In Pure Spirit

For open minds

Sponsored Video: Macmillan Cancer Support’s Tree of Light

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The cancer support charity Macmillan have allowed energy supplier Npower to hook up with them this Christmas.

The goal is to raise awareness of Macmillan’s work. The Tree of Light itself is in Covent Garden London and the idea is that people cover the tree with baubles and that those baubles are notes of remembrance for those lost to cancer. If you can’t make it to London then you can visit this special page on Npower, leave a message and it may be shown on a screen in the Tree of Light itself.

In Pure Spirit

Have you been to see the Tree of Light in London? Why not upload or link to any pictures of the towering tree you took while you visited the gardens.

Disclaimer: The video is distributed and sponsored by Macmillan, the text and opinions are my own.

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Ghosts on the London Underground

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ghosts in london

Posters like this are common place in the London Underground. They tell you about delays, about the importance of drinking water when it’s hot and not leaving your luggage. Okay, posters exactly like this one aren’t actually common. This one deals with ghosts.

In Pure Spirit

Have you seen anything like this before? Why not share your thoughts and links in the comments below?

History and hauntings of Saint John’s Chapel and the Tower of London

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The Tower of London is one of the best-known buildings in London and a major tourist attraction. It is of architectural interest and historical significance. Not only has this building got an interesting history, there are also stories of hauntings that make this building even more intriguing.

Construction of the Tower of London began in the 1070’s when William the Conqueror wanted a stone tower in the centre of his London fortress. Saint John’s Chapel, part of the original White Tower, was constructed in 1078. The White Tower was completed by 1100 and dominated the skyline of London as it stands at 90 feet tall. Many monarchs added to the building and by 1350 the tower was complete as it is known today. Elizabeth of York, wife of Henry VII, was laid in state in Saint John’s Chapel, after she died during childbirth in the Tower.

The Tower of London saw several significant changes of use during the World Wars. Josef Jakobs was the last person executed here in 1941 and the predominant use of the Tower was as a prison. There was also great bomb damage, especially to the North Bastion, in the Second World War. The Crown Jewels were removed to a place of safety and allotments for growing vegetables were created in the moats.

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Hauntings

With such a long history it is little wonder that the Tower of London is alleged to have hauntings. One of the most famous ghosts is the White Lady. It is believed that she appears in a window to wave to children in the opposite building. Her perfume can be strongly smelt entering Saint John’s Chapel. Guards at the White Tower have reported a crushing sensation when in the gallery, close to Saint John’s Chapel, and one guard was even choked from behind, leaving marks on his neck.

Further ghostly sightings from other locations around the Tower of London include those of many well-known historical figures. Thomas A. Beckett was the first ghost to be reported here but the ghost of Queen Anne Boleyn is possibly the most persistent ghost. Her headless body has been seen walking the corridors of the Tower. Ghosts of two young boys, thought to be the two princes, can also be seen. It is believed that Richard V and his brother Edward were murdered by their uncle. Their skeletons were found in the White Tower.

In Pure Spirit

Have you been to the Tower of London and taken a tour? Did you pick up any sense of its history, did you walk where condemned men and women once trod or did you sense anything out the ordinary?

What do you think it would have been like to visit St John’s in the Tower? A chapel in a building associated with so much death, murder and betrayal?

Image credit: St John’s Chapel, Tower of London Wikimedia Commons.

What about the Highgate Vampire?

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In the 60s a group of youngsters with a growing interest in the occult began to explore Highgate Cemetery in London. One of them, David Farrant, spent a night there. He mentions this in the book he wrote on the subject in 1991.

A few months later, in February 1970, Farrant wrote to the local newspaper to describe a figure in grey he had seen while passing the cemetery. By the 13th of that month, several other people had responded to the newspaper piece, with differing accounts but tails of ghosts in the cemetery or the nearby Swains Lane. The ghosts included a tall man, a cyclist, a white lady, a white form drifting between the graves and a shadowy figure wading into the pond.

Sean Manchester, also a local, revealed that local Satanists had awoken a Wallachian vampire who had been carried from Europe to Highgate in his coffin. He cited reports of dead foxes, with no clear cause of death, in the Highgate cemetery as proof.

The two men were not friends and competed on theories and media attention. Farrant and Manchester both claimed they would lead a vampire hunt and dismiss the vampire.

On the 1st of August, 1970 a headless and burnt body was found not far from a catacomb. Police suspected the body had been used in a black magic ritual. Shortly afterwards Farrant was found by police by the churchyard carrying a crucifix and wooden stake, he was arrested but later released when court dismissed the case.

Manchester claims that a sleep walking psychic woman led him through the graveyard, to (perhaps the same) catacomb. They couldn’t open the door, so climbed down through a hole in the roof and placed garlic and holy water in the empty coffins they found there.

The story of the Highgate Vampire is now a fairly common one for in books. It is even suggested that the Hammer Horror film Dracula AD 1972 was inspired by the Highgate Vampire.

In Pure Spirit

Do you believe there was ever a vampire or a mystery in Highgate Cemetery or has the whole drama been created by the feud between Farrant and Manchester? This December will be the 43th anniversary of Farrant’s first, reported, sighting.

Death Eater UFOs spotted over Tottenham London

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This video looks like it was recorded on a smartphone with a camera from a train in London, UK. It’s not clear whether they’re heading into London via Tottenham Hale or leaving the city.

It’s a little hard to spot at first but there are a series of strange lights in the sky. At one point around the 3 second mark there are a series of smokey trails. However, at the time of posting at least one comment suggests this just may be smart after effects.

In Pure Spirit

What do you think? Anything odd about these strange lights over Tottenham? Or is this a just a clever fake?

Dr Giles Fraser resigns in support of Occupy London Stock Exchange (#occupylsx)

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The clergy of St Paul’s Cathedral are split over how to handle the Occupy London Stock Exchange (#occuplylsx on Twitter) protest. Protesters outside have set up a camp and are refusing to move; they wish to see support the 99% against the corporate greed of the 1%.

The cathedral has been forced to shut over health and safety grounds. While some of the clergy considered using legal powers to force an eviction of the protesters – sending in the police – others, like Dr Giles Fraser were appalled at the idea. Was this anyway for for the cathedral to act? He threatened to resign.

Sadly, today, Dr Giles Fraser felt it necessary to resign in order to support the humane treatment of the protesters outside and St Paul’s Cathedral accepted the resigionation.

The dean of St Paul’s, the Rt Rev Graeme Knowles told press;

Giles has brought a unique contribution to the life and ministry of St Paul’s and we will be very sorry to see him go.

“He has developed the work of the St Paul’s Institute and has raised the profile of our work in the City.

“We are obviously disappointed that he is not able to continue to his work with Chapter during these challenging days.

“We will miss his humour and humanity and wish Giles and his family every good wish into the future.”

In Pure Spirit

Do you think Dr Giles Fraser has done the right thing? Has the cathedral authorties acted correctly and fairly during the protest?

What do you think about the Occupy London Stock Exchange protest? Do you agree with their message or their means?

Picture credit: Peter Morgan

Disclosure

This blog discusses ideas and causes. Urban myth and history combine here. In Pure Spirit covers stories from elsewhere on the web and may make fair use clippings and quotations from the original source.