The Chase Vault Mystery
Heavy lead coffins were found violently rearranged each time the vault was opened—despite seals intact and no evidence of entry. The mystery was never solved.
Between 1807 and 1820, a burial vault in Barbados became the site of one of the most baffling paranormal mysteries ever documented. Heavy lead coffins, some weighing over 500 pounds, were repeatedly found thrown about the sealed vault—with no evidence of how it happened.
The Vault
According to historical records, the vault belonged to the Chase family and was carved into solid rock in the cemetery of Christ Church Parish Church. It was sealed with a massive marble slab that required several men to move.
The Disturbances
1807: The vault was built and first used for Mrs. Thomasina Goddard, buried in a wooden coffin.
1808: Two-year-old Mary Ann Chase was interred. Her lead coffin was placed normally.
1812: Dorcas Chase, who reportedly starved herself to death, was buried. All previous coffins were in place.
1812 (November): Thomas Chase, the family patriarch who was possibly murdered, was interred in a massive lead coffin requiring eight men to carry. The vault was sealed.
1816: Samuel Brewster’s coffin was to be placed in the vault. Upon opening, workers found the coffins in complete disarray—thrown about the vault as if by tremendous force. Mary Ann Chase’s small coffin was found in a corner, upside down. After re-ordering the coffins, the vault was resealed.
1816 (September): Another burial. Again, coffins were scattered chaotically.
1819: Two more burials. Each time, previously ordered coffins were found in violent disarray, some standing upside down or leaning against walls.
The Investigation
Lord Combermere, Governor of Barbados, personally investigated:
- The vault was thoroughly examined for hidden entrances
- The floor was covered in fine sand to show footprints
- The marble slab was cemented in place
- His personal seal was impressed in the cement
The Final Opening (1820)
In 1820, the vault was reopened. Despite:
- No footprints in the sand
- The cement and seal intact
- No evidence of water damage or earthquake
- No structural damage to the vault
The coffins were again thrown violently about. Dorcas Chase’s coffin had been flung against the wall with such force it damaged the masonry. The massive coffin of Thomas Chase had moved clear across the vault.
Aftermath
The Chase family removed all coffins to individual graves. The vault was left empty and has remained so. No explanation was ever found.
Theories
Natural Causes: Flooding, earthquakes, or gas buildup have been suggested, but none explain the selective movement or lack of water damage.
Hoax: Some suggest human intervention, but the weight of coffins and intact seals argue against this.
Supernatural: The disturbed spirit of Thomas Chase, Dorcas’s suicide, or the desecration of Mrs. Goddard’s wooden coffin by placing her with the “grander” Chase family has been blamed.
The Chase Vault remains one of the most documented and unexplained paranormal events in history.