The Storyteller: Haunted dolls and Berry Pomeroy Castle bring new local books to life

Just before Christmas, my friend, Christine, asked me if it was ok to bring her friend, Fiona, to our last TIP meeting of the year, at Chelston Manor.

Both ladies are old friends of the group, and had joined us on some of our adventures in the past, so I didn’t have any problem with that. I also happened to know that Fiona had just published a book, about a subject close to her heart, Haunted Dolls.

I suggested it might be interesting if she came along to talk about the book, and maybe bring some copies to sell, at Mates Rates! Christine then pointed out, that her new book, on Berry Pomeroy Castle, was ready for publication, as well, so I said, bring that along too, to talk about, and sell some copies...and so it was, that on the Monday before Christmas, we had two members of the group turn up, clutching their new releases, to share with us.

A bit like buses, you can wait, and wait, for one to come along, and then two come at once...which I’ve promised to review for them, in this article...

Fiona’s book, called “A Cursed Collection of Haunted Dolls”, has been a long time in the making. Having had an interest in various aspects of the paranormal since a very early age, and having studied it with reputable teachers in their fields along the way, she decided that her first foray into the world of paranormal publications was going to be concerning the potential for objects, in particular dolls, to be haunted, whether out of  choice by the resident spirits, or by the coercion and rituals of outside forces.

Having already dipped her toe into print, with fictional spooky stories, as well as journalistic features for various magazines...her interviews with the singer Morrissey are of particular interest, as she has become his interviewer of choice, after he liked some of her earlier output about him...this is her first non-fiction title.

The book itself, covers haunted dolls that feature in movies, and literature,  as well as first-hand accounts from people who claim they are the custodians of dolls that have a spirit inside them, which can exert an effect on their surroundings, and the people they come across.

The fictional tales feature in the second half of the book. The movies mentioned cover examples from the history of cinema, stretching from the 1920s, with an early sound film, called The Great Gabbo, through a series of anthology movies from the 40s, 60s and 70s, up to the most infamous one of them all, Child’s Play, from the horror boom of the 80s, featuring everyone’s favourite Devil Doll, Chucky. Watch them if you dare, as Fiona gives you a synopsis of what to expect.

The earlier ones are examples of ventriloquist dummies taking on a life of their own, bringing into question the mental stability of their operators. The most famous of these is Magic (1978), starring the amazing Anthony Hopkins. When we get to the 80s, and beyond, the dolls featured are more likely to have been taken over by an evil external force, a demon if you like, which means they are mind-set on a killing spree...a series of slasher movies ensues. If that’s your thing, go for it! Personally, I enjoyed a more recent addition to the genre, M3GAN (2022), which follows the antics of a psycho robot that falls into the hands of a young girl...highly recommended!

The literature section contains many examples unknown to me, apart from one by Susan Hill...she of The Woman in Black fame, which I might seek out myself...which are all mainly recent releases. So if you like to read horror, rather than watch it, to allow your imagination to control the input, check out Fiona’s synopses of her offerings. 

One addition to this list, which I feel is worthy of being added to the next volume of haunted objects, already in the pipeline, apparently, is the classic by Charles Dickens, The Picture of Dorian Gray. Although not a doll, it is definitely a representation of a human, that takes on a life of its own...very creepy!

The bulk of the book, and the part most of interest to myself, and other investigators of the paranormal, features many interviews with people who willingly own dolls, which they claim are haunted, at least in the way that they give off vibes that people in their vicinity can sense, either positively or negatively. Some even go as far as believing that the dolls themselves can move, or can move objects nearby. Fiona currently has two examples in her possession, that she experiments with...more of that shortly...

Firstly, I want to consider why dolls can trigger such diverse reactions from people who encounter them, which does get discussed in the book as well. When I announced to the group that we were going to be visited by Fiona and her haunted dolls, a couple of regular members, straightaway stated that they wouldn’t be attending that meeting.

One had a life-long fear of dolls, of any description, which she admits seems irrational, but she couldn’t risk Fiona bringing along one of hers...she didn’t. Our other friend doesn’t agree with the way “haunted dolls” are advertised, and sold on EBay, feeling that gullible people are falling for scams...she didn’t wish to get involved in a discussion on the subject.

For my part, I feel the negative attitude, or fear, if you like, of dolls, or representations of the human figure, is due to a phenomenon known as the “uncanny valley”, where you take an artificial face, complete with all the relevant features, but it’s the eyes that give them away, they are completely lifeless.

