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FÆden
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Karma: 214 |  | Clapham Woods - The Dark Fantasy
« Thread Started on Sept 9, 2007, 2:14am » | |
Clapham Wood in West Sussex is a beautiful scenic area of woodland and Heath land located next to the sleepy village of Clapham. It has long been known as an abode for supernatural forces, ancient rituals and a magnet for haunting stories and legends. But is its sinister reputation justified?.
Clapham Wood has a long interesting history going back thousands of years to Pagan times. Its believed that the Druids and ancient peoples of a bygone age used the land for ancestral worship and to honour their Pagan gods and goddess, and to commune with the many nature spirits that are said to reside there in the many tree species found there. Its muttered by some that strange figures can both be seen illuminated in sun and sometimes wither into the shadows of the night. So its no wonder that it still captures the imagination of some, and draws back the modern Pagan in abundance to use these magical woods so to continue the ways of primeval man.
I think if you were to ask anyone who believes in the hear after and the power of ancient ritual, if they believe Clapham wood was haunted by the voices of the past, it would be hard to find a cynical mind. But in recent times the media and certain individuals have been telling dark stories and legends of human and animal sacrifice going on deep within the woods at night by unseen groups. Dogs and sometimes other animals are said to go missing, and occasionally the mutilated bodies are found the following morning by horrified unsuspecting dog walkers.
Even humans have said to have gone missing, only then to be found murdered a short time later. Is all this really the actions of an underground Occult group, or just a myth projected to the media, and summoned up in the imagination and overactive mind of someone looking to deep into nothing, looking to create a dark mystery novel? If you do the research I think it is safe to assume that it is a little bit of both fact and fiction, morphed together to make a mostly benevolent thing seem more sensational and malevolent.
Charles Walker is one such individual who has been studying the history and supernatural and UFO aspects of Clapham wood since the mid 60s. His story is somewhat dramatic and like something you might see in a Hollywood movie, or read in a murder mystery novel with a touch of politics and the supernatural thrown in for boosted effect. He claims to have been researching paranormal activity in the woods in and around November 1978, frustrated with little luck he then got a mystery phone call from a man asking himself to met him at a crossroads in the vicinity of the woods, sceptical, although unafraid, he decided to do so, when there he was met by the voice of a man assumed to be the same man that had phoned him, the voice told him not to turn around, and to listen to him, and told him about their group that the man called “The Friends Of Hecate” he went on to explain that it was his group that had been responsible for the kidnapping and killing of the supposed dogs that has been going missing. Hecate, a Greek goddess, has a strong connection to dogs and the spiritual underworld that some might see as “Hell“. The voice of the unseen man went on to say that they were a satanic group and would stop at nothing to silence anyone interfering, and would do whatever it took to keep their activities and intentions a secret. Mr Walkers meeting with the man ended with simple silence after Walker fished for more answers, eventually nervous he left and went home.
The above encounter somewhat confuses me. If the members of “The Friends Of Hecate” were wanting to keep their activities and intentions secret and private, what on earth were they doing contacting a researcher and telling him all about it, knowing he was likely to divulge this knowledge to others? I believe this story is a fabrication, or if this part of the story was indeed factual, it was someone pulling Mr Walkers chain, and he took the whole hoax seriously, which caused him to believe such a cult existed, which trigged his research into the “Friends of Hecate” causing him to look into myths that were never there. He wanted to find evidence of such things so badly that he was always going to find it. Other than what Mr Walker has suggested, no real tangible evidence exists at all for the existence of “The Friends of Hecate” nothing that cant be explained away by harmless Pagans performing rituals revering the elements of nature, which is a common occurrence in the woods of Clapham.
Mr Walker also claims to have had guns pulled on him, and been in high speed car chases by mysterious cars and that the group goes as deep as governmental positions, all the plots and scenes to Hollywood action flicks. If these things such as car chases and threats with guns did happen, why are there no reports of Mr Walker reporting it to the police? That is quite a serious thing.
