'Ghost' Of Condemned Criminal Wearing Hangman's Hood Photographed In Former Prison Cell
Is This The Ghost Of A Condemned Criminal Wearing A Hangman's Hood?
South West News Service
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A 'ghost' has been photographed in a former prison where inmates were hanged hundreds of years ago.
The eerie image appears to show the apparition of a condemned criminal wearing a hangman’s hood.
It was taken by amateur photographer James Pykett inside the cells at Nottingham’s Galleries of Justice Museum.
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James Pykett believes this picture may reveal the apparition of a man wearing a hangman's hood
The 25-year-old took the picture when he visited the cells in July but only spotted the strange figure when he uploaded it to Facebook last month.
There has been a court at the Galleries of Justice site since the 14th century and jail cells since 1449. Prisoners were once hanged on the steps of the prison.
Pykett, who works as a CCTV operator in Nottingham, said seeing the picture made the "hairs on the back of my neck stick up".
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There have been jail cells at the Nottingham Galleries of Justice Museum since 1449
He added: "I believed I could see a shadow and when I zoomed in, I was adamant that I could.
"At first I thought it looked like a guard but then on closer inspection the figure appears to be wearing a hood which condemned prisoners wore when they were hanged.
"I started the Facebook page in July and must have taken over 1,000 photos at 14 different locations since then.
"I am interested in the supernatural, and also in the historical side of these sites.
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Prisoners were once hanged on the steps of the prison
"It all started back a few years ago when I spent a night in the cells at the Galleries of Justice.
"That night made me want to answer more questions about the site because it was just really creepy down there, and I have become fascinated with paranormal stuff since then.
"This particular photo was uploaded in July, but it wasn’t until mid-September when I was messing around with pictures, and doing a bit of picture editing, that I tried enlarging the image, and saw that stuff in the photo.
"It's almost more spooky that I didn’t see the ghost in the photo to start with but that it was there in the background all along."
Faye Rollinson, spokeswoman for the Galleries, said: "Visitors say that when they are walking in the cell area they often have a feeling that they are not alone.
"People say they have seen dark figures there."
David Cross, who runs the Nottingham Ghost Walk, said: "Nottingham is one of the most haunted places in England due to historic happenings, including the Norman Invasion."
He said several ghosts are said to frequent the area around Robin Hood’s statue and Lace Market.
Vintage Pictures Of 'Ghosts'
(01 of17)
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A photograph of a group gathered at a seance, taken by William Hope (1863-1933). The information accompanying the spirit album states that the table is levitating - in reality the image of a ghostly arm has been superimposed over the table-stand through double exposure. Hope's spirit album photographs use multiple exposure techniques to render the appearance of ghostly apparitions. Hope founded the spiritualist society known as the Crewe Circle and his work was popular after World War One when many bereaved people were desperate to find evidence of loved ones living beyond the grave. Although his deception was publicly exposed by a private investigator in 1922, he continued to practice. (Photo by SSPL/Getty Images)
(02 of17)
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A portrait photograph possibly taken by William Hope (1863-1933). A young woman's face appears as if floating above the sitters, draped in a cloak. Hope may have already held her photograph in his studio, or he may have asked the couple to supply photographs of deceased relatives under the pretence of using the image to contact the spirit world. Hope's spirit album photographs use multiple exposure techniques to render the appearance of ghostly apparitions. Hope founded the spiritualist society known as the Crewe Circle and his work was popular after World War One when many bereaved people were desperate to find evidence of loved ones living beyond the grave. Although his deception was publicly exposed in 1922, he continued to practice. (Photo by SSPL/Getty Images)
(03 of17)
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A photograph by William Hope (1863-1933). A woman's face appears above the couple - identified at the time as the sister of a man prominent in the Spiritualist Church. Her cloak adds to the ethereal effect. The signature in the upper left hand corner is by one of the sitters, to authenticate the plate. The couple are the parents of the person who compiled the spirit album. Hope's spirit album photographs use multiple exposure techniques to render the appearance of ghostly apparitions. Hope founded the spiritualist society known as the Crewe Circle and his work was popular after World War One when many bereaved people were desperate to find evidence of loved ones living beyond the grave. Although his deception was publicly exposed by a private investigator in 1922, he continued to practice. (Photo by SSPL/Getty Images)
