Taken during prayer at a 1985 dinner event for the Coventry Freemen organisation, many believe this photograph captures the monk who is one of several ghosts said to haunt the location. No one remembers anyone standing there at the time...

January 22nd, 1985 – the Coventry Freemen organisation and their guests stand in prayer during a dinner event. All the guests are still and as it was a dark room so the photographer probably thought it would be the perfect time to allow for a longer than usual exposure to get enough light into the picture. Nothing was though out of the ordinary at the time but as people started to see the print of the picture a mystery surfaced. Who was the robed figure standing near the end of one of the tables? No one had dressed up for the event, no one remembers anyone standing there as they stood for prayer. The figure also seems to be taking part in the prayer, head slightly bowed, hands clasped in front.

St Mary's Guildhall, Coventry, Warwickshire, is where the event was hosted. It has many legends of ghosts and paranormal goings on – apparitions of a grey lady, a girl in a blue dress, strange lights and a monk. Could this photo have captured one of these ghosts.

This photo is often included as one of the top ten best ghost photos but some people disagree, maybe it is two people standing close together, their features merging on the film during the long exposure?

What do you think? Does this photo show some the ghost monk that has been reported about the location? Or is it somehow a light anomaly? Or do you think it is a set up, a complete fake? Something else entirely?

Source: http://www.theparanormalguide.com/blog/the-coventry-spectre

Mystery of the ghostly monk of St Mary's Guildhall who photobombed Freemasons

It's one of the city's oldest sites so is bound to have a ghost or two, right? Coventry is steeped in history and with that comes a fair share of paranormal baggage. One of the city's oldest sites, the medieval St Mary's Guildhall has been a landmark in Coventry since around 1340. In its heyday it was the richest merchant guild in the city and played a key role in civic life. Members of the guild included wealthy traders but also the kings Henry V, VI and VII. Later, Mary Queen of Scots would spend part of her imprisonment in Coventry at the Guildhall leading to some suggestions she is one of the many ghostly apparitions said to have been seen over the centuries.

Throughout the building, many strange phenomena have been reported, from ghostly chanting to stones being thrown at visitors and floating orbs being seen.

Nobody present saw the figure during prayers and nobody at the dinners was dressed in such a way. The photographer didn't see it as they captured the shot either. But the room was dark and the picture was captured using a long exposure. So could the image be a trick of the light or perhaps a hoax, played while diners had their heads bowed and eyes possibly closed? Nobody has ever been able to provide a definitive answer to explain the robed figures presence. And after 35 years, it's unlikely anyone ever will.

Source: https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/lifestyle/nostalgia/mystery-ghostly-monk-st-marys-18845033