The Haunting of Borgvattnet Vicarage: Sweden’s Most Haunted House
Mysterious shadows, eerie whispers, and unseen forces—what lingers within the walls of this infamous vicarage?
Case File: The Haunting of Borgvattnet Vicarage
Case No.: 46BV-1940-JM
Classification: Haunting – Malevolent and Residual Spirits
Location: Borgvattnet Vicarage, Jämtland County, Sweden
Date of Incident: 1940 – Present
Filed by: Multiple Eyewitnesses, Paranormal Investigators
Status: Ongoing – Phenomena Documented, Spirits Active
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Incident Summary
Built in 1876, the Borgvattnet Vicarage was a modest clergy house in the remote village of Borgvattnet, Sweden. For decades, the house quietly served as a residence for parish priests. But by the 1940s, its reputation took a sinister turn. It began with unexplained events experienced by vicar Nils Hedlund, who was reportedly thrown from his chair by an unseen force. Over the years, a chilling pattern emerged: residents and visitors alike described terrifying night-time disturbances, shadowy figures, and physical assaults by forces that could not be seen. From disembodied whispers to figures watching from the shadows, the vicarage became known as one of Sweden’s most haunted buildings.
While many of Sweden’s haunted locations are folklore-based, Borgvattnet stands apart because of the number of clergy who personally documented their experiences. Paranormal phenomena persist to this day, and the site is now open to guests brave enough to stay the night, signing a certificate if they endure until morning.
Phenomena Overview
Apparitions: Most notably the Grey Lady and the Three Old Women, seen near bedrooms and in the Yellow Room.
Poltergeist Activity: Furniture moves of its own accord. Rocking chairs have been seen violently rocking without cause.
Temperature Drops and Atmosphere: Rooms experience sudden chills and oppressive heaviness, especially before manifestations.
Disembodied Voices and Sounds: Faint whispers, crying, and indistinct conversations are heard, often at night.
Physical Contact: Guests have felt invisible hands tugging clothes, pulling blankets, or pressing on their chests.
Paralysis and Dread: Reports of sleep paralysis accompanied by a crushing sense of fear, often while witnessing an entity.
Investigation Overview
Initial Clergy Reports (1940s–1960s):
Nils Hedlund, the vicar in the 1940s, first brought attention to the vicarage's hauntings. His account of being flung from a chair is among the earliest documented. He also described voices and footsteps in empty rooms. His successor, Erik Lindgren, reported torn clothing, footsteps pacing outside his room, and shadowy figures vanishing into thin air.
Modern Investigations (1970s–Present):
The vicarage has attracted Swedish paranormal societies and international investigators. Equipment such as thermal cameras, EVP recorders, and motion sensors have recorded anomalies. Guests regularly report unexplained events, contributing to a growing log of encounters.
Cleansings and Rituals:
Multiple attempts at blessing or cleansing the property have been carried out, but phenomena persist. Notably, attempts to provoke the spirits during vigils in the Yellow Room have resulted in intense cold, equipment failures, and sudden illness.
Investigation and Evidence
Photographs: Blurry silhouettes and orbs captured on analogue and digital cameras. One infamous photo shows a misty figure atop the staircase.
EVP Recordings: Several recordings capture faint responses, including sobbing, whispering, and a female voice saying "Do not stay."
Personal Accounts: Dozens of overnight guests have reported waking to find the Three Old Women seated in silence, watching them.
Environmental Readings: Temperature drops of up to 10°C recorded in seconds. EMF spikes in rooms with no electrical wiring.
Press Coverage and Public Reaction
Borgvattnet Vicarage has featured in Swedish media, global paranormal series, and YouTube investigations. It is now considered a rite of passage for Scandinavian ghost hunters. Visitors sign a guestbook detailing their experiences. Tourism tied to the vicarage sustains part of the village economy, yet locals still speak of the house in hushed tones, wary of what might follow those who spend the night.
Case Status
Current Assessment: The haunting is active and enduring. While no harm beyond psychological distress has been recorded, the consistency of reports over 80 years suggests more than folklore. The vicarage remains a living case study in sustained, location-bound paranormal activity.
File Archived: Open for Continued Documentation Location: Borgvattnet Parish Archive and European Paranormal Research Registry
The Story
The earliest accounts of Borgvattnet’s haunting are not whispered legends, but formal records by clergy. In 1941, vicar Nils Hedlund made an official report after claiming he was physically thrown from a chair by an unseen force. He also described hearing footsteps where no one walked, and voices calling his name when he was alone. These were not vague impressions or dreams, but deeply unnerving moments that left him rattled enough to record them in writing. For a man of the cloth to do so spoke volumes.
His successor, Erik Lindgren, reported similarly disturbing events. During his stay in the vicarage in the 1950s, Lindgren found his clothes repeatedly torn to shreds during the night. No intruder. No sound. Just ruined garments in the morning, as if clawed by unseen hands. He spoke of footsteps pacing back and forth outside his door for hours, always just out of sight. On more than one occasion, he opened the door to find no one there — only the bitter chill that seemed to bleed from the Yellow Room.
That room, infamous among all who visit, is said to be the centre of the activity. Many have described entering it only to feel watched by something unseen. Guests who sleep there — and manage to sleep at all — often report waking in terror. Some describe a crushing sense of dread. Others recall waking to see three elderly women seated in the corner, silent, unmoving, staring. There are no screams, no chase. Just presence. And judgment. Their eyes are blank, their mouths drawn in grim lines. They do nothing. And yet their stillness is unbearable.
The rocking chair, another key feature of the vicarage’s lore, has drawn attention for decades. Said to move violently on its own, even when braced or secured, it appears linked to a deeper current of unrest. On several occasions, visitors have found it rocking in an otherwise silent room — as if someone had just risen from it.
Then there is the Grey Lady. Her appearances are quieter, but no less haunting. Witnesses describe seeing a woman in a grey veil drifting through the corridors or near the bedrooms. She is accompanied by a sudden drop in temperature and, curiously, the scent of old lavender. She is never seen directly, always out of the corner of the eye or just past a doorway. But when she comes, the atmosphere thickens, and a sorrow settles in the bones.
In 1997, a Swedish journalist spent the night intending to write a skeptical article. He never published it. According to those who spoke with him afterwards, he awoke unable to move and found himself staring into the face of one of the Three Old Women — close enough to feel her breath. Her mouth moved, but he heard no sound. When the paralysis broke, he fled the house, refusing to return. That morning, he discovered a dark mark across his chest in the shape of a hand.
These are not wild stories told around campfires. They are consistent, repeated, and often told by those with nothing to gain from fabrication. Borgvattnet Vicarage is not simply haunted — it is oppressive, deliberate, and strangely aware. Whether these forces are echoes of past trauma, restless spirits, or something older still, no one who stays in the Yellow Room leaves untouched.
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