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Sheffield Park spook or spoof? ;-GHOST pictured in a Sheffield park

What a lovely day for a haunting....
Christopher Petty and his brother decided to spend a day outdoors, enjoying the warm Sussex sunshine. Little did they know when they started out that they would be joined by someone or something else.....

Sunday May 16th 2004 started like any other day in early Summer.

The sun was shining and like many of us, southerncounties web surfer Christopher Petty decided to make the most of the weather and
get out and about.

He and his brother decided to visit the National Trust's historic Sheffield Park Gardens in Sussex.

"A garden of secret areas, wide open spaces and stunning colours"

They took their cameras; it is a particularly beautiful spot afterall, and a few photographs of the day would serve as a nice reminder.

So when they started snapping away, neither
of them expected the following results, once the pictures were developed...

Chris explains:

"On the photo there appears to be a shadowy figure of a woman to my right which I can't explain as:

a) There was no-one beside me at the time and

b) There was no statue in that part of the garden.

On the picture there is a mark on the subject's shirt which looks similar to the sunlit leaves on the shrub behind, as visible to the right of the picture.

After much consideration I can only guess that there is either a photographic explanation for this, or that the shadow is in fact a ghost"

Here is the image:

At first glance we agreed with Chris. The ghostly image of a lady is seen in the bottom right hand side of the photo.
There does appear to be a statue behind him, but he says there was nothing there when the photo was taken.

A National Trust representative has confirmed with us that there are no statues in the park.

So we subjected the image to a series of rigorous scientific tests, conducted by our leading paranormal experts....(well, Heather, Ed and Photoshop!)

Our advanced testing methods have proved it to be.... er....um, not quite as spooky as it first appears....

We have decided, after much learned discussion, that the "paranormal phenomenon" which haunts Chris' photo is in fact somebody's granny.

How we came to this conclusion:

1) We lightened the photo.

2) We sharpened the photo.

3) We took the background out.

4) We increased the
colour saturation, which showed the ghostly apparition to have a pink face, a blue rinse and fuchsia lippy. So not your average ghoul.

5) The "spook" also appears to be wearing a rather fetching V-necked, smart but casual pullover, which is as far removed as you can get from the usual long white robes and chains etc...

However, the plot thickens...

Chris says there was no-one beside him at the time of the photo being taken, and who are we to disbelieve him?

So how did this nice old lady get into the photograph unnoticed?

Did she leap out from behind a bush only to hop back into the shubbery again once the flash had gone off?

Possibly.

Was she wearing a Cloak of Invisibility, which she whipped off, to reveal herself at the very second the camera took the photo?

Highly unlikely.

Or is she, as Chris suggests, a ghost?

You decide.................................................

FACTS

Sheffield Park has another ghost story:
Between the 3rd and 4th lakes, known as Upper and Lower Woman's Way Pond, there is a bridge called Cascade Bridge. A headless woman can sometimes be seen standing there but she always vanishes when approached.....

The park has more history than you could shake a stick at:

Sheffield (meaning sheep clearing) Park is mentioned in the Doomsday Book.

In August 1538 Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk entertained Henry VIII here.

By 1700 the Deer Park had been partially formalised by Lord De La Warr who planted trees and established lawns.

In 1796 it was sold to John Holroyd who became Baron Sheffield in 1781.

James Wyatt was called in to remodel the house in the fashionable "Gothic" style and CapabilityBrown was commissioned to landscape the garden

Repton followed Brown in 1789/90 and he concentrated on the area close to the house.

The third Earl, inherited the estate in 1876.

By 1885 an arboretum was being established. Arthur Soames purchased the estate in 1910 and continued the massive planting programme.

During World War II the house and garden became the headquarters for a Canadian armoured division and Nissan huts were sited in the garden and woods. The estate was split up and sold in lots in 1953.

The National Trust purchased approximately 100 acres in 1954. Further acquisitions have increased this to 200 acres including vital shelter belt woodland outside the formal garden.

If you fancy hunting for your own ghosts in Sheffield Park you can get further details of opening times, admission, etc , contacting them by:

Telephone:
01825 790231
01825 790302 (Booking for powered mobility vehicles)
01825 790655 (Shop)

_________________
The supernatural & paranormal is out there.

(ADMIN) madmart
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