beside the church) as guest rooms for those staying overnight. That evening, the team was going to focus on the locations that had some unexplained activity – The Pumpkin cottage, Guest House and Main Inn.
Alison was the last to arrive, but that didn’t stop the rest of the team from starting a tour. Our lovely guide and host, Monique, let us into the main building and gave us a quick tour and told us some of the things that had been going on. Strange noises, sensations and door knobs rattling seem to have been a common occurrence in the Main building. While doing renovations, a piece of a tombstone was found in the basement. The only thing readable on the stone was part of a name – “Fran”. Finally Alison arrived and we continued on with are tour. Next stop was the Pumpkin Cottage. In this building, guests have heard strange noises, taps turning on and even a possible apparition. It was quickly decided that this building would be our Base and where we would set up our DVR camera system. We then ventured over to the Guest House. Once again, reports of strange sounds and feelings have been reported at this location, specifically in one of the rooms on the second level. Housekeeping staff have also had things move on them while doing their work in the basement laundry area. After spending an hour touring the property, Monique headed home for a quick bite to eat. The team decided to do the same and begin set up of the DVR system. Once Monique returned, we began our investigation.
The Pumpkin Cottage
Since this was our base for the night and we had just finished setting up the DVR system, we decided to start our investigation here. Built in 1859, this building now hosts 3 overnight rooms, 2 full bathrooms, a small kitchenette area and a living room. It was decided that a P-SB7 ghost box session would be best. The team gathered in the living room, with Monique joining us, and began the session. Watch the following video to see part of our session. If you hear anything we want to know!
After the session we decided let the building have a rest, but continued to record with our DVR system. We left the cottage and headed over to the main building.
Main Building – Cafe
Built around 1820, the main building has a long history of owners. Some owners were older couples while others raised their own children at the location. In 1988 it was purchased by the current owner and turned into the lovely Inn it is today. We decided to do a quick walk through before beginning a live Facebook video session. During our video we conducted another P-SB7 ghost box session. Check out our video of our time in the main building below! Let us know if you hear anything (or see!)
Main Building – Cafe
Built around 1820, the main building has a long history of owners. Some owners were older couples while others raised their own children at the location. In 1988 it was purchased by the current owner and turned into the lovely Inn it is today. We decided to do a quick walk through before beginning a live Facebook video session. During our video we conducted another P-SB7 ghost box session. Check out our video of our time in the main building below! Let us know if you hear anything (or see!)
When we decided to wrap up our investigation in the main building, Monique locked up and told us she was heading home. We wished her a good night and waited to make sure she left the property safely. As the team waited for Monique to drive away, Rachel heard someone knock on one of the windows of the now dark main building. She looked at all the windows, but could not find a source of the noise. Once Monique was safely on her way, the team made their way to the Guest House.
