The Black Monk of Pontefract: A Poltergeist That Led to a Family’s Ruin.
In Pontefract, a violent entity turned a family home into a place of fear, leaving behind bruises and scars, both physical and psychological.
Case File: The Pontefract Poltergeist
Case No.: 30ED-1966-WY
Classification: Violent Poltergeist Activity
Location: 30 East Drive, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, England
Date of Incident: August 1966 to present day.
Filed by: Local Council, Eyewitnesses, Independent Investigators
Status: Closed – Activity Subdued but Not Explained
Incident Summary
30 East Drive in Pontefract was an ordinary post-war council house in a quiet estate when Joe and Jean Pritchard moved in with their children, Philip (15) and Diane (12), in August 1966. Almost immediately, the family became subject to a relentless series of disturbances that grew in intensity and violence. By the end of their first week in the house, taps were turning on by themselves, pools of water were appearing on the floor, and a chalky white dust rained down from nowhere. Lights failed inexplicably, furniture shook, and objects launched themselves across rooms. At the centre of it all was a malevolent force the family dubbed "Fred", later known as the Black Monk of Pontefract.
The phenomena continued over years, drawing attention from local authorities, clergy, and eventually the national press. Diane, the youngest, bore the brunt of the violence: being slapped, dragged, scratched, and even levitated. The haunting became one of the most sustained and violent poltergeist cases in Britain. And despite the passage of time, it hasn't stopped.
Phenomena Overview
Initial Manifestations: White dust falling from ceiling height. Pools of water forming on the kitchen floor. A strong smell of incense, despite none being burned. Lights flickered and appliances stopped working with no fault found.
Escalation: Cupboards banged open. Pictures were slashed. Plants were thrown down stairs. Green foam oozed from taps. Heavy furniture slid across floors in full view of witnesses. A grandfather clock toppled over and landed upright on the opposite side of the room.
Physical Attacks on Diane: Diane Pritchard became the focus of the violence. She was slapped across the face by invisible hands, had her hair pulled so hard clumps came out, and was once dragged up the stairs while screaming. On another occasion, she was found unconscious with finger-shaped bruises on her throat.
Manifestation of the Monk: A figure dressed in a black habit was repeatedly seen by the family, their neighbours, and even visiting journalists. The figure had no discernible face and would appear silently in doorways, at the foot of beds, and at the top of the stairs.
Investigation Overview
Church Attempts at Cleansing: Several priests visited to bless the house. Holy water was sprinkled, prayers were said, and Mass was read. Sometimes the activity stopped. But it always returned.
Council and Utility Workers: The pools of water led to visits from plumbers and council inspectors. No pipe issues or damp problems were ever found. Electricians were baffled by the failure of light switches and the erratic power surges.
Paranormal Investigators: Ghost clubs and psychical researchers came from all over the UK. Reports were taken, equipment was set up, and many left convinced the activity was genuine. Even sceptics found themselves unnerved. One investigator reportedly had their rosary torn from their neck.
Media Coverage: The Yorkshire Evening Post was the first to report the incidents. National newspapers and the BBC later picked up the story. The Black Monk became a household name in British paranormal history.
Press Coverage and Public Reaction
Local Fear: Some residents avoided walking past 30 East Drive altogether. Children crossed the road rather than go near the house. A few neighbours reported similar, though less intense, disturbances in their own homes.
Journalist Account: Colin Wilson, a well-known writer on the paranormal, took an interest in the case and corresponded with those involved. Visiting journalists reported sudden temperature drops and a persistent feeling of being watched.
Public Sensation: The combination of violent activity, physical harm, and a visible apparition made the case stand out. It wasn’t dismissed as hysteria. There were too many witnesses, including extended family members, neighbours, and professionals.
Case Status
The Pritchards’ experiences made history, but they weren’t the end of it. Activity has never truly stopped at 30 East Drive. From the 1970s to the present day, new witnesses have come forward. Visitors report cold spots, loud bangs, disembodied voices, physical touches, and even sightings of the same black-robed figure. Batteries drain without warning. Objects still move.
The house remains privately owned and open to investigators and overnight guests. Many arrive sceptical and leave unsettled. Some cut their stay short. Whatever presence resides there, it has endured.
No formal explanation has ever resolved what happened or continues to happen inside those walls. Theories range from telekinetic energy to a tormented soul buried beneath the property. But those who’ve walked the stairs, stood in the back bedroom, or waited in the dark hallway don’t talk much about theories. They talk about what they felt.
The case is not closed. The haunting continues.
The Story
The house at 30 East Drive doesn’t stand out. It’s a plain brick semi, just off Chequerfield estate. People drive past it every day without a second glance. But those who know, know. The Pritchard family didn’t know when they moved in. Not at first.
