Hauntedland - Marsden Grotto Report

Marsden Grotto

The Grotto would be my final investigation as a NGI team member. It is a location I've wanted to visit for a long time and I hoped it would live up to the reputation it had developed over the years. I arrived at the carpark at 11.15pm and met up with the team before going down to the bar. I was surprsied to see the only person there was Bekki. I had expected to find a few remaining drinkers hanging on until the last minute as in previous experiences of pubs, but thankfully there was none.

A member of the bar staff gave us a tour of the building and talked briefly about other paranormal groups who had visited. One thing that was pointed out was a mark in the shape of a footprint in the upstairs restaurant. This mark was near the window on the wooden floor. It was claimed that even after the wood was sanded back and revarnished a few times, the shape reappeared.

Another comment was made by a couple of staff who said that since recent renovation of the steps leading down the cliff side, activity in the Grotto had practically diminished entirely. This may have explained why there was no atmosphere at all when I walked into the Grotto. It was a disappointing start.

Between 11.30 and 12.00am I took shots of the location and orientated myself before things began. Outside there was a strong smell of urine from near the toilet area and while on the terrace a number of bats swooped overhead and came very close. It was warm and close, the tide washed gently on the shore and slowly receded. The moon in its final quarter occasionally appeared from behind a cloudy night sky.

Between 12 and 12.45am we considered our plan for the evening and split into 2 teams. Before we started the bar staff turned off what lights were allowed but the remaining emergency lights still left the building relatively light so any hope of an atmosphere based on the psychology of being in the dark was lost.

My team consisted of Lee (me), Julie, Bekki and Phil.

12.50am
We began the investigation on the terrace. The Ouija Board was our first choice of communication. In the still, warm night Julie began by calling out in an attempt to get the board moving. As there was no response we took a turn in seeing if it made a difference – but no. The board was as dead as the atmosphere.

The famous pebble beach has a number of interesting features, such as the now ruined Marsden Rock and caves along the cliff face. We strolled along the beach to see if the atmosphere changed. Known for being a place for suicide jumpers we wondered if we’d pick up on this, but again there was nothing.

1.15am
Back in the Grotto we sat in the downstairs cave. In a corner reputed to have activity, we set out the Ouija board and began calling for spirits to communicate with us. After about 5 minutes and a lack of response we attempted glass divination but again, there was no response. We all commented on how flat the atmosphere felt.

1.30am
As team one had the whole downstairs section to explore we decided to split up individually and see if we could sense or experience anything rather than pursue the group activity.

I took snaps of the bar and restaurant areas, sat quietly in various places and allowed my thoughts to drift. What started as a location with high expectations had become somewhat boring.

I've been here many times during the day from being very young to an adult. I used to like to play on the beach, explore the caves and crawl through the tunnels under Marsden Rock. I'd heard about the ghosts that were said to haunt the Grotto and many years later, here I am sitting in the very pub I wanted to investigate - only to find I was bored. There was no connection with the place at all which I found sad and frustrating.

2.00am
The team gradually drifted back together and we discussed the disappointment of the Grotto and reminisced about the locations that had been interesting and theories as to why Marsden Grotto seemed to lack any kind of atmosphere whatsoever.

2.30am
The teams swapped locations and now we had all of the upstairs area.

We looked about, checked windows for breezes and while doing this we heard a rasping sound. We quickly found this to be the air vents in the ceiling, which rattled even louder when a door in the far end of the restaurant was opened.

2.45am
The Ouija board was our first choice of communication again just to see if the location made any difference. But it didn’t. We then tried glass divination. Just as we started I was showered with dust and grit from somewhere. I looked above my head and could see a gap between the ceiling and the rock face, which forms part of the interior wall. I put the dust shower down to air circulating in the ceiling space blowing the dust and grit through the gap.

2.50am
A loud clatter in the small bar drew our attention but again we quickly picked up on an ice machine dropping its hourly load. While we were in the bar we tried the Ouija again as well as calling out for anything to happen from affecting the EMF meter to rattling glasses on the shelves. All remained quiet.

3.10am
The small bar was very warm and uncomfortable so we returned to the bigger restaurant. The tables were quite large and heavy but as we had not tried table tipping, this would be our next attempt at getting some sort of result. Again we were disappointed.

3.30am
Myself and Bekki decided to go into the two toilets on this floor as these were a lot darker. We couldn't stand being in there no longer then a couple of minutes in each due to the over powering smell of urine. Not a pleasant place to be at all.

So team one got back together to discuss the night and we concluded that on this occasion at least there was as much paranormal activity going on as there was blood coming out of the rock face.

Conclusion
We were all disappointed. The Grotto had been marked in the diary for a while and it was a location with enough history to justify its haunted claims. Perhaps the ghosts were fed up of being investigated and took the night off. Maybe our expectations were to high based on the claims made. Or even the suggestion that activity had practically ceased since the stairs were renewed on the cliff face was more accurate.

Whatever the reason, would I come here again? For an investigation probably not. For a meal and a drink - probably.

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Location: Marsden Grotto
Where: South Shields
Visit: 12th September 2009
Time: 11.30pm to 4.00am

Marsden Grotto
Edited extract from Wikipedia

The Grotto, is a public house located on the coast at Marsden in South Shields. The pub is unique in being the only 'cave bar' in Europe.

Retired quarry man, Jack, and his wife set up home in a cave near Marsden Rock. The dwelling was accessed by stairs down the cliff, thought to be built by Jack. Jack and his wife would sell refreshments to visitors to the beach.

Peter Allan bought the Marsden Grotto with money left to him by his father. Peter extended the caves to include a ballroom and kitchen, turning Jack's house into an inn.

In 1848 John Clay bought The Leas and claimed that the land gave him rights to The Grotto. Allan battled with Clay in court and was forced to pay £50 costs and £10 annual rent for 20 years. Allan sunk into depression and died in 1849 leaving his wife and eight children.

After Allan’s death his family continued to run The Grotto and many improvements were made, along with further excavations implemented by Allan's children. A catastrophic cliff fall in 1865 almost destroyed the inn. Large retaining walls were built to protect the internal structure.

The Harton Coal Company acquired The Grotto in the latter half of the 19th century. It had substantial success during this period, but it was also allowed to fall into disrepair.

Vaux took over The Grotto in 1898. In 1938 Vaux purchased The Grotto and buildings joined on to the caves were rebuilt to a high standard. A lift was also added to the surface. In 1999 Vaux couldn't find a buyer for Marsden Grotto and it closed down.

The Sunderland restaurant firm, Tavistock, purchased the Grotto. The premises were totally refurbished and the grotto opened.

The Grotto was sold to London Inns & Restaurants in 2003 and later passed to Oxford Hotels and Inns Management Ltd.

In September 2007, South Tyneside Council, who are responsible for the stairs, closed them off due to a damaged step, pending repair. Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service ordered the pub be temporally closed to the public until the stairs reopen as they are the only means of safe evacuation from the pub, especially at high tide. The Grotto reopened on 21 March 2008.

Ghosts
There have long been tales of hauntings at the Grotto, mainly relating to a smuggler who was reputedly murdered by his fellow criminals after selling information to HM Customs. It is said that he was hung in a cave close to the present lift shaft and left to starve.

Until the pub was sold by Vaux, it was said that the landlord would leave out a special tankard of ale each night after closing and, in the morning, it would be empty.

Unfortunately the original tankard was lost during refurbishment. A replacement is on display, but is no longer filled up each night for the ghost.