Mr Walker claims that an unusual amount of missing dogs have gone missing in the woods because of these satanic groups, yet I my self looked into these claims and found that the numbers of missing dogs reported missing were no different than in other parts of the rural areas of the United Kingdom, in fact they seemed to be less around the Clapham area because dogs mostly get stolen in cities and towns by criminals looking to make some money from their sale. If this group was abducting dogs and wanted to stay anonymous, wouldn’t they, if they had any intelligence, be taking dogs from further a field instead of in the same woodland they did there secret rituals on? Why risk more suspicious attention on the area you perform your rituals, in which you would want as little amount of attention as possible?
Mr Walkers story reminds me oh so much of the “Satanic Panic” seen in the 80s and early 90s created by Christian fundamentalists claiming that Satanism was rife in our society and that thousands of people, both in the UK and U.S, were going missing and being sacrificed in devilish secret rituals each day. Of course this was obviously all sensationalistic lies and a form of propaganda with the agenda of terrifying people into their belief system, but the “Friends Of Hecate“ concoction seems to have the very same ingredients.
I do not suggest that Mr Walker is a lair, and from what I have heard he is believed to be an honest gentleman, and what I know from what I have seen is that he seems like a nice enough chap, but I believe he is looking into something that is not there, that he so desperately wants to be there, and that maybe his experience with the mysterious stranger in the woods might have made him somewhat paranoid, understandably so.
It is obvious that Mr Walker is seeing the left over evidence of innocent Pagan rituals gone on at the times of Pagan festivals, and he is using them to fuel his beliefs in “The Friends Of Hecate”. Dead animals are sometimes found in the grounds of Clapham, but many animals live in the woods and die in the woods, so there is no mystery there. Only a handful of people have been reported to have been killed in the woods, or at least found dead there since the 60s, some of which were not believed to have been murdered, but take any area of land over time its going to see its fair share of human death, after all, humans live on and use the land.
I would like to state that I do not believe that black magick does not go on in the UK, I am certain it does, but such things as animal sacrifice are exceptionally rare in the UK, and that human sacrifice most definitely does not happen, as reported by Walker and others in and around Clapham woods.
So, if most of the stories are just wishful fantasies of someone looking to create myths and legends for people to chat about over a nice pint, isn’t there any truth to the paranormal on Clapham woods? I believe so yes, just not as sensationalistic as some might want you to believe.
In the mid 60s a wave of UFO reports started to manifest into the media and newspapers causing people to travel to the woods and clearings to spot UFOs in the summer night skies. And ever since the area has been a hotspot for UFO sightings and activity. Some even connect the supernatural happenings such as the ghost sightings with the UFO sightings, saying the woods are a huge form of energy where powerful leylines cross attracting paranormal phenomena in abundance.
A very common experiences felt by many who dwell there is a feeling of sickness or dizziness, sometimes people say that they feel a presence following them and a terrifying feeling of vertigo. Could this be the effects of spirits roaming the land, or the energy pulsing through the woods because of the leylines found under the earthy pathways of Clapham?
Mists are said to be seen lingering around the trees, sometimes moving in and out of them, which being in a woodland might not be to strange, until the mists take the form of animals, in some reports bears and wolves.
Many reports of ghosts and spirits have been seen around Clapham, some believe they are spirits that once occupied the local church, others the ancient spirits of our Pagan ancestors, but what ever there origins, one can imagine the locals of Clapham must be fed up with the constant visitors and the dark reputation of their village and surrounding woods, and just want all the attention of their home to cease, but while TV shows like the fairly recent horrendous “Scream Team” continue to sensationalise it, and spread the myths about the woods, and people continue to write fantasy about it, I am sure the locals wishes are futile and in vain.
Faeden
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Listen to them, the children of the night. What sweet music they make. The World is divided into armed camps ready to commit genocide just because we can't agree on whose fairy tales to believe. In the end, Religion will kill us all. -- Ed Krebs ![[image]](http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b6/Faeden/UKParanormalBanner2.jpg "[image]") |
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ajagsfairy
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« Reply #1 on Sept 9, 2007, 2:29am » | |
Lets go camping there can we Please!!! It sounds very beautiful and magical.
I hate when media over exaggerates and tries to demonize everything its all just fear tactics. I wouldn't doubt people might go there to do rituals and such because i would if i could also but i highly doubt there is animal sacrifices and such. I would like to see first hand hardcore proof if it was being done there because a claim such as this it is hard to just take someones word for it with nothing else to back it up.
