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| Black Magic In Clapham and Sussex, by © Charles Walker |
An article by Charles Walker, which details his long investigation into strange phenomena and black magic activity in the Clapham area of Sussex. (Please note the views in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Mysterious Britain team)
INTRODUCTION.
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| A demonic wall painting discovered by the author in a disused manor house near to Clapham Church, once a meeting place for the Friends of Hecate. Image © Charles Walker |
Anyone with an interest in the occult, and a few who have no interest, will have heard of the incidents which have taken place at Clapham Wood and Chanctonbury Ring in Sussex. There are however many other sites which are, in some cases, far less well known by many people for their importance within occult circles. Some have been mentioned briefly in the past, but because much of what goes on at such sites is rarely detected they never attract the attention which places such as Clapham have. Some of these sites have been the subject of my research in recent years. Such places as the West Kennet Long Barrow, Rollright stone circle, Glastonbury Tor and numerous locations in Devon and Cornwall. There are of course a tremendous number of other sites throughout the country. Some are used regularly whilst others are used at particular times of the year, such as the Summer Solstice.
Many people will doubtless object to these places, many of which are well known historical sites, being associated with the occult and macabre practises. However in most cases there is more than just verbal evidence to indicate that this is the case. Very often proving that such activities take place at a specific location can be difficult. Blackmail, sex and drugs are used to ensure security within occult groups such as the Friends of Hekate, who have regularly used Clapham Woods for their meetings, is maintained.
I must just refer to one comment which is always made when anything to do with the occult appears in print, and that is that discussing the subject will just encourage others to become actively involved in macabre occult practises. In almost all cases this is not so. Actually it is ignoring the matter which eventually leads to people becoming involved; at least this is what I have found. So many times I have come across young people who have become involved because they were 'curious'. Neither their parents or anyone around them would even mention the subject and they therefore decided to find out for themselves when the opportunity presented itself. Had they been given some information about the subject they almost certainly have avoided such involvement. Refusing to discuss the subject will not make it go away.
When the subject is discussed there is often considerable confusion as to what exactly is meant by witchcraft, Satanism, black magic etc. If you ask the uninitiated what they can tell you about witchcraft the chances are they will talk of the desecration of graves, the sacrifice of animals and the practise of sexual perversion. Why? Simply because this is how, by tradition most people see the practise of witchcraft. One interpretation of the occult in general has been accepted for many, many years, and that is the one which the church has promoted. In actual fact the practises referred to here have nothing to do with the pagan religion of witchcraft. Black magic and Satanism on the other hand does quite often include all of this and more, as you will discover throughout this article.
It is often said, including by those involved in the occult, that there really is no such thing as white and black magic. There are however 'forces' which exist naturally and which can be put to use by those with the ability to direct them towards a specific goal. The forces itself is neither positive or negative but exists in a 'neutral' position until directed by the magician. This means in effect that this force can be used to do both good or bad. Which one depends on the individual using the force. However because it is impossible to visualise a force it is personified as a god or goddess. At some time during a ritual, be it witchcraft or black magic, a particular deity will be called upon to direct his or her attention towards a specific end. This may be to help someone (positive), or harm them (negative), depending on the particular group in question.
Witches, that is those who follow witchcraft or white magic (Wicca), direct this force towards beneficial ends. As J Gordon Melton says in his "Encyclopaedic Handbook of Cults of America", 'Ethically witches value freedom and harmlessness as expressed in the Wiccan Rede, Lest ye harm none, do what you will. They also believe that the effects of their magic will be returned threefold upon the person working it'.
The mere fact that witches believe that the effects of their magical workings will be 'returned threefold' is enough to stop them harming anyone, even if they feel tempted at times. Such a threat does not however worry such groups as the Friends of Hekate. They feel that they are in a position to control what ever might happen and, if anyone gets hurt it will not be them.
Finally I should like to make it perfectly clear that although I have strong views regarding the differences between black magic, Satanism and witchcraft I do not want what I have said to be taken as encouragement for those who may be considering becoming involved in any form of occult practise. I would say that in most cases it is far safer not to get involved - but everyone has a will of their own and individuals must decide for themselves what they do and do not do with their life. Think very carefully before you make a decision, which will have a profound affect on the rest of your life.