They say that the eyes are the window to the soul, and you can’t trust someone or something that doesn’t have a soul. I must admit, even I find that disturbing. I will never forget the first time I saw Jon Pertwee’s Dr Who, battling the Autons, the shop window dummies that smashed through glass, to terrorise innocent shoppers on the high street. I still have to look twice every time I see one, even today.

The people who Fiona has interviewed, about their interactions with such spooky dolls, and their beliefs in the genuineness of the claims made about them being possessed, come from a varying array of backgrounds, but they all share an interest in the paranormal, and a desire to investigate the subject, using the dolls as some sort of experimental tool, which is what Fiona does, having already tried to communicate with her two, using various online apps to trigger speech, of a sort, with varying degrees of success.

Reading her account of these experiments, gave me an idea. During some of our group discussions, regarding our investigations in to haunted buildings, we often wonder if the different spirits present are aware of each other, coming from their different time periods. So I’ve set Fiona the task to see if her dolls, possibly containing separate spirits, are aware of each other if placed in the same space. I await the results with interest.

The contents of this book, certainly raises more questions than it answers, which makes it a useful tool in the ongoing debate into the veracity of the paranormal in general. Is it possible for an inanimate object to be possessed by a spirit that’s been used to animating a living human body? Why would they settle for an existence surrounded by plastic? Some dolls have actual human hair woven into their heads, and clothes once worn by a living person. Could this attract that person in spirit to the doll they are now part of?

Some dolls are even said to be cursed, maybe as a result of being constructed for use as a Voodoo doll, to harm others, and even to the extreme of containing a demon...definitely something inspired by Hollywood, and something I personally have strong issues with...but if you want to be part of this debate, you should grab a copy of Fiona’s book, and find out what people have experienced whilst having such a doll in their possession, and why they believe that such things can possibly exist.

The subject of Christine’s book, is much closer to home, and something that many visitors to our meetings wish to talk about, whether they’ve visited themselves, or know people that have had experiences there, everyone wants to share, and that is exactly what Christine has done here. Calling it “Echoes from the Haunted Castle of Berry Pomeroy “, she has collected together a series of writings from individuals who have had personal experiences, during their interactions with the castle, over the years, which may or may not be of a paranormal nature, but it’s given them a strong connection to the spooky old ruins as a result.

Yours truly has a chapter included, all about my own odd experiences with the castle, and I feel honoured that Christine felt I was worthy of inclusion. People often ask me if I’m ever going to write my own book, but, whilst I write articles on a weekly basis, that get spread far and wide, and other authors see fit to include me in their works, I feel that the book is already being written for me...

Other notable inclusions, are my good friend Bob Mann, he of Totnes Ghost Walks fame, who has already produced several books on this subject himself, but here he talks about his earliest exposure to the place, and expounds his theory, that I like to share, where he suggests the legendary White Lady, is just a re-enactment of a mother, dressed in a white nightdress, who’s just given birth in St Margaret’s Tower (St Margaret being the patron saint of pregnancy and childbirth), and is being escorted along the ramparts, to be welcomed back into the bosom of the Mother Church, in the castle chapel, located in the gatehouse. This works for me!

Another friend features, Kathy Alexander, who was our “babysitter” on the night TIP was allowed to stay overnight to carry out an investigation. As a result we’ve remained in contact ever since. Her chapter is all about the time she hosted Ghost Tours for English Heritage...before they changed their mind, and decided there was no longer any such thing as ghosts being present!

Our very own, Kevin Dixon, has a chapter, about how the castle has remained a fascination for many visitors over the years, even going as far as calling it “Torquay’s Paranormal Playground."

Many contributors to the book have been included, due to having already been involved in another major project centred around Berry Pomeroy, a series of online videos, compiled by long term TIP member, Matt Kerby, and painstakingly edited by Kate Fromings, both of whom have submitted their own chapters.

So, if you want the visuals to accompany many of the stories featured in the book, seek out Matt’s efforts, but you can’t go wrong by getting your hands on Christine’s work, which stands out on any bookshelf, and is full of old black and white photos and illustrations of everyone’s favourite romantic ruin. 

Christine has previously written books about the spooky and curious side of Dartmouth, so with this addition to her output, she hasn’t really moved that far away, but any book that helps to illustrate what a spooky part of the county we live in, is a most welcome addition, in my opinion.

I plan to launch my Paignton Ghost Walk at some point in March, but ahead of that I’m hosting a FREE Evening of Storytelling at The Esplanade Hotel on the seafront, on Tuesday 3rd February, from 7.30pm. See the poster for further details...