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FÆden
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Karma: 214 | | Re: Clapham Woods - The Dark Fantasy
« Reply #2 on Sept 9, 2007, 10:53am » | |
We shall go camping hun. But be warned deluded wannabe paranormal groups and Most Haunted fans flock there at night trying to feel like professional parapsychologists finding pagan paraphernalia and thinking its Satanic sacrificial evidence, I have seen their hilarious reports on their websites. But we could have some fun and give the uneducated fools something to shit there pants about 
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Listen to them, the children of the night. What sweet music they make. The World is divided into armed camps ready to commit genocide just because we can't agree on whose fairy tales to believe. In the end, Religion will kill us all. -- Ed Krebs |
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amphitrite79
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« Reply #3 on Sept 9, 2007, 12:49pm » | |
That was very well written Faeden and sounds like a fascinating place, with or without the alleged "satanic" practices.
It sounds like some places in Australia, and no doubt others all over the world, where there is definitely something there, some kind of energy or force not understood. And it is this lack of understanding, or knowledge, of what is really going on that causes people to sensationalise and -to put it bluntly- make up outright donkey poo in order to come up with an explanation for what they feel.
What I believe is that with these places the natural energy is, and has always been, so strong and focal that even the indigenous people (and by indigenous I mean anyone native to an area) in the years past felt it and worked it. What we feel now is not only the energy that was there originally but also the native connection still present.
I am very much interested in the connection between UFO sightings and places reputed to be haunted and have been thinking about that a bit lately and so is another reason why I enjoyed reading this article!
Good work mate! 
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ajagsfairy
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« Reply #4 on Sept 9, 2007, 8:15pm » | |
I got to thinking about this and logically if a group wanted to remain secret or anonymous why would they contact a researcher and tell him their secrets. Also how do they know it isn't some punk teens playing pranks after hearing about the publicity.
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researcherx
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« Reply #5 on Sept 10, 2007, 7:18pm » | |
I have a secton of land which has a creek running through it. It is heavily wooded with China Berry tree, Black Locust tree, Paradise tree, Pecan tree, Walnut tree, Mulberry tree and other varieties. I will not allow anyone to bulldoze the trees down and it is the only section of the creek that has heavy tree cover. I have had the county ask me to I would let them bulldoze the trees and I have even had offers from neighboring farmers to let them bulldoze down the trees. I always say no.
I go out into this wooded area with my two dogs and I sense a force. It is not evil nor good but rather neutral. It is the force of the spirits of nature. I will sometimes find an open area and sit and meditate while my dogs run around looking for a hare to chase. I find it very calming and I feel totally re-energized by this force. It is especially strong in the Fall when the trees start changing into the beautiful Autumn colors.
The creek is also a habitat for a varieties of animals and reptiles. I have seen deer, wild turkey, bobcats, pheasants, quail , doves, racoons and have even heard the cries of a strange animal which sounds something like the Tazmanian Devil which I know is not an American specie. The frogs, toads and lizards also have their home on my land.
The Mimosa tree, Bird of Paradise trees, Trumpet Vines and other flowering plants at my house attract Butterflies and Humming birds. The humming birds will come and hover in front of our faces and squeek at us. They are fearless and friendly and quite beautiful. They look like fairies swirling about and chasing each other. The creek also attracks the Monarch Butterfly migrations and the trees come alive with pulsating wings of Black and orange.
I know my small section of land cannot compare to the beautiful heavy forrests of England but it is my own private small forrest full of life, wonder and spiritual energy. I believe with all my heart that forrests and heavily wooded areas are perhaps home to human, animal, and Nature spirits.