The Guest House
Located to the west of the main building, and on the other side of the creek sits the Guest house. “I’m afraid of skunks, not ghosts,” stated Jesse as the team made their way up the dark driveway. Suddenly the motion light came on and blinded everyone. It was a fun laugh followed by an impromptu karaoke session of the song ‘Blinded by the Light’. We entered the building and headed up to the top floor. “Hello! We’re here!” Alison called out as she knocked on the door to the one room. “Don’t knock, just barge in,” joked Rachel. “Housekeeping!” she said with a laugh. The team entered the room and Alison notice something was amiss right away. “Those pillows were not like that,” she stated. “I don’t like this room,” Jesse stated. “It looks like someone sat on the bed,” added Rachel. The rest of the team entered the room. The second the door closed, the group began to laugh and giggle. No one could walk straight. The team joked around, laughing and giggling to the point where it was beginning to become concerning. “What has gotten into us?” asked Rachel. No one knew where the lightheartedness came from. “This is like the latest we have ever stayed out to investigate,” Rachel said, trying to find some reason why the team was acting strange. “It’s passed my bedtime. My Mom is going to be pissed,” joked Jesse. As the team begin to calm down Alison suggested we try a ghost box session. Rachel put the frequency on AM and they began. “Are you in here with us?” asked Sean. A voice is heard – ‘Yup’. “Do you know what are names are?” asked Rachel. A voice is heard – ‘Bitch’. “Did you move the pillows?” she asked next. But no response. “Who’s here with us? Can you tell us your name?” Rachel questioned. ‘Nick’ was the answer heard. “Yes Nick. We know you’re here,” said Alison. A voice is heard – ‘Scratch’. “Are you going to scratch somebody?” asked Rachel. It was then that Sean noticed something strange. “The door chain is moving on its own,” he stated. Everyone looked over to see the door lock chain swinging back and forth. “That’s not from us,” stated Melissa. “Ya, we’ve been sitting for far too long,” added Jessica. “Are you moving the chain?” Jesse asked. But no responses were heard. “Can you make it stop?” he continued. “Make it stop.” A male voice was heard coming through the ghost box – ‘Can’t you.’ “If you can’t make it stop, can you make it swing harder?” Rachel questioned. A male voice is heard through the ghost box – “Stupid’. “Are you calling us names?” asked Sean. But no response is heard. “Can the man tell us his name?” asked Rachel. Again, there was no response. But this didn’t surprise her. “This place doesn’t like to give names,” she stated. A male voice is heard through the ghost box – ‘Bad’. “We aren’t here to send you away or cross you over,” Alison stated. Whoever was with us seemed to like that statement. The ghost box began to speak – ‘Doug’, ‘Me’, ‘Water’, ‘Gordie’. The Ovilus spoke – Bike. Followed by the ghost box – ‘Nope’. “They like us in this building,” Rachel stated. A male voice is heard – ‘Sweet’. Suddenly, Rachel felt something. “Did you just move your leg?” she asked Jessica. But the answer was no. “Someone just poked me in the back of my leg!” she exclaimed. A male voice is heard – ‘Boo’. “Who just poked me?” questioned Rachel. No response was heard. “Whoever poked me, can you poke someone else? Like Jesse,” she asked. It was shortly after that Alison felt something. “Alright, someone just played with my pants,” she stated. “Seriously?” questioned Rachel. “Ya. They played with the cuff of them,” replied Alison. “Who keeps touching us?” asked Rachel. A male voice is heard – ‘Edward’. “It’s okay. You can touch us as long as you don’t hurt us,” stated Alison. “Someone is touching my back,” Melissa exclaimed. “Who is touching Melissa?” Rachel asked. The Ovilus spoke – Located. “Did you just pull on my sweater?” Sean asked. “There is something here that is playful,” Alison stated. “Like a kid,” added Melissa. “How old are you?” asked Rachel. A male voice is heard – ‘Twenty’. “Can you tell us your name please? Be loud and clear,” she continued. The Ovilus spoke – ‘D’. “There are so many ‘D’ names,” said Alison. “How many ghosts and spirits are here?” she asked. A male voice is heard – ‘Six’. “Can one of them tell us there name?” she asked. The Ovilus spoke – Addition (could it have been trying to say ‘Addison’?). “Did you die here?” asked Sean. A male voice is heard – ‘Partly’. “You partly died here? How does that work?” asked Rachel. Shortly after, Sean began to feel as if there was something, or someone, by the door. “Can you open the door for us?” asked Jesse. The Ovilus spoke – English. Sean got up and headed towards the door. “Sean’s moving. He hears something,” stated Alison. “What do you hear?” questioned Jesse. Sean heads out into the hallway. The remaining group sits in silence, waiting to hear if Sean comes across anything. “Shush. I just heard the weirdest noise,” states Alison. The Ovilus spoke – Deep. A male voice is then heard over the ghost box – ‘Word’, and then ‘Hurt’. “I’ve heard hurt twice,” Alison stated. A male voice is heard again – ‘Help’. “Who needs help?” asked Alison. A male voice is heard – ‘Me’, followed by ‘Deep’. “Deep what? Deep in the ground?” asked Rachel. A male voice is heard – ‘Yup’. “If you need help you need to tell us your name,” she said. A male voice is heard – ‘Jerk’. Rachel repeats the question and a male voice is heard again – ‘Jesus’. “Do you want us to sleep in here or the Pumpkin?” she asked next. A male voice is heard – ‘Pumpkin’. “Do you want us to sleep in one place or two?” was her next question. A male voice is heard – ‘Cabin’. “Do you want us to stay all together or split up?” she asked next. A male voice is heard – ‘Separate’. “I heard separate,” said Alison. With that, we decided that it was time to end the ghost box session and head back to the Pumpkin Cottage.
