History and Description of Area

Fort Widley sits high on Portsdown Hill overlooking Portsmouth. Built between 1861–1870, it formed part of the Palmerston Forts—defensive structures created to protect the Royal Navy dockyard from a potential French invasion.
Despite never seeing active battle, the fort was heavily used during both World Wars for training, communications and storage. Over the years it has served as barracks, a command centre and even animal sheltering during air raids.

Today the fort remains largely intact, with long echoing tunnels, vaulted rooms, and original military features that create ideal conditions for residual energy, sound travel and environmental fluctuations—making it a frequently reported hotspot for paranormal activity.

Reported Possible Activity

👻 Commonly Reported Phenomena:

Shadow figures moving through the lower tunnels and peripheral corners.
Footsteps and pacing in empty corridors, often described as heavy, deliberate boots.
Sudden temperature drops in specific rooms, especially near the stairwells.
Disembodied voices—whispers, short responses or distant calls with no identifiable source.
Movement of objects such as doors shifting, stones falling or items lightly tapping.
Unexplained lights seen in the tunnels, including faint glows and quick flashes.
Feelings of being watched or followed, particularly in the North Battery area.

🕯️ Notable Hotspots:

The Lower Tunnels - Often described as the most active area. Reports include shadow movement, footsteps, and sudden temperature drops.
The Mortar Rooms / Side Chambers - These smaller rooms off the main tunnels create strong acoustics. Investigators report disembodied whispers, tapping, and object movement.
North Battery Corridor - A long stretch where many people report the sensation of being followed, along with clear footsteps behind them.
The Caponier (Defensive Outpost) - Known for echoing bangs and unexplained lights. Some teams report strong EMF spikes here.
Spiral Stairwells - Temperature fluctuations and the feeling of someone passing by are frequently noted. Good spot for motion or proximity devices.
Old Barracks Rooms - Voices and distant talking when the area is otherwise empty. Good for EVP sessions.

👮‍♂️ Spirit Theories:

Entities believed to be:
- The Guard/Watcher – Described as a shadowy figure, often seen in the lower tunnels or North Battery. Witnesses feel a strong sense of being watched or followed.
- Soldier Apparitions – Some report full or partial military figures, sometimes just boots or helmets appearing. Likely linked to the fort’s long history as a military site.
- The Whisperer – A disembodied voice or series of whispers heard in the side chambers and mortar rooms, often seeming to answer questions or react to the environment.
- Whistling Officer - Whistling through the tunnels

Note: No official historical records confirm individual identities—these are based on anecdotal evidence from visitors and investigators.

Fort Widley - Public Event - 22/11/2025

Investigation Report

Pre-Investigation Setup

Before leaving the base room, Andy Guy issued wristbands to all staff. These recorded throughout the night and connected to small sensors placed in the tunnel areas, allowing evidence to be precisely timestamped and located. This proved extremely useful in reviewing the night’s activity.

Vigil One – Human Pendulum

During the pendulum session:

K2 meters repeatedly reached red levels at both ends of the room.
Cat balls activated in multiple areas, and REMPods near the fireplace and doorway to the main tunnel also triggered sporadically.
Various auditory phenomena were reported, including footsteps, groans, growls, whistles, and breath sounds.
A spirit face was captured during this session.

Spirit Communication – Bobby and Will McKay

The pendulum session revealed two distinct spirits:

Child Spirit – “Bobby”

The pendulum confirmed the presence of a little boy who used to play in the area.
He expressed fear, particularly of another spirit.
Responses indicated he was not allowed to speak to strangers, and his father appeared to oversee the communication.
Environmental responses (K2 spikes, REMPod activations, and temperature drops) corresponded with moments when Bobby indicated fear or presence of his father.

Adult Male Spirit – “Will”

The session then shifted to the father figure, later identified as Will.
Pendulum responses indicated:
Scottish nationality
Military role: claimed Sergeant Major
Connection to Fort Widley
Circumstances of death: shot during service, buried nearby
Family connections: father of Bobby
Environmental effects intensified during Will’s communication, including:
Strong cold spots
K2 and REMPod activations when rank, name, or nationality were questioned
A loud growl heard behind Ros

Additional Spirit Mention – “Archie”

The name Archibald Graham (Archie) surfaced in the session and later in the service tunnel during Estes method.
Historical records confirm an Archibald Graham was attached to Fort Widley with suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.

Key Notes from the Session

The pendulum confirmed the presence of three spirits in total: Bobby, Will, and another minor entity detected later.
Communication included emotional and restrictive elements, showing Bobby was under supervision by Will.
The wristbands and sensors provided precise timestamps and locations for each response, making correlation with physical evidence possible.
This session directly connected to post-investigation research, confirming Will McKay’s historical presence and military service, as well as a likely family connection to the child spirit.

West Tunnel – Glasswork and Ouija Board

Equipment setup included K2 meters, cat balls, Ouija board, and tealight candles.
Guests explored the area; footsteps and dragging noises were reported.
The Ouija board yielded minor planchette movement but no clear messages.
Glass divination indicated a spirit connected to a guest (Steve Raven). The spirit correctly answered a personal question, believed to be a deceased family member.
Laser grid in upstairs area switched off. This happened again on command.
Spirit box was giving repsonses of yes to questions.
Brick moved across floor - this was heard by staff and was obvious on the floor due to dirt distribution and drag marks.

North Tunnel – Empath

The Empath device was used in a small room.
Several relevant words were received, but no solid sentences or names.
Some responses were humorous or sarcastic in tone.
Investigator notes: further practice needed to fully interpret the device.

Service Tunnel – Estes Method and Laser Grid

Setup included REMPods, K2 meters, cat balls, and Estes method.
Multiple loud noises, dragging sounds, knocks, and footsteps were reported from both ends of the tunnel.
Sudden temperature fluctuations were recorded—from extremely cold to uncomfortably hot.
Spirit responses included activating laser grid, REMPod, and K2 meters on command.

The Hartley Method Experiment

Participants wore blindfolds, noise-reducing headphones, and earplugs, using a button box to answer standardized questions via spirit guidance.
Responses varied widely, with one example showing multiple participants answering “yes” to the question, “Is the moon green?”
The experiment demonstrated individualized and spontaneous spirit communication.

Base Room Phenomenon

During packing and breaks, investigators heard 1920s/1930s-style music from near a staff member’s pocket.
Investigation confirmed it was coming from a spirit box turned on in a pocket, not from radio waves or external sources.
Song identified to be 'The Object of my Affection' sung by Pinky Tomlin and released in 1836.
Wristband recordings captured this audio for review.

Conclusion

A highly active investigation with multiple corroborated phenomena.
Notable spirit interactions: Will McKay and Archibald Graham, along with general activity throughout tunnels and spiral staircases.
Equipment successfully recorded and timestamped various paranormal events.

Overall: Fabulous night with incredible participants. Fort Widley remains a hotspot for paranormal activity.

Videos of Sessions

EVP and Spirit Box Evidence

Below are the anomalies we found on our EVP and Spirit Box. These are open to interpretation and your views are more than welcome! Head over to the forum to share your opinions and suggestions.

Child Noise

Pete

Need Some Help??

Helicopter?Gun Noise?