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shadow
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Karma: 96 | | Re: Clapham Woods - The Dark Fantasy
« Reply #6 on Sept 14, 2007, 9:26pm » | |
I've worked with Charles walker when we investigated a certain venue in sussex as he used to be a member of the ghost club I am a member of. He seemed an okay guy but his claims were subject to a lot of sceptism due to the stories he claimed were proved to be false on quite a few occasions. I don't want to divulge any details as it caused a lot of problems within the group. My opinion is that his claims are 50% plausible. Though Clapham woods are worth a camping trip it is still a dangerous place just from the wandering drunks and druggies never mind anything more sinsiter
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FÆden
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Karma: 214 | | Re: Clapham Woods - The Dark Fantasy
« Reply #7 on Sept 14, 2007, 9:37pm » | |
ResearcherX. That is an honourable thing to do. Most people would have given in to the temptation to ruin such beauty for money, I respect you for sticking to your guns. I wish more people had a passion for protecting beauty that you do, instead of thinking of themselves.
Shadow.
That is interesting. I have never been to Clapham Wood, but am planning to one day.
I don’t think the drunks could be that dangerous, the south coast isn’t really known for its dangerous crime levels, id have thoughts drunks and druggies mostly hang around towns and cities.
Faeden
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Listen to them, the children of the night. What sweet music they make. The World is divided into armed camps ready to commit genocide just because we can't agree on whose fairy tales to believe. In the end, Religion will kill us all. -- Ed Krebs |
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shadow
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Karma: 96 | | Re: Clapham Woods - The Dark Fantasy
« Reply #8 on Sept 14, 2007, 9:55pm » | |
The Ghost club have stopped doing clapham woods for a while I believe. Firstly because although something always goes down its getting a bit quiet now and two there was some real hairy moments from people who were still flesh and blood and they had to leave early. I think because the woods have such a reputation that you can never rule out human intervention for anything as it seems to be a mecca for all types of people. I'd just say be careful if you go and watch your back very carefully
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researcherx
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« Reply #9 on Sept 18, 2007, 8:58pm » | |
Thank you Faeden for the compliment.
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foolhardy
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« Reply #10 on Mar 15, 2008, 8:29pm » | |
Even today people are still saying that there has never been occult activity at Clapham wood - even though many people have had various frightening experiences in the area - and a great many long before I became involved in the investigations or the case made the news.
Yes the investigations caused a stir and it meant that a great many idiots visited the area, but they have never been a threat to the serious investigations.
There is still a great deal going on in the area but there are an increasing number of pagans and witches visiting the location in an effort to restore some balance to the site.
Charles W
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FÆden
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Karma: 214 | | Re: Clapham Woods - The Dark Fantasy
« Reply #11 on Mar 16, 2008, 2:45pm » | |
Hi Charles.
Thanks for commenting, I do hope my sceptical opinion on your beliefs and claims do not offend you, but I do find it really hard to believe it all without evidence.
I am sure Occult activity goes on there and being that witches and Pagans visit the area it is guaranteed, but this is the same with any natural place with an ancient past.
Thanks for joining by the way.
Faeden
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Listen to them, the children of the night. What sweet music they make. The World is divided into armed camps ready to commit genocide just because we can't agree on whose fairy tales to believe. In the end, Religion will kill us all. -- Ed Krebs |
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andrenfr
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« Reply #12 on Oct 25, 2009, 8:14pm » | |
Hi,
I read the reviews of Clapham Village and Clapham wood with alot of interest. My Parents live there..in the village obviously, and it's great fun to read some of the Myths and Legends that have sprung up over the years..of course the dog-nappings and the Heckate stuff is well known, and one of the contributers is correct that not many paranormal researchers disturb the locals much these days.
Alot of the basses have already been covered but I just wanted to add a couple of things..Firstly as far as I know, the woods aren't inhabited by drunks and drugggies..it is a beautiful ancient rural woodland and one should take care in camping in the open there as anywhere. As a teenager I used to spend nights there..not to abuse booze or drugs...but to have a creepy night out..it was huge fun.
Secondly if you do go there you MUST visit Cissbury Ring, which is on a knoll heading towards Findon Villge..now that really is a mystical experience..and I defy anyone who stands in its center, not to have a very powerful experience.
For the Ufologists out there..in 1979 I was in my parents house watching tv..when the whole house started to shake..I ran outside and saw a sight that I will never foget..A vast and when I say vast I mean it...brightly lit disc flew very low overhead and headed in the direction of Arundel. It was soundless apart from the noise of the house shaking..I personally know five other people who saw it...never reported it though..you were laughed at in those days.
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