The Black Monk of Pontefract is widely regarded as one of the most infamous and violent hauntings in British history. The events unfolded at 30 East Drive, a modest semi-detached house on the Chequerfield Estate in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, during the late 1960s.
In August 1966, the Pritchard family – Jean and Joe, along with their children, 15 year old Phillip and 12 year old Diane moved into the house. Almost immediately, strange occurrences began to manifest. During a hot summer bank holiday, Phillip and his grandmother witnessed an unusual phenomenon: a fine layer of chalk-like dust falling from below head height, rather than from the ceiling. This baffling event marked the beginning of what would become a series of increasingly bizarre and violent disturbances.
Initially, the activity was minor and sporadic. Lights flickered without explanation, objects disappeared only to reappear in unusual places. A packet of biscuits vanished from the kitchen only to be found later inside a locked cupboard in the living room, and puddles of water formed on the floor despite no apparent source. One such puddle appeared inexplicably in the middle of the living room floor on a sunny afternoon. These early incidents were unsettling but not overtly threatening. However, as time went by, the phenomena escalated dramatically.
The disturbances soon became more aggressive. Furniture was reportedly overturned, including a heavy oak wardrobe in Diane’s bedroom was found upended, plates would fly off the shelves in the kitchen and shatter against the walls, and objects were hurled across rooms with great force, on one occasion, a knife was thrown from the kitchen drawer, narrowly missing Jean. Electrical appliances malfunctioned frequently; lights would switch on and off by themselves, sometimes even at the main circuit board located inside a locked cupboard, Joe Pritchard had to repeatedly reset the circuit breaker. One particularly alarming incident involved the family’s prized grandfather clock falling from the landing and smashing near the front door, just as a visiting vicar was leaving the house.
The poltergeist seemed to exhibit a mischievous yet malevolent personality. Jean Pritchard nicknamed it “Fred” in an attempt to normalise its presence, while local newspapers initially referred to it as “Mr Nobody.” However, as events grew more sinister, it became clear that this was no ordinary haunting. Once, when the family was singing hymns at the suggestion of a visiting vicar, a pair of fur gloves suddenly animated and appeared to conduct the singing themselves. The next day, Mrs. Scholes, a family friend, picked up the gloves with fire tongs, took them to the back garden, doused them with paraffin, and burned them.
The entity appeared to develop a fixation on Diane, the youngest member of the family. She became the target of physical attacks that left her bruised and traumatised. On one occasion, she was reportedly dragged up an entire flight of stairs by her hair while screaming for help. Witnesses later observed finger shaped bruises around her neck, suggesting she had been throttled by an unseen force. In another incident, she was slapped in the face and pulled out of bed while sleeping, and had her hair yanked violently.
Diane’s experiences were among the most harrowing aspects of the haunting. The poltergeist’s aggression towards her seemed deliberate and sustained, leading some researchers to speculate about its motives or possible historical connections.
As the activity intensified, members of the household began to report sightings of a dark robed figure. This apparition was described as tall and imposing, dressed in what appeared to be a monk’s habit with a cowl obscuring its face. Jean Pritchard recounted one such encounter while peeling potatoes at her kitchen sink. She turned around to find herself face-to-face with the figure standing silently behind her. Despite its ominous appearance, she felt no immediate fear before it vanished into thin air.
Neighbours also reported seeing similar apparitions in their own homes or around the property. Mrs Mountain, who lived next door, described encountering a solid looking figure dressed in black in her kitchen. Like Jean’s experience, this apparition disappeared without explanation. Lights flashing on and off in the early morning hours were often witnessed, and loud bangs emanating from the house were heard by several neighbours.
Research into local history revealed that 30 East Drive was situated near the site of an old gallows used during medieval times. According to local legend, a Cluniac monk had been hanged there during the reign of Henry VIII for the rape and murder of a young girl. Paranormal investigator Tom Cuniff suggested that this monk’s spirit might be responsible for the haunting. This theory gained traction due to the entity’s apparent fixation on Diane, who was roughly the same age as the monk’s alleged victim.
While Cuniff’s findings provided a potential explanation for the phenomena, they remain speculative due to limited historical evidence linking the house directly to these events.
The Pritchard family sought help from clergy members in an effort to rid their home of “Fred.” Exorcisms were performed but often seemed to provoke rather than subdue the entity. During one such ritual, walls reportedly began “weeping” holy water while crosses were found inverted throughout the house. In another bizarre incident during a hymn singing session organised by a visiting vicar, a pair of fur gloves appeared to conduct the music on their own. Green foam reportedly poured from taps and the toilet, and heavy furniture was lifted and moved through the air.
Despite these efforts, the activity continued. The family endured years of torment but refused to leave their home permanently. Jean Pritchard even woke one night to find the monk glaring down as it floated over her bed.
The haunting reached its peak between 1968 and 1969 before abruptly subsiding. One notable incident occurred late one evening when Diane screamed after all lights in the house suddenly went out simultaneously. Following this event, and Diane’s eventual departure from the home, the activity diminished significantly.
Although quieter in subsequent years, reports of paranormal activity at 30 East Drive have never entirely ceased. Visitors continue to report unexplained noises, sudden temperature drops, and occasional sightings of shadowy figures resembling descriptions of the Black Monk.
Today, 30 East Drive is known as “the most haunted house in Britain” and attracts paranormal enthusiasts from around the world. It has been featured in books such as Colin Wilson’s *Poltergeist!* (1981) and inspired films like *When The Lights Went Out* (2012), directed by Pat Holden, a relative of Jean Pritchard.
The case remains one of England’s most infamous hauntings due to its combination of physical phenomena, spectral appearances, and historical intrigue. While skeptics argue that psychological factors or deliberate hoaxes could explain some aspects of the case, believers point to consistent witness testimonies and physical evidence as compelling proof of paranormal activity.