The Guest House
Located to the west of the main building, and on the other side of the creek sits the Guest house. “I’m afraid of skunks, not ghosts,” stated Jesse as the team made their way up the dark driveway. Suddenly the motion light came on and blinded everyone. It was a fun laugh followed by an impromptu karaoke session of the song ‘Blinded by the Light’. We entered the building and headed up to the top floor. “Hello! We’re here!” Alison called out as she knocked on the door to the one room. “Don’t knock, just barge in,” joked Rachel. “Housekeeping!” she said with a laugh. The team entered the room and Alison notice something was amiss right away. “Those pillows were not like that,” she stated. “I don’t like this room,” Jesse stated. “It looks like someone sat on the bed,” added Rachel. The rest of the team entered the room. The second the door closed, the group began to laugh and giggle. No one could walk straight. The team joked around, laughing and giggling to the point where it was beginning to become concerning. “What has gotten into us?” asked Rachel. No one knew where the lightheartedness came from. “This is like the latest we have ever stayed out to investigate,” Rachel said, trying to find some reason why the team was acting strange. “It’s passed my bedtime. My Mom is going to be pissed,” joked Jesse. As the team begin to calm down Alison suggested we try a ghost box session. Rachel put the frequency on AM and they began. “Are you in here with us?” asked Sean. A voice is heard – ‘Yup’. “Do you know what are names are?” asked Rachel. A voice is heard – ‘Bitch’. “Did you move the pillows?” she asked next. But no response. “Who’s here with us? Can you tell us your name?” Rachel questioned. ‘Nick’ was the answer heard. “Yes Nick. We know you’re here,” said Alison. A voice is heard – ‘Scratch’. “Are you going to scratch somebody?” asked Rachel. It was then that Sean noticed something strange. “The door chain is moving on its own,” he stated. Everyone looked over to see the door lock chain swinging back and forth. “That’s not from us,” stated Melissa. “Ya, we’ve been sitting for far too long,” added Jessica. “Are you moving the chain?” Jesse asked. But no responses were heard. “Can you make it stop?” he continued. “Make it stop.” A male voice was heard coming through the ghost box – ‘Can’t you.’ “If you can’t make it stop, can you make it swing harder?” Rachel questioned. A male voice is heard through the ghost box – “Stupid’. “Are you calling us names?” asked Sean. But no response is heard. “Can the man tell us his name?” asked Rachel. Again, there was no response. But this didn’t surprise her. “This place doesn’t like to give names,” she stated. A male voice is heard through the ghost box – ‘Bad’. “We aren’t here to send you away or cross you over,” Alison stated. Whoever was with us seemed to like that statement. The ghost box began to speak – ‘Doug’, ‘Me’, ‘Water’, ‘Gordie’. The Ovilus spoke – Bike. Followed by the ghost box – ‘Nope’. “They like us in this building,” Rachel stated. A male voice is heard – ‘Sweet’. Suddenly, Rachel felt something. “Did you just move your leg?” she asked Jessica. But the answer was no. “Someone just poked me in the back of my leg!” she exclaimed. A male voice is heard – ‘Boo’. “Who just poked me?” questioned Rachel. No response was heard. “Whoever poked me, can you poke someone else? Like Jesse,” she asked. It was shortly after that Alison felt something. “Alright, someone just played with my pants,” she stated. “Seriously?” questioned Rachel. “Ya. They played with the cuff of them,” replied Alison. “Who keeps touching us?” asked Rachel. A male voice is heard – ‘Edward’. “It’s okay. You can touch us as long as you don’t hurt us,” stated Alison. “Someone is touching my back,” Melissa exclaimed. “Who