The Black Monk of Pontefract

The poltergeist activity that plagued the Pritchard family in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, between 1966 and 1969 is considered one of the most violent and well-documented cases in British history. The entity, which manifested as a black-robed figure, terrorized the family for years and has been the subject of books and films.

The House on Chequerfield

The Pritchard family—Joe and Jean and their children Philip and Diane—lived at 30 East Drive on the Chequerfield estate in Pontefract. The house was built in the 1950s, but the land had a darker history. Local legend held that a Cluniac monastery had once stood nearby, and that a monk had been executed for the murder of a young girl during the reign of Henry VIII.

The activity began in September 1966, while Jean and Joe were away and Philip was home with his grandmother. Pools of water appeared throughout the house from no apparent source. A fine chalk-like dust fell from the air. Objects began to move on their own.

Escalating Violence

What began as relatively minor phenomena quickly escalated. Furniture moved across rooms. Heavy objects flew through the air. The family’s possessions were destroyed systematically. Photographs were slashed. Eggs were thrown against walls.

The entity seemed particularly focused on Diane, the teenage daughter. On multiple occasions, she was reportedly grabbed by invisible hands. Most dramatically, witnesses claimed to see her dragged up the stairs by an unseen force while screaming.

The Manifestation

As the haunting continued, the entity began to show itself. Multiple witnesses reported seeing a figure in a black robe, resembling a monk, standing in the house. The figure had no visible face beneath its hood.

The manifestation earned the entity its name: the Black Monk of Pontefract. Some witnesses believed it was the ghost of the executed monk from local legend, returned to continue his malevolent activities.

Investigation

Researchers investigated the case extensively. Colin Wilson, the writer and paranormal investigator, visited the house and documented the phenomena. Tom Cuniffe, another researcher, collected testimony from numerous witnesses and compiled a detailed account.

The Pritchard family themselves were considered reliable witnesses. They had no history of psychological problems or attention-seeking behavior, and they gained nothing from the haunting except disruption and fear.

Attempts at Exorcism

Local clergy were reluctant to become involved, but eventually a priest performed an exorcism. The ritual did not end the activity but may have reduced its intensity. The family eventually learned to coexist with the phenomena, which gradually diminished over time.

The house on East Drive still stands and has become a destination for paranormal investigators. Current owners and visitors continue to report unexplained phenomena, though nothing matching the intensity of the original haunting.

Assessment

The Black Monk of Pontefract represents a compelling poltergeist case with multiple credible witnesses, sustained phenomena over several years, and physical evidence including damage to property. The violent nature of the activity, particularly the attacks on Diane Pritchard, sets it apart from many other cases.

Whether the entity was genuinely the ghost of an executed monk, a poltergeist generated by adolescent psychic energy, or something else entirely, the terror experienced by the Pritchard family was undeniably real.