(04 of17)
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A photograph of a man, taken by William Hope (1863-1933). A woman's face appears in a 'misty' cloud to the right of the man - identified as that of his deceased first wife. Hope may have already held her photograph in his studio, or he may have asked the man to supply her photograph under the pretence of using the image to contact the spirit world. The signature in the upper left hand corner is the sitter's, authenticating the plate. Hope used multiple exposure techniques to render the appearance of ghostly apparitions. He founded the spiritualist society known as the Crewe Circle and his work was popular after World War One when many bereaved people were desperate to find evidence of loved ones living beyond the grave. (Photo by SSPL/Getty Images)
(05 of17)
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A photograph of Will Thomas, taken by William Hope (1863-1933). A man's face appears in a haze of drapery on the right of the photograph. Thomas, a medium from Wales, did not recognise the superimposed image. Thomas has signed the bottom of the photograph, 'Sincerely Yours Will Thomas' - perhaps this indicates a friendship with Hope. Hope's spirit album photographs use double and even triple exposure techniques to render the appearance of ghostly apparitions around the sitter. Hope founded the spiritualist society known as the Crewe Circle and his work was popular after World War One when many bereaved people were desperate to find evidence of loved ones living beyond the grave. Although his deception was publicly exposed in 1922, he continued to practice. (Photo by SSPL/Getty Images)
(06 of17)
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A photograph of Mrs Bentley, once the President of the British Spiritualists Lyceum Union, taken by Wylie. A superimposed image - that of Mrs Bentley's deceased sister's face - appears at the lower right of the photograph. (Photo by SSPL/Getty Images)
(07 of17)
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A strange visage appears on a piece of cloth next to the head of medium Marthe Beraud (aka Eva C) during a seance, circa 1910. Picture taken from 'Les Phenomenes dits de Materialisation' by Juliette Bisson. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
(08 of17)
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A couple are terrified by a spectral apparition, circa 1880. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
(09 of17)
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1865: A ghostly figure appears to a couple eating their dinner in a country cottage. London Stereoscopic Company Comic Series - 225 (Photo by London Stereoscopic Company/Getty Images)
(10 of17)
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circa 1865: The ghost of a woman appears to a girl at prayer by her bedside. London Stereoscopic Company Comic Series - 183 (Photo by London Stereoscopic Company/Getty Images)
(11 of17)
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circa 1865: A man clinging to a tree in the face of an apparition in a forest. London Stereoscopic Company Comic Series - 72 (Photo by London Stereoscopic Company/Getty Images)
(12 of17)
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circa 1865: An apparition appearing to two country folk in their kitchen. London Stereoscopic Company Comic Series - 10 (Photo by London Stereoscopic Company/Getty Images)
(13 of17)
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circa 1865: An apparition causes havoc by menacing two people in their kitchen. London Stereoscopic Company Comic Series - 13 (Photo by London Stereoscopic Company/Getty Images)
(14 of17)
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circa 1865: A frightened man praying on his knees to an apparition. London Stereoscopic Company Comic Series - 17 (Photo by London Stereoscopic Company/Getty Images)
(15 of17)
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circa 1865: A ghost floating slowly towards a dishevelled man hiding in a corner. London Stereoscopic Company Comic Series - 169 (Photo by London Stereoscopic Company/Getty Images)
(16 of17)
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CIRCA 1865: A ghost attacks a man with a sword. Early double-exposure by G. Maerkl. Vienna. Carte-de-visite Photographie. Arond 1865 (Photo by Imagno/Getty Images)
(17 of17)
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If viewed from certain angles, glass on its own can act as a mirror. In the past this was used to create 'ghosts' on stage. The ghost was actually an actor under the stage. An angled plane of glass reflected light from the ghost towards the audience, who would see the ghost but not the glass. (Photo by SSPL/Getty Images)