Explanations for “Ghost” Sightings

“Ghost” explanations considered

By Clive Rodgers

Paranormal Investigations & Explanations

A search on the Internet using a search engine such as GOOGLE, typing in the search something similar to ‘The Ghosts of Swanbourne’ will pick up some ghost and paranormal websites which tell the story of the ghosts of the village.  In 2009 there was a field investigation by Luton Paranormal Society, the results of which are available via a PDF report  from the following website:- http://www.lutonparanormal.com/

Supernatural ghost explanations

Pseudo-scientific explanations

Further Investigations

Investigations in to more logical causes came up with several reasonable explanations.

•Excessive storytelling would encourage dreams which can sometimes be mistaken for reality.

•Three stone buildings are close to each other, encouraging echoing sounds, bouncing off their walls, exaggerating distant noises.

•During the 20th Century, most of the time the Manor House was an Old People’s Home.  People who are ill, old and close to death often hallucinate.

•The Green Lady visions were at the hill crest where we have a local microclimate.   Temperature inversion can cause mist to hold on to the hill top in the evenings.

Temperature inversion near Swanbourne Church produces mist that hangs on the hill top.

Being next to a pub for many years would certainly encourage ghost stories which in turn would encourage hallucinations and dreams.  When the Manor was a home for the elderly, stories would have emerged again.  Elderly people are subject to a greater range of serious illnesses which may be accompanied by hallucinations.  The tendency during winter evenings for mist to hang on the hill top due to a local microclimate effect could, at times, give the appearance of ghostly movement if accompanied by a slight wind.  This is an effect that I have observed myself during the winter.

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