Asking the Professionals: Is The Close Haunted?

Over time The Close’s received far-reaching attention as a spot the supernatural likes to frequent. With a history deeply connected to the tragedy of the plague, many paranormal investigators have felt inspired to take a closer look at the underground site. 

The historic site of The Real Mary King’s Close brims with tales of the people who lived and died here. Some stories founded in historical research, some anecdotal. Whether founded in fact or based on own experiences, all accounts are definitely worth telling and listening to!

Our most notable visitor must be the TV programme “Most Haunted” with Yvette Fielding in 2004, but Dr Ciaran O’Keeffe and Steve Parsons also grace our wall of fame with their presence. 

Also read: Paranormal Encounters on The Close

Every year, we welcome paranormal groups from all over the world who hire The Real Mary King’s Close for their own independent investigation. Accompanied by one or two of our team members, they choose the rooms they want to investigate and the methods for research (except ouija boards). Findings wary but we can observe some common threads among the most recent ghost hunts. Read on to find out about the experiences and encounters from three paranormal investigation groups and individuals.

Two Grumpy Fellows and the Hustle and Bustle of The Close

Ewan Irvine, a Scottish psychic and paranormal medium with over 30 years of experience visited The Real Mary King’s Close many times. Having spent many hours on-site, he described it as “both a very atmospheric and haunted location.” 

Especially in the Chesney household, which was home to the very last resident of Mary King’s Close, Andrew Chesney, Irvine detected a strong presence. He felt a man who was not well-liked within his community and who was not best pleased to have people in his house. As the medium conducted his investigation, he could feel the spirit growing increasingly unhappy to have company in his space.

On The Close itself, Irvine got a strong sense of how busy this market street must have been. He was aware of people simply walking up and down the close at all times – day and night.

Finally, in Annie’s Room, where during the 90s the Japanese medium Aiko Gibo encountered the little ghost of Annie, Irvine felt the space to be very active. in the former 17th century apartment that Annie’s Room belongs to he reports a man called “Thomas”, who did not move from his corner of the room at all.

Find out more about Ewan Irvine…

Chesney and Robert Strike Again and Female Presence in Annie’s Room

Haunted Evening is run by Nat Wilson, and her team investigated The Real Mary King’s Close twice in 2018 and 2019. With a focus on experiments around scientific methods, they have experienced cold spots, spikes in EMF devices and numerous audio snippets. 

On their second visit in 2019, the team spent time in Chesney’s house. Using electronic voice phenomenon (EVP), they captured some spine-chilling evidence. On the first instance, someone said “It’s Chesney”, as well as the name Robert. Later someone told the group to “Get the f*** out”.  

What is remarkable is that the group who spent time in Chesney’s former lodgings in 2018 encountered similar things. As in their second visit, they utilised three different EVP tools. One recorder picked up “Chesney”, but remarkably all three devices recorded “Get out of here!”, which according to Haunted Evening Events is very rare. 

Also during their first visit, the group detected intense paranormal energy as they moved into Annie’s Room, A vibe pod, a movement device, and a REMPOD showed results in response to questions suggesting a female presence. They also caught three taps on an EVP device. As they were leaving the room, a simple “goodbye” was recorded.

In the spaces, where guides tell the story of the plague, one of the male guests heard and felt someone breath into his hear. Again, using EVPs, the group then recorded the name “Robert” or “Rob”. This paranormal encounter took place in close to proximity where Ewan Irvine also reported a supernatural presence called Robert. 

Find more about Haunted Evening Events…

Physical Manifestations and Ghost Caught on Camera

Spectre Detectors have been investigating supernatural phenomena since 2011. They visited The Real Mary Kings Close in April 2019 and experienced a myriad of paranormal activity.

Throughout their time on The Close, the highly sensitive and psychic members of the group had physical experiences. They reported stomach aches, back pains, throat constraints and the feeling of rotten teeth.

Especially in Chesney’s former house, they remember intense stomach pains coming out of nowhere. They began calling out, using EVPs and taking photos in the hope to catch activity. The EVP captured a tapping noise, a voice telling the group “No”, and growling noises. The camera captured what looked like to be a man with a moustache. Also, the pictures showed an orb in a corner that a member of the group felt particularly drawn to. 

They continued to find activity moving into Annie’s Room. One guest asked for Annie to reveal whether the toys that previous guests had left there were her toys. A female child’s voice replied “All Mine.” Another participant felt that someone had abandoned a child in this room. The group left toys for Annie and continued their investigation. 

Later on, as the group spent time in the Plague Room, they could smell fragrant herbs, similar to the ones plague doctors would stuff their masks with in the 1600s.  Using a technique common with paranormal investigators of quickly moving the camera around a dark space while continuously pressing the shutter button, they also captured a photograph of a man in this room. He was wearing a flat cap and had a stern expression on his face. Spectre Detector described it as “the most amazing spirit photo we have ever seen.” As they called out to the man, asking him if he was a guide, they a response of “mmm” on an EVP device.

Find out more about Spectre Detectors… 

All Just a Coincidence?

Given the number of paranormal investigations that took place at The Real Mary King’s Close, it is of no surprise that something was found. Critics might doubt the credibility of these findings, however, the sheer volume is striking. Furthermore, different groups at different times encountered similar things. Now it is up to you to consider whether these reports are convincing or not… 

If you have experienced anything supernatural while visiting us, let us know on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram using #RealEdinburghGhostStories.