{"id":176,"date":"2017-04-10T14:30:55","date_gmt":"2017-04-10T13:30:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hauntedwales.org.uk\/?p=176"},"modified":"2017-04-10T14:30:55","modified_gmt":"2017-04-10T13:30:55","slug":"interview-with-geraint-the-snakeman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hauntedwales.org.uk\/?p=176","title":{"rendered":"Interview with Geraint ‘the snakeman’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Llanelli, Wales most Haunted Town?<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the third part our feature on Llanelli Ghosts<\/a> (second part The Haunting of Miss X)<\/a>, I wanted to speak to a Ghost expert and find out what paranormal activity there is around Llanelli.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Therefore I took my trusty recorder and arranged a meeting with Geraint Hopkins.\u00a0 Geraint, who is more commonly known as Geraint the Snakeman has been investigating ghosts and paranormal activity since 1989 through Ghost Watch Wales<\/a>. He was also a consultant on the successful Living TV Series \u2018Most Haunted\u2019 when it came to the area and has had strange experiences throughout his life.\u00a0 .<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I asked him about the famous buildings and places around Llanelli and was fascinated to discover a lot of stories that I hadn\u2019t heard before and which are not in print.\u00a0 There were also a few stories that we deemed unsuitable for publishing for a variety of reasons.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

We start with Llanelli House, and Geraint tells me that the ghost of Mira Turner<\/a> is not the only inhabitant!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Llanelli House<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI first investigated it back in the 90s when it was Easy way.\u00a0 The gentleman who ran the place was having strange \u2018goings on\u2019 in there, so we stayed the night!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhilst we there, the alarms started going off in the middle of the night.\u00a0 I remember being drawn to the downstairs fireplace and I had a strange feeling that someone was looking down on me.\u00a0 Though when I looked up there was nothing there!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI went back about a year ago to do a proper investigation with Most haunted and we picked up a lot of activity.\u00a0 \u00a0However, Mira Turner<\/a> did not fall down the stairs, she went through the window in the back of the house.\u00a0 Mira still haunts then house and she\u2019s not the only one.\u201d There\u2019s a lot of spirit children there, playing like back in the time when the house was used. It\u2019s not malevolent, it\u2019s a happy place.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve also discovered the spirit of a man named Wilfred.\u00a0 He\u2019s a former butler, is happy to stay there but isn\u2019t too happy with the current state of the house.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThere have been stories of people being pushed down the stair of the main staircase.\u00a0 I don\u2019t think they are being pushed, it\u2019s just like a woman\u2019s dress is brushing past you.\u00a0 We\u2019re not sure which one of the spirits it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we were filming there we blacked out all the windows with plastic sheeting, it was summer and we needed it darker.\u00a0 When we finished filming and were outside, we noticed a man\u2019s face looking back at us.\u00a0 There was no one in there, I locked the house!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s also the story that at 12 midnight on New Years Eve that a phantom stagecoach comes rushing down past the old church.\u00a0 It starts off in Parc Howard and it is supposed to be Thomas Stepney\u2019s funeral coach.\u00a0 I did speak to a gentleman, who\u2019s a reporter and he told me that back in the 60s he was riding a moped past Parc Howard and heard noises behind him.\u00a0 He looked around and saw the coach and horses and it went straight through him!!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of spirits there but we can\u2019t tell who they are but people have seen faces in the windows.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Parc Howard<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been in there all night without Most Haunted and I can tell you that there\u2019s definitely two spirits there.\u00a0 They are a nurse and First World War soldier.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIn fact, I think it was about 6 months ago and I just happened to be there and bumped into a group of school children and their teacher.\u00a0 The school children said \u2018we\u2019ve just seen a ghost in the window!\u2019\u00a0 I asked the teacher and they finally relented and confirmed what the children had seen!\u201d\u00a0 The windows that they saw them in have been boarded off!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNumerous people have said when they\u2019ve passed Parc Howard they have seen a soldier in the grounds, a stage coach which is not Lady Stepney\u2019s but I\u2019m not sure whose it is and also the nurse!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOn investigations with EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomena<\/em>) on the tape recorder, we have picked up voices from the past.\u00a0 We contacted the ghosts and they are happy to be there.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s also something strange in the tower.\u00a0 I had a feeling that someone was painting.