Wenlock Wall

I used to work in Wenlock Lodge. I started in the year 2000 and was there for about five years. Wenlock Lodge was a combined residential and short break unit for adults with a learning disability. Prior to this it was an old people's home. The large complex, situated in Simonside, South Shields was owned by Social Services at the time. The home was split into two wings (residential and short break) divided by a door - which, for one brief time, was bricked up as both wings had independent entrances. But now access had been restored to allow staff and people to cross between the two units. In total there was 12 tenants and 5 short break guests. I worked mostly on the short break unit.

During the night there would be one sleep-in staff member and one waking night worker. During a night shift, you would have to patrol the building from end to end (alone) making sure everyone is okay and no one has tried to break in (and people did try to).

It was during one of my night shifts, while doing my checks on the tenants’ side that I had the overpowering sensation of being followed. I was not frightened or felt intimidated so I just carried on with my checks. However, as I walked along the corridor, I crossed over onto the short break wing. Immediately, I noticed that the sensation had left me. I thought about it for a while then carried on with my duties.

An hour later I started my next round. I left the short break unit and went onto the tenants’ side. As soon as I crossed the doorway, my new invisible friend began to follow me, joining me on my hourly routine.

I recognised the feeling; cold, hairs raised, my personal space invaded, but I sensed a curiosity as if it was wondering what I was doing. I felt quite amused as it reminded me of the ‘follower’ I had when I worked at the Sue Ryder Home. Sure enough, as soon as I had finished my checks and went back onto the short beak unit - the follower stopped at the doorway.

This plan of the building is marked with an 'X' to indicate the doorway between the two units.

This continued to happen throughout the night, on every check. I logged my account in the nightshift book much to the staffs’ amusement the following day. It felt so real but totally non-threatening. I can only conclude that the ‘spirit’ must still exist in the time when this building may have either been divided at this point or from a previous building which may have occupied this site. I wondered if the spirit had watched me walk through a solid wall the same way we are supposed to see spirits do, and that’s why it didn’t follow. I considered whether it felt it wasn’t allowed over on the short break unit so it waited patiently on the tenants’ side? Whatever the reason is, it never happened again during my other night shifts there.

Wenlock Lodge was earmarked for closure so we all got redeployed or went to new employers. The building was demolished in 2005 and the site has been used to build a number of bungalows. I wonder if the ghosts will find this even more confusing?


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