1. CLAPHAM WOOD - The Occult Connection.
The quite village of Clapham, Sussex, had its peace shattered in the mid 1960's when stories in the local press gave details of unidentified flying objects which had apparently been seen in the vicinity. Suddenly local ufo enthusiasts were descending on the village at all hours, day and night, in search of evidence of ufo landings, of which several were reported, as well as local witnesses to the sightings. It has to be said that there were very few local people who had seen anything. Or is it that they were reluctant to speak of their experiences? It is difficult to say.
For several weeks there was an almost constant stream of sightings, although not all of them made news in the local press. All night vigils were a regular thing throughout the summer months, when hardly a weekend went by without there being at least ten people wandering through the woods and village hoping to see something. Most reports at that time were what is these days considered to be a classic sighting - 'strange lights in the night sky'.
Occasionally stranger and less easily explained sightings were reported, although it has to be said that these were almost always made by those involved in the investigations. Those already convinced that ALL the reported sightings were genuine. One such sighting occurred in the summer of 1967. Mr Paul Glover, a well known local ufologist, was walking with a friend over the downs towards Clapham. At about 10pm they both noticed a large black mass in the sky moving at speed towards them. In written statements made later the described the object as boomerang-shaped. It moved fast but silently across the sky. After a few minutes their attention was drawn to two bright objects. One of these 'ufos' released a smaller object, which made its way towards and eventually entered the second object. Within seconds it left and disappeared from sight. As they continued their walk across the downs they saw more objects, a total of six that evening.
Mr Glover's own group investigated this case but they could find no explanation for what he and his friend had seen. The case remained on their files as unexplained. After a while ufo sightings like this became less newsworthy. They were it seemed common place and there was really nothing new to report.
Peace was not about to return to the village however, as a new mystery began to unfold. Reports of dogs disappearing in certain parts of Clapham Wood attracted new interest. Dog owners reported that their dogs had wandered off in to the woods and were never seen again. In other cases dogs appeared to go mad in certain parts of the wood, running round in circles and foaming at the mouth. When they were taken out of that particular area they recovered fully.
Mrs Rawlins of Worthing lost her labrador dog after taking it for a walk in the woods. Entering a part of the wood known as the chestnuts she waited until she was well away from the main road (A24 Worthing to Arundel road) before letting her dog of his leash, allowing it to run free. The dog disappeared in to the woods for a short while, returning with no problem when it was called. It was not until she returned home that she noticed that there was something wrong. The dog appeared to be paralysed from the middle of it's back down to its rear. It came on so suddenly and Mrs Rawlins decided to call her vet. After a brief examination he decided that there was nothing he could do and as the situation was getting worse there was no choice but to put the creature down.
The following day Mrs Rawlins re visited the area where she had walked the dog in the hope of finding out what could have caused her dog to become paralysed. She found nothing. As far as the author is aware the body was not examined and therefore no explanation for this sudden illness was forthcoming.
For the ufo enthusiasts the disappearance of the dogs was just what they had been looking for. There were reports of ufo landings at about this time and they were quick to conclude that there must be some connection between the two. This is something which most people looked upon as a joke. They could not accept that ufo's were anything more than natural phenomena, i.e. planes. weather balloons etc, let alone that creatures from outer space would want to steal dogs. What on earth would they want the for?
Despite the instant dismissal of such a suggested connection the subject continued to be newsworthy, and for much longer than just plain ufo sightings. However whilst all this was going on there were some serious investigations taking place in to the disappearances, and the first thing that had to be established was whether the reported disappearances were fact and whether they could be explained away naturally. Perhaps the dogs had been shot? Could it be that they had been caught in a trap? Had they eaten something used in the control of pests? All of these possibilities were considered and investigated when it was possible to establish the exact area where the dogs had gone missing. In time all of these possibilities had been dismissed. So what was the explanation? At that time there did not appear to be one.
Throughout all of this I had been working on my own, attempting to follow through the various reports etc. Although I had been able to collect some information regarding the various phenomena reported my files were by no means complete. In many cases the local ufo groups had got to witnesses before me and either they were unwilling to discuss the subject any further or they had made an agreement with such organisations not to pass information on until the investigations they were conducting had been completed. Either way at that stage the situation was preventing me from carrying out my research. For this reason I decided that the best course of action was to join one of these groups. That would at least give me access to their files and at the same time allow me to be in at the start of any new investigation.
