Highgate Cemetery appeared in 1839, at the beginning of the reign of Queen Victoria.It was a kind of posthumous exclusive club, because few could afford to pay 10 pounds for a single grave, 94 pounds for a family or 5,000 pounds for a magnificent mausoleum.But at the end of XX century, it has gained notoriety: here the ghosts began to appear, and from 1967 to 1983, lived a vampire.This story could be treated with skepticism, if not for the testimony of the eyewitnesses of the set ...
Boris Akunin, describing the Highgate Cemetery, created a picture of a rather strange and sinister place, "Fifty thousand overgrown grass and bushes burial (and not a livingsoul - at least, in the old part of the cemetery, where you will not get unaccompanied) in themselves are uncomfortable spectacle.Even in the daytime there reigns absolute, resounding silence.Old trees are so closely shifted its crown that is already a few steps from the alley outlines gravestones drown in the shadows.You go and physically feel the gaze of sets of eyes ... "Not true, whether an ideal backdrop for the appearance of evil spirits - ghosts, vampires, insurgents dead?
Vampires are perceived today, most likely, like the characters of television series and cartoons.No one refers to their existence so superstitious fear that characterized, for example, to the Middle Ages;However, their life and passions, it is known to almost everyone.If you add up all of their features, the list will very exhaustive: vampires appearance, like people, except very pale and have long fangs, mostly sleeping in a coffin.The fear of these creatures by the fact that they drink human blood, the victim of a vampire and becomes a vampire ... It is believed that a vampire can not enter a house without an invitation.He is afraid of direct sunlight, garlic, holy symbols (against vampires have long used the cross and holy water).To kill the vampire you can either silver weapon or an aspen stake in the heart, or fire.All wounds are overgrown by conventional weapons on them with astonishing speed ... The most famous vampire - came from high society.This Count Dracula, Countess Carmilla Karshteyn, Barnabas Collins, Lestat de Lionkort ...
The fact that the London cemetery real vampire may appear, at first did not believe anybody.Otherwise, it rose to a wave of panic.At first, everything seemed innocuous enough: among the townspeople began to circulate rumors about the ghost that evening saw the famous aristocratic cemetery.Ghosts of England - are not uncommon, so Shin Manchester occultist of the "Research Society of vampires", initially not particularly interested in a new wave of rumors.Interest in Highgate awakened in him only after he heard about two schoolgirls who saw the rebels of the graves of the dead.Elizabeth sign not only described in detail what happened, but also claimed that after a meeting with the dead she had nightmares.It felt as if something evil is trying to get into her bedroom.Manchester soon gathered a huge collection of reports of strange occurrences at Highgate Cemetery.Local residents have repeatedly seen in the area of the cemetery strange shapes.Their testimony was very similar, although the witnesses were not familiar with each other.Here is one such story: "I was returning home from work.It was about half past nine in the evening.Walking along the cemetery on Sveynzleyn ... Suddenly I see - I quickly slides towards a figure, completely silent.I was terribly frightened.And then I look - no figures are no longer ... »
In 1969, Elizabeth log in again he saw a terrible dream.At this time the evil which she feared, was able to enter her room.After that, the girl's neck were two wounds resembling the bite of fangs.But it is much worse than it turned out more: Elizabeth began rapidly develop anemia.Hearing the girl's illness, Manchester came immediately.He filled the room with a string of garlic and crosses, holy water watered sick.These measures have helped: the girl quickly went to the amendment.Of course, this case can be attributed to the self-suggestion: first - some terrible and unusual sight, then - tormenting dreams and, finally, the miraculous healing is based on faith.But the fact that the cemetery is increasingly began to find dead animals that were killed in an unknown ritual.Many of them have been completely drained of blood ... The journalists could not pass such a topical issue.They describe in detail what is happening at the cemetery (in some articles mentioned severed head and bitten artery) and persistently tried to find out: is it possible, whether the existence of vampires these days?For Manchester answer was obvious.He had no doubt that in Highgate found refuge real vampire and an urgent need to take action to eliminate it.Soon he was on the trail.Young female lunatic during trance brought him to a group of crypts.This information is immediately leaked to the press, and arrived at Highgate Cemetery is not only the newspapers, and television cameramen.Independent television "Thames" vampire even dedicated a separate transmission.After that, the cemetery became a place of pilgrimage for the present.Curious small groups gathered in the evening in the hope of at least one eye to look at this vampire.A group of film enthusiasts used the cemetery as a movie set for the film "Vampires of the night ..." But the hype around the appearance of a vampire had more dire consequences ... In August at the cemetery found the body of a young woman.Someone carried him from the Crypt, beheaded and tried to burn.Police immediately suspected that it was not without self-styled vampire hunters.They managed to arrest only one month.Meanwhile, the public outcry demanded that authorities stop the wave mockery the dead and protect them from abuse.