is touching Melissa?” Rachel asked. The Ovilus spoke – Located. “Did you just pull on my sweater?” Sean asked. “There is something here that is playful,” Alison stated. “Like a kid,” added Melissa. “How old are you?” asked Rachel. A male voice is heard – ‘Twenty’. “Can you tell us your name please? Be loud and clear,” she continued. The Ovilus spoke – ‘D’. “There are so many ‘D’ names,” said Alison. “How many ghosts and spirits are here?” she asked. A male voice is heard – ‘Six’. “Can one of them tell us there name?” she asked. The Ovilus spoke – Addition (could it have been trying to say ‘Addison’?). “Did you die here?” asked Sean. A male voice is heard – ‘Partly’. “You partly died here? How does that work?” asked Rachel. Shortly after, Sean began to feel as if there was something, or someone, by the door. “Can you open the door for us?” asked Jesse. The Ovilus spoke – English. Sean got up and headed towards the door. “Sean’s moving. He hears something,” stated Alison. “What do you hear?” questioned Jesse. Sean heads out into the hallway. The remaining group sits in silence, waiting to hear if Sean comes across anything. “Shush. I just heard the weirdest noise,” states Alison. The Ovilus spoke – Deep. A male voice is then heard over the ghost box – ‘Word’, and then ‘Hurt’. “I’ve heard hurt twice,” Alison stated. A male voice is heard again – ‘Help’. “Who needs help?” asked Alison. A male voice is heard – ‘Me’, followed by ‘Deep’. “Deep what? Deep in the ground?” asked Rachel. A male voice is heard – ‘Yup’. “If you need help you need to tell us your name,” she said. A male voice is heard – ‘Jerk’. Rachel repeats the question and a male voice is heard again – ‘Jesus’. “Do you want us to sleep in here or the Pumpkin?” she asked next. A male voice is heard – ‘Pumpkin’. “Do you want us to sleep in one place or two?” was her next question. A male voice is heard – ‘Cabin’. “Do you want us to stay all together or split up?” she asked next. A male voice is heard – ‘Separate’. “I heard separate,” said Alison. With that, we decided that it was time to end the ghost box session and head back to the Pumpkin Cottage.
Once back at the pumpkin cottage, we decided to relax for a little while and see if anything would come to us while we slept. Upon reviewing the footage, it was noted that the house remained quite. The next morning Rachel, Jesse and Sean left early. Shortly after they left, Alison, Jessica and Melissa had some strange experiences. It was almost as if the morning staff was making their rounds, getting breakfast ready in the small kitchenette off of the living room. Upon investigating, there was nothing out of the ordinary.
(Video coming soon!)
Do we believe that the Grafton Village Inn is haunted? Maybe. Do we believe that there are still few people coming back to check up on the place? Yes. There are definitely a few spirits that are still coming to check up on things. If you’re looking for a place to getaway, close to home, the Grafton Village Inn is the place to go. You never know, you may have a little ghostly experience
To learn more about the Grafton Village Inn, or to book an overnight stay, visit their website at www.graftonvillageinn.ca or give them a call at (905) 349-3024
(Video coming soon!)
Do we believe that the Grafton Village Inn is haunted? Maybe. Do we believe that there are still few people coming back to check up on the place? Yes. There are definitely a few spirits that are still coming to check up on things. If you’re looking for a place to getaway, close to home, the Grafton Village Inn is the place to go. You never know, you may have a little ghostly experience
To learn more about the Grafton Village Inn, or to book an overnight stay, visit their website at www.graftonvillageinn.ca or give them a call at (905) 349-3024