\u00a0 I later found out that an artist used to use it and still walks around the stairs.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThe staff have never felt anything but one a cleaner did refuse to clean there.\u00a0 There are little children walking around and a lot of residual energy.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Old Hospital<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cInside the old hospital, things were seen.\u00a0 One night a sister went to sleep in the old casualty unit.\u00a0 Somebody came up and touched her and when she looked up, she saw a man in Victorian clothing.\u00a0 Some of the nurses I know have seen figures which are not there and heard noises.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Cilymaenllwyd<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s supposed to be a curse there!\u00a0 One of the children drowned in a pond out the front and two drowned down the beach and people have actually seen children walking around there.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cA gentleman who worked there came to see me and said that the servant bells would ring in the cellar but they weren\u2019t connected.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cOn the very top floor it is haunted by the ghost of a woman and child.\u00a0 I would reckon that it is one of the most haunted houses in Llanelli and would like to to carry out a proper investigations.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Pembrey Country Park<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe man in brown overalls is in one of the bunkers.\u00a0 I have personally seen him and so have some of the staff in the country park. \u00a0\u00a0He worked there when it was a munitions factory.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve also seen the ghost of a man without a face.\u00a0 He came at us really close and made me jump!\u00a0\u00a0 He is the spirit of one of the ammunitions workers who was killed in an explosion.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the most active parts are the woods.\u00a0 Walking in the woods we saw little lights from lanterns.\u00a0 \u00a0They are the type of lanterns that the <\/em>Gwyr Y Bwelli Bach (the wreckers who used to lure ships onto the beach during the 1700s) would have used and we\u2019ve seen them flickering as if they were waving in the ships.\u00a0 A lot of people have said that they seen them. \u00a0\u00a0Another time in the woods we saw a figure of a man, we tried catching up but whenever we got closer he got further away until he disappeared.\u201c<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe were down the beach walking one night when we saw what we thought was a fisherman.\u00a0 When we went closer, it simply vanished.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cFisherman have told me that they\u2019ve seen things on the beach and legged it, the coast is allegedly <\/em>haunted by the ghosts of those killed by the Gwyr Y Bwelli Bach.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t advise the public to go down there ghost hunting in the night.\u00a0 It is dangerous!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Court Farm<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never done a proper investigation there but stayed the night and we did see the figure of a woman walk straight into a wall and vanish.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

RAF Pembrey<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI haven\u2019t spent the night there but I have been told by a chap that he and his grandson both saw an airman.\u00a0 People have also heard aircraft in the night when none have been talking off and strange lights have been seen in the sky.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI heard of the story of the old lookout tower. There\u2019s was gentleman up the tower, there was only one way up.\u00a0 He turned around and saw a face looking at him which was impossible as it was about 60 feet up!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Kidwelly Castle<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI picked up what could only be described as a preacher coming out of the church and I also saw \u00a0up on the battlements a shimmering person holding a spear in his hand walking from one battlement to another.\u00a0 This has been witnessed by other people too.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI went down in the oubliette, that\u2019s where they used to throw the prisoners in the old days.\u00a0 I had quite a bad feeling in there, as if I had been scratching and clawing to try and get out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Trimsaran<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s stagecoach that goes through Trimsaran and goes down past the Farriers.\u00a0 A gentleman once told me that he was driving in Carway at around 12 midnight on a certain date and a stagecoach came towards him and forced him off the road.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Llangennech<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Plas in Llangennech which is now a derelict building.\u00a0 My auntie used to live not far from there and she told me that she saw a figure in white walking through the grounds.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve also heard of a story about the rich woman who used to own the Plas who passed away.\u00a0 The maid was in bed one night and the woman came back as a ghost.\u00a0 She beckoned the maid follow and took her to a secret hoard of jewels under the floorboards.