While police patrolled the alleys in search of Highgate vampire hunters, Manchester in one of the crypts discovered the body, of whom he considered a real vampire.But spend a full ritual of exile, he could not: it required a stab in the heart of the dead man a stake, or cut off his head, and such actions are considered criminal in England.Therefore, Manchester read all the prayers and incantations, and then sealed the crypt of cement mixed up with pieces of garlic.It is now a vampire to calm down, he could not get out of the tomb, sealed garlic.However, the cemetery was still restless ...
Manchester was not the only monster hunter Highgate.Many who read anything about vampires or watching TV series about Buffy - The Vampire Slayer, attempt to "upokoit" heir to Dracula.For example, David Farrant, who claimed that in 1970 hunted vampire with a stake and crucifix, but was caught by the police.This person was subsequently convicted of destruction of tombs in Highgate, then joined one of satanic sects.A few years later he admitted that he invented the story of a meeting with a vampire to somehow explain their behavior ... Manchester then had to prove that long before David vampire, saw a few people, and that one can not deny perjury course of events in general,.
second meeting with Manchester Highgate Vampire happened quite by accident.In 1973, he explored the haunted house.House, it was not far from Highgate.During the first visit, search for ghosts have not been successful, so the researchers decided to pay a visit to the mysterious house again.The next visit to investigate the transition from room to room until they went around the whole building.Upstairs was nothing, and Manchester, along with his assistants went to the basement.There they found a coffin standing in the center of the room, and took him to the backyard.
When Manchester opened the coffin, he was stunned: in front of him was the same vampire who four years earlier he sealed in a crypt.As the sun was shining, the vampire showed no signs of activity.Man stabbed body of an aspen stake, after which it in his eyes turned into a disgusting smelling substance, and then burned a coffin with its contents.Thus died Highgate Vampire.The mansion was soon demolished, in its place built a residential apartment building.Many of the residents know the history of Highgate Vampire and with pleasure, told the guests that only a few dozen meters from their apartment was destroyed by a real vampire.
With the death of Highgate vampire killing of animals and the appearance of ghosts stopped.But not for long.In 1980 - this time in Finch - again there were reports of animals that have been pumped all the blood.Manchester immediately suspected that the cause of their death was another vampire that was the result of a bite Highgate Vampire.But how to find it?Newspaper hype has attracted many visitors to the cemetery, and potentially any of them could be a vampire ... After much searching and questioning Manchester got the attention of a young woman named Louise, who had recently died, and was buried in the Great Northern London Cemetery.He became interested in it because it once had dreams in which women like Louise, came to him.Feelings researcher thus were very similar to those of which they told him, witnesses of occurrences of vampires.
fall of 1982, Manchester went to the cemetery where was buried Louise.At dusk near her grave Manchester saw a strange creature.Outwardly, it looked like a spider, but it was the size of a cat.Vampire Hunter stabbed him with an aspen stake and waited for dawn.As soon as the first rays of the sun appeared on the site of the body of the murdered creature appeared Louise.Manchester returned her remains to the grave.
«Vampire Research Society" systematized eyewitness in the case of Highgate Vampire.The material was recorded on a tape, which sold thousands of copies.A Manchester described his investigation in his book "Highgate Vampire".Some of the readers think that this book - another hoax, someone takes it as a fiction, a kind of myth of our time.But there are also those who have the history of Highgate monster seems quite likely.Moreover, in 2000 there were new reports of the infamous cemetery ...
This time there was no bloody horror.Paul McLaren with his wife Sarah came to London in spring 2000.He had long wanted to see the sights of the capital, and for a week the couple, examines a standard set of "business card" of London.They visited Madame Tussauds, visited St. Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and admired London Bridge.The last day of McLaren decided to dedicate the famous Highgate ktadbischu.He had heard about the mystical past of this place and wanted to see it with my own eyes.