It soon became obvious, even if I had any doubts, that there was not even the slightest thread of evidence to connect the ufo sightings and the disappearance of the dogs. The ufo sightings in themselves were interesting, particularly as it appeared that detailed investigations had been carried out in almost all cases and still about 30% remained unexplained. The data in the files of the particular group I had joined was, like all other groups before and since, no nearer to providing an explanation for the sightings, unless of course you are prepared to seriously consider that these dazzling discoids come from another solar system.
What I became very interested in whilst looking through the various notes relating to Clapham Wood was the reports of the dog disappearances and the fact that a number of people had reported strange feelings whilst walking through certain parts of the wood. Such cases had, although I was not aware of it before, been reported some time prior to the first ufo sightings. Many people had always felt that there was something strange about the wood but they were not quite able to explain it.
However having established myself within the group I was able to extract information from the files and visit one or two of the people who had reported their experiences. What I was particularly interested in of course were the experiences which had been reported before the publicity began, and there were quite a few cases.
As far as the dog disappearances are concerned they seemed to occur in two definite areas, there were one or two exceptions to this of course. The main area was along a footpath which runs from the Arundel Road through the village of Clapham. A short way along the track (from the Arundel Road) four footpaths meet. In this vicinity a number of dogs had disappeared, unfortunately there is no accurate record of the exact numbers, and a dozen or so people have reported feeling sick, suffering from stomach cramp and vertigo. The second area was in the vicinity of the church, which is on the edge of the wood and slightly isolated from the village.
Looking through the recorded cases there did not seem to be a set age group, more males than females or visa versa, or fixed dates when this happened. These were all factors which I looked at in an effort to find an explanation. I even checked the phases of the moon and the general weather conditions, if they had been recorded, in an attempt to explain what had happened. There did not seem to be any obvious explanation. However their files were not complete and there had been so much publicity regarding the possible ufo connection that a great many people were reluctant to come forward with any information which they might have.
The only way I could see of getting this information was to make it known that I was interested in all aspects of what had reportedly taken place there, and this meant further publicity. The media was still covering stories and articles reporting recent experiences and this gave me an opening I had been looking for. I began writing letters to the local papers pointing out my interest in the subject. At the same time I had received some information regarding a possible connection between the strange feelings which, by this time, a considerable number of people had reported, and possible occult activity in the area.
The occult is something I had always been interested in but I must admit that I had not, at that time, thought of connecting what had been reported at Clapham with the occult. I had been so busy collecting together information and looking at all other possible explanations, and at the same time trying to convince those attempting to connect all of this with ufo's that there was no connection, that I had actually overlooked the occult as a possibility.
My letters to the press, together with additional publicity, prompted replies from all sorts of people. Some were serious and provided valuable comments and information which I was to use in later investigations, whilst others (probably the majority at that time) contained somewhat stupid comments and were therefore of no value. Unfortunately when dealing with such matters as ufo's and the occult you are bound to attract idiots and fanatics who very often hamper serious studies because they are able to attract publicity.
However in November 1978 the lead I had been looking for came along. I received a telephone call from a well-spoken person asking me to meet him in Clapham Wood that evening. The location of the meeting was to be at the crossroads along a footpath known as The Chestnuts, a place where several strange things are reported to have happened in the past. The meeting, if I was prepared to attend, would be half an hour from the time of the telephone call. Not a lot of time to consider whether I should go or not. I had received telephone calls before offering information but I had never attended simply because the callers just did not sound sincere. On this occasion however there was something about the tone of the voice that told me that I should take the caller more seriously than the others I had received.
After some brief thought I decided to go. It might just be worthwhile. The idea that I might be in danger never entered my head. It was not until after the event that I realised the stupidity of going without telling anyone about it. Although I had been communicating with one or two other serious investigators there was no time to get in touch with them on this occasion, and even if I did there was no guarantee that they would be able to drop what they were doing at that moment and join me. Anyway I set out for Clapham Wood, which was just a short cycle ride from my home. I had no other means of transport at that time.