\u00a0 However, the maid sadly passed away as she\u2019s had such a fright through shock! \u201c<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThere have been figures seen walking round the grounds.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThe old church on the marsh.\u00a0 Some kids went camping and saw a giant figure of man standing in church doorway.\u00a0 The church isn\u2019t there now, it has been moved to St Fagans.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Miscellaneous <\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cStrange things have been reported in Llanelli market, I\u2019ve seen a woman with a parasol walking through there and people have heard their names being called out.\u00a0 I\u2019m hoping to put a camera up in there.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cJust outside Llannon, there is a phantom horseman.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIn the old Stepney Hotel, one of rooms was haunted and footsteps have been heard in the corridor.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s apparently a ghost in the cellar of Trostre Works.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s been seen a young girl with a lamp down<\/a> Machynys and I remember a gentleman telling me about the time he was walking his dog there one night and he saw the figure of a monk in a habit<\/a>.\u00a0 I\u2019ve been down there but never seen anything there but felt a strange presence.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Where is the most haunted place in Llanelli?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d say Llanelli House, though there is a lot of activity in Pembrey but that is over a wider area.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What would you say to anyone thinking of going ghost hunting?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t!\u00a0 Also don\u2019t ever mess with Ouija Boards or do s\u00e9ances in your house as you could bring in a malevolent spirit.\u00a0 Don\u2019t go into old buildings as they are dangerous.\u00a0 Young people are very impressionable but never try to do experiments in your house or your friends.\u00a0 If you want to get into ghost hunting or the paranormal, watch the programmes on Tv, read books, look at the internet or go with a group that know what they are doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It was quite chilling listening to Geraint list the number of places around Llanelli that are rumoured to be haunted.\u00a0 As I stated in the beginning, there were a few alleged hauntings or paranormal activities that I am unable to tell but which over time I guarantee will be added to the local folklore.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Do I believe in Ghosts?\u00a0 I don\u2019t know yet, but something strange has happened already.\u00a0 I was finalising this interview and going through the recording (it was a digital recorder) and listening to it when I heard a strange noise.\u00a0 It sounds like someone shouting and is louder than Geraint and myself talking.\u00a0 The strange thing is that we were the only ones in the room and the recorder was between the both of us on a cushion.\u00a0 You can also hear the both of us talking oblivious to the \u2018shout\u2019.\u00a0 I\u2019ve checked the recording further and found another \u2018strange\u2019 noise.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What is it?\u00a0 I don\u2019t know but we will investigate it further and let you know.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In the meantime, part 2 of the interview is where Geraint explains all about what Ghosts are and what equipment a good Ghost Hunter requires.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

For those of you intending to go Ghost Hunting, please take Geraint\u2019s advice and leave it to the experts.\u00a0 I intend to!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Have you seen any of the ghosts mentioned here, or have you seen anything strange?\u00a0 If so, let us know by emailing jonathan@llanellitown.com.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Llanelli, Wales most Haunted Town? In the third part our feature on Llanelli Ghosts (second part The Haunting of Miss X), I wanted to speak to a Ghost expert and find out what paranormal activity there is around Llanelli.   Therefore I took my trusty recorder and arranged a meeting with Geraint Hopkins.\u00a0 Geraint, who […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,20],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hauntedwales.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/176"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hauntedwales.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hauntedwales.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hauntedwales.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hauntedwales.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=176"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.hauntedwales.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/176\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":177,"href":"https:\/\/www.hauntedwales.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/176\/revisions\/177"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hauntedwales.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=176"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hauntedwales.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=176"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hauntedwales.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=176"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}