It's Halloween and I think my house is haunted

[HappyWithLife]

Yikes...I live in a 15th century thatched cottage which is reputedly haunted. Other people staying here have said they have seen things (bizarrely it's always the same description), a black shadowy mass standing by the bed, or on the stairs. We've only lived here for a few months, and although I've heard things I've never seen anything and it hasn't really bothered me.
BUT...lately the 'activity' has increased. My daughter came running downstairs the other night because she had heard something being dragged along the floor in her bedroom,(I put it down to her overactive imagination because she had been to see paranormal activity 2) and one night last week she was terrified because she heard someone laughing in her room, a deep man's laugh. I'm a single mum and there are NO men in the house!The dog will stand and stare with his ears pricked. And when I came downstairs this morning the blinds in the living room were closed - I NEVER close the ones at the back of the house because the cottage is not overlooked, and the blinds are really stiff. I know these blinds were open when I went to bed last night, and I was the last one up.
Now, I am usually quite level headed about these things but it's Halloween and to be honest I'm starting to get a bit spooked!It's one of those rare occassions where I wish I wasn't single

15th century house will have creaks and shadows and stuff.
And as to the man laughing, probably someone outside, same with teh dog trying to work out if someone is coming to the house.
And the blinds, well if that's the worst your 'ghost' does then so be it. More likely to be your daughter trying to spook you or you simply forgot.

Have a happy halloween

Gilly...yes lots of creaks and noises. I just wish the 'ghost' would do something more useful...hoovering would be good [hgrin].

I definately didn't close the blinds...they are roller blinds and are SO stiff that no one ever bothers anyway.

It doesn't help that the house shares a courtyard garden with a really old church.

Thank goodness for Mumsnet's rational thinking.

If this isn't a halloween windup
Call a priest. House blessings do wonders.

LOL, no it's not a wind up. I was thinking about getting a paranormal investigator to see if it is haunted, but don't really want to 'upset' the 'ghost' if there really is one here.

The vicar who married us does quite a few exorcisms. Mostly in North London though. Ghosts are just as keen on 1970s semis. Could be worth asking your local clergyman if it's really bothering you. Luckily we live in an old barn and all the ghosts are dead cows.

I think paranormal investigators are charlatans on the whole [and they will charge you a fee] Priests don't charge and house blessings don't upset anything, rather lay things to rest.

Yeah don't be sucked into this whole paranormal activity thing. It's rubbish. Why do they walk round in the dark and scream, just turn the light on and you'll feel better...! My friend believes in all that stuff, she wants to believe in it. It's twaddle imo.

You're just seeing things that aren't there. It's an old house, you knew that when you bought it, and it creaks and has shadows because it probably is a bit wonky.

Your dd seeing a creepy film has freaked her out, that's NORMAL. She's now looking for things to be scared about. Don't go see the films if you don't want to be freaked out.

LOL, that's what I told her, don't go and see the film if you're scared...and she does get really spooked by things. Oh well, there's no telling teenagers.
And yes, the house is really wonky - we can't even have wardrobes or chests of drawers without wedging things underneath to make them level [hgrin] as the floors are really uneven.
I guess it is just the old house, and my daughter's hysteria. Thanks. x

I lived in a haunted flat once and tbh it was much easier than living with my previous flatmates! It wasn't harmful. We cohabited peacefully! I definately felt sometrhing and a former coleague had lived there and seen something walk through a wall!

However, I don't mean to spook you. It probably is just down to it being an old house and in any case it is harmless.

we live in a 17trh century mill and we have a ghost. Or more accurately we have footsteps that march up our wooden staircase into the living room from time to time.

A number of us have heard it. It even came up the stairs one night when I had friends to dinner, much to their amazement!!

It doesnt seem to do any harm and doenst bother the kids, so we co-exist quite happily

Happy, I'm a single mum too. ghost is much less trouble than my ex

LOL...glad it's not just me. I agree, he (for I feel it is male) doesn't fart, drop dirty washing or take the remote control. Happy Days [hgrin]