I rested my cycle against the large gate that blocked the path to motor vehicles and began walking up the track towards the meeting point. As the light from the vehicles passing a long the main road gradually disappeared from sight the atmosphere of the place began to creep up on me. I began to feel totally isolated for a while. Had I not been able to pull myself together slight fear could so easily have turned to panic and I might have ran back to the road and cycled home without ever finding out what the mystery caller wanted. However I managed to control my feelings, convincing myself that it was just my imagination and nothing more.
Within a few minutes I reached the point where the four tracks meet and, in the limited light, began to look a round for the person I was supposed to meet. I could neither see nor hear anything and began to wonder whether I had finally fallen for a hoax call. I paced up and down the track, twenty yards or so either side of the crossroads, four or five times. Just as I was about to give the whole thing up a voice coming from behind some bushes on my left told me not to attempt to look round. 'Just listen to what I have to say', he said.
Hearing this voice so suddenly coming from the darkness and silence I had experienced for the past twenty minutes or so made me feel fear again. I was frozen to the spot yet felt like running as fast as I could. What was going to happen? 'What an idiot', I said to myself. 'Why on earth had I let myself in for this?'
After a few seconds of silence the mystery person began to relate information regarding the activities of an occult group in the area. He also indicated that they used a sacrifice regularly at their rituals. The group was called the Friends of Hecate and they were devoted to the Goddess Hecate whose close association with dogs meant that such creatures were being sacrificed in her honour.
He went on to tell how the group, whose activities he said were of a satanic nature, was formed in Sussex and had been using Clapham and the surrounding area for some time. They had been responsible for taking the dogs and would continue to do so for the foreseeable future. The dogs, and occasionally other domestic and farm animals, were sacrificed at their monthly meetings. He also added that they would stop at nothing to protect the identity of their members and the activities of the group.
The meeting ended as abruptly as it had started. I did not hear him leave but when he failed to respond to my attempts to ask questions I assumed that he had left, or at least that the meeting was over and made my way back to the main road and home from there. It was not until I arrived home that I gave any serious thought to what might have happened. I could have been in real trouble. Fortunately this was not the case and I soon got down to analysing what had actually happened.
Why had this person decided to give me this information? He had also warned me not to pursue my enquiries any further. Surely he did not seriously think that I was going to leave it there, not after being given a possible explanation for one of the mysteries, which, by this time was almost constantly in the press. I am not one to go looking for trouble but I could not let this go. It was potentially far too important for that. If what I had been told was true these people had to be stopped, if that was possible.
The reasons for this person passing on the information is something which I had discussed with a number of people. One of the conclusions reached was that perhaps he was not entirely happy with what had been going on. It may also be that he was trying to get out of the group or perhaps he realised that I would not leave it there and hoped that in time the group would be exposed and their macabre practises stopped. That really remains a mystery.
What was not a mystery was the connection between thee Goddess Hecate and dogs. She is depicted as a triple headed Goddess, one of the heads being that of a dog. When invoked she is said to appear followed by a pack of hounds and in the past dogs were sacrificed in her honour. Once Queen of witches her fearsome spectral image was said to frequent graveyards and, according to some sources she has control over the dead.
I had established a connection between Hecate and dogs but I still had to find out whether or not there was any occult activity in and a round the village of Clapham. I was already in contact with someone who had a friend living in Clapham so I asked them if they had heard anything. Although they were aware of the reported ufo sightings they had not heard mention of 'witchcraft or anything like that'. On my behalf they made some enquiries and met with a very hostile response. In fact so much so that there was a feeling that some body was hiding something. Certainly there are a great many people living in and a round the village that are not aware of what has been going on. However it is equally certain that the Friends of Hecate had and probably still have at least one if not more contacts in the village. It would not be possible for the group to operate in the way they do without 'someone on the inside' so to speak.
Every time I attempted to obtain more information about the group I came up against a brick wall. It seemed to me that there was no way of confirming the presence of an occult group in the area. It was at about this time that I met up with fellow researcher Toyne Newton. He had been studying press reports and speaking to some of the witnesses with a view to writing an article for 'The Unexplained' magazine. We had both been working independently up to that point but, after some discussion, decided that if we were to get anywhere we would have to work together. There was little point in us both going our separate ways, particularly as we discovered that our opinions of some of the reported incidents were roughly the same.
Anybody with further information about the activities mentioned in this article, and about black magic at other sites around the country can  Charles Walker at charles_walker2@hotmail.com
Text copyright Charles Walker 2001 |
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