Results of spook hunters’ six hours spent in the Merchant’s House to remain secret, for now…

Spook hunters spent six hours on Saturday night in the Merchant’s House, the celebrated, listed home of the prosperous silk merchant Thomas Bayly in Marlborough’s High Street, built in 1653.

But what members of Xeno Research and Investigative Society from Newbury discovered – they were joined by a member of the Merchant’s House Trust and an employee – is not being revealed.

At least not yet.

The findings of the investigation into what phenomena they found will be revealed at a talk to be held on from 7pm Thursday, April 3 at St Peter’s Church.

“All they are saying is that there were a few things that happened but we will have to wait for that talk to discover exactly what they are,” Sam Pinkney, the Merchant’s manageress, told Marlborough News Online.

“They said the house was very, very different at night when it takes on a completely different atmosphere, particularly on the second floor where they are no lights at all.

“So they were up there all by torchlight , a time when a beam of light will show you something very specific that you might not notice during the day. And they were as fascinated by that as much as the research that was being conducted.”

None of the existing trustees have ever seen, heard or felt anything extraordinary, she insisted.
But the Merchant’s House does have a history of being haunted when it served as Marlborough’s branch of WH Smith some 40 years ago.

The manager and his wife, who was the daughter of a Methodist minister, lived in a flat at the back of the Merchant’s House, and they experienced several sightings and regularly had items moved around in their flat.
One night they closed a glazed screen dividing a room and, in the night, was smashed to pieces, no evidence being found of any intruder.

The manager’s father-in-law priest exorcised the building – and the couple moved out soon after.

“But I’ve never felt anything strange in the house,” added Sam Pinkney. “All I know is that it can be very cold in there because there are lots of drafts.

“If there is anything it is probably quite friendly. You never feel it is an unwelcoming house.”