August 1966. Jean and Joe Pritchard were proud to have a new home. Council housing in good condition, a quiet neighbourhood, decent schools nearby. Their teenage son Philip had just returned from a holiday with his grandmother. Their daughter Diane, 12 years old, was preparing for the new school term. It should’ve been a fresh start. Instead, it became the beginning of something no one could explain, and few could endure.
The first signs were small. A fine white powder began falling in the living room. It wasn’t plaster dust, it didn’t match the ceiling material, and it came from no identifiable source. The family cleaned it up. It came back. Lights began flickering. Taps turned on by themselves. A plant pot threw itself down the stairs. The Pritchards thought maybe they had faulty electrics. Maybe pipes knocking. They called out council workers. Nothing was found.
Then Diane was in the kitchen with her grandmother, Sarah Scholes. A jug of milk tipped over on the counter. Doors opened on their own. Sarah left, visibly shaken. She refused to stay overnight ever again.
It escalated fast. One day Philip returned home from school and saw furniture overturned. His mother was sitting on the sofa, pale and shaking. She’d been alone when cupboard doors flew open, items launched themselves across the room, and the mirror cracked on its own.
They tried to ignore it. Jean would sweep up the chalk-like dust and get on with her day. But it kept coming. The upstairs landing grew inexplicably cold. There were knocking sounds in the walls, sometimes rhythmic, sometimes frantic. Objects began vanishing, only to reappear in different rooms. A framed photo fell from the wall and landed upright.
The family called the local vicar. He agreed to bless the house. Holy water was sprinkled in each room, and prayers were said. The house went quiet for a while. Then it got worse.
One night Diane was sleeping when she felt something grab her ankle. She screamed, and her parents rushed in to find her dragged halfway off the bed. No one was there. A few days later, she was physically thrown from her bed and landed on the floor with bruises across her arms. Scratch marks appeared on her back, drawn by invisible hands.
It wasn’t just Diane. Visitors saw things too. One family friend watched in disbelief as a cupboard door slammed shut by itself. Another saw green foam seeping from the taps in the bathroom. Even the dog refused to enter certain rooms, growling at corners where no one stood.
Then came the figure.
Philip saw it first. A tall shape, clothed in black, standing at the top of the stairs. No visible face, just the outline of a hooded robe. He blinked, and it was gone. Diane saw it next, in her room late at night, standing motionless in the corner. The temperature dropped. She said she couldn’t move or speak. Only watch.
Other sightings followed. Jean saw it in the hallway. Joe caught a glimpse in the reflection of the television screen. Guests described the same thing: a silent, dark-robed figure, sometimes standing still, sometimes moving slowly from room to room.
Word spread. The neighbours heard about it. Some came to see for themselves. A few fled the house after experiencing it. The Yorkshire Evening Post ran a small piece about strange happenings on East Drive. That brought more attention. Investigators, curious onlookers, and reporters.
Colin Wilson, known for writing about the occult, made enquiries. So did the BBC. Cameras were brought in, but the activity refused to perform on command. Still, they noted cold spots, battery drain, and sudden headaches. One journalist reported hearing footsteps upstairs when no one was there. Another saw the monk.
Theories emerged. Some said it was a hoax. Others believed Diane was unconsciously manifesting psychokinetic energy, a theory popular at the time. But even sceptics admitted something was happening. Too many independent witnesses. Too many physical effects.
A historian contacted the family with a chilling possibility. The house had been built near the site of an old gallows. In the 16th century, a Cluniac monk from a nearby priory had been accused of heinous crimes against a young girl. He was hanged and buried in an unmarked grave, somewhere beneath what was now Chequerfield estate. The details fit too closely to dismiss.
The poltergeist became known as the Black Monk. His presence brought dread. His violence was focused. And he showed no signs of leaving.
One of the most terrifying incidents occurred during a family gathering. Multiple people were present when Diane was violently dragged up the stairs by her hair. Screaming, clawing at the carpet, unable to resist. Her parents tried to pull her back, but something held her. When they reached the top, she was limp and sobbing, with finger-shaped bruises on her neck.
Eventually, the activity began to subside. By the early 1970s, it had largely stopped. The Pritchards moved on. The house stayed. So did the story.
Today, 30 East Drive is privately owned. The current owners allow overnight investigations. Some visitors report cold blasts of air, whispered voices, or shadow figures caught on camera. Others walk in brave and leave in silence. A few never speak about what they experienced.
What happened at 30 East Drive cannot be explained by broken wires or creaking pipes. The violence, the witnesses, the figure in black – they are too consistent, too well documented. Something was there. Maybe it still is.
If you ever visit, bring a torch. And whatever you do, don’t stay alone in the back bedroom.