When the son of the mistress of the hotel to find out where its going to consist of, in a whisper, he asked, know whether Mr. McLaren, there still live vampires?And he told them that on the plates, which are buried vampires, stamped the letter «V».If the call of the deceased by name, Pronounce "vampire", it will rise from the grave.According to the boys (immediately offered guide services), the vampires look exactly the same as ordinary people.
McLaren laughed heartily at this story, but all the same gave the boy a coin - for information.The next day the family went to a cemetery.In the office, they saw a strict lady who asked them to review the rules for visitors.Among the usual items of this list ("Do not litter", "Do not spoil tombstones") the fifth paragraph read: "Do not say aloud the word" vampire "."When Paul asked why, the ticket collector said that it was just a joke builders.
Further events developed according to the laws of the traditional fairy tale or horror film.Before the start of the tour was a half-hour, and McLaren accidentally strayed too far from the main gate.Paul caught the eye of a tombstone is stamped on the letter «V».He immediately told his wife that there is a vampire.Sarah supported a joke: "Then it's three vampire Anne, Catherine and Richard Jefferson.All three died on the same day, May 15, 1899.You see, the inscription on the tombstone? "The minute behind McLaren heard coughing.Turning, they saw an old lady, a young man and the girl.They were dressed in costumes of the past century.Paul was struck: a moment ago on the track there was no one ... The guy and the girl looked with curiosity at McLaren until the old lady did they remark.Then the trio turned and walked slowly down the alley.Paul was dumbfounded.He glanced at the headstone and called loudly, "Mrs. Jefferson!" To his surprise, the old lady turned around and said with dignity: "We know each other?" McLaren said that oboznalsya ... When strange visitors went further, Paul grabbed a video camera and attempted toremove them.Later it turned out that the film - an empty alley ...
When the couple returned to the entrance, their tour guide was waiting.Seeing the camera, he said that the shooting at the cemetery is forbidden.Paul tried to explain that he had just paid two pounds for the right shot, but again was refused.Angry, he went to the office.In place of the old ticket collector sat a girl.She pointed to the rules on the wall and explained that some photographer photographed without the permission of the funeral of a famous person, and since then, the camera and video camera have to take the entrance.The last item in the list really means: "It is forbidden to take photographs and shoot video camera."A line which forbade to pronounce the word "vampire", had disappeared ... Paul fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a form confirming payment of the shooting at the cemetery.But she said that such forms have been two years ago, and since then the rules have changed ... Paul passed camcorder and camera left with him - she had not noticed ...
But the strangest thing happened when McLaren calledto witness the ticket collector and a detailed description of her appearance.The girl looked up at him: "You probably mean Miss Blanchett?Yes, she has worked with us, but died two years ago.Misfortune, it fell during a thunderstorm old oak tree that grew on the main aldee. "
guide - an elderly man in a strange costume - was a master of his craft.He enthusiastically led a tour, stopping at the graves of the cemetery celebrities.Paul discreetly photographed and burial of the guide - very much the colorful look.After developing the film he experienced a real shock: tombstones and tourists have turned out well, and the place was empty space guide ...
couple walked past the tombstones with another embossed letter «V» (according to the inscription, Here lies an old ticket collector).This prompted Paul to ask after the end of the tour guide on the Highgate Vampire.He reacted strangely.On the face of an elderly gentleman reflected fear, he asked not to pronounce this word ... and then turned and ran down the sidewalk!Paul tried to catch him, but the guide suddenly melted into air ...
returning to the gate, Paul went to the administration building and asked how the name of their tour guide.Needless to say, that in response he heard that the older guides in the cemetery is not, and all tours are the young students of history ...
story seems McLaren invention.However, there are two versions, each of which has the right to exist.The first - a realistic: cemetery workers warmed interest in his past.In order to implement the scenario described by McLaren, you need not so much: two interchangeable plates with the regulations and trained personnel.Actors in their respective costumes could easily play the role of a vampire trio (recording in the camcorder replaced, while there was a tour).Ticket collector could easily replace each other.Not until the end of the explained there are only two points.The first - the disappearance of the guide, the second - the strangeness of film.
second version - the mystical.Yet, is it possible to Highgate Cemetery has become a colony of vampires?So they're civilized, learned how to use the donated blood, and now co-exist peacefully with the people?To establish the truth in this matter is impossible.But it is absolutely one thing is certain: the history of Highgate Vampire - one of the most famous legends of modern London.
Photo source: necropolisportal.co.uk
Articles Source: horrory.ru
