South Yorkshire Times March 9, 1957

Conisbrough Castle Ghost
Ghostly and Unwelcome Image Plagues viewers

The “ghost” of Conisbrough Castle is launching television viewers in Willow Street, Conisbrough.

Almost the entire row of 12 houses is covered by a mass of television aerials, some of which had been twisted askew to cut out the interference, while others have been raised higher. But the ghostly spectre from the castle still appears.

Quite Impartial

Different sets in the street “received” the ghost in varying degrees of size and intensity. Common to all is a glowing double image which becomes particularly apparent at night.

Independent television and BBC resections are equally affected. The ghost image is quite impartial.

The first “haunted” viewer that a “South Yorkshire Times” reporter met on Tuesday was Mrs L Smith, of 1, Willow Street.

“It’s like a double image, and it seems to be much more apparent at night,” said Mrs Smith

explanation given by radio dealers who have made constant visits from Doncaster and Mexborough to this area following a host of complaints, is that the castle interrupts the transmission ways. It would appear that the houses in the valley between the castle and the main Doncaster Road do not get a proper convergence of waves.

The waves are thrown apart as they reach the castle and have not sufficient time to converge properly on the Willow Street area.

Dealers have tried all known devices to give convergence – twisting aerials from site to site, in the case of Mr L Burton set at number 10 the aerial has being raised high above the chimney level.

“Ghostly Glow”

“The image is not so large, but it still there,” said Mr Burton.

“If the images are human beings, the glow concentrates itself in Halo form round the heads. It tapers off further down the body. The overall effect is a ghostly greyish glow.”

Mrs MA Birch of number 12 and her mother three doors away, have received a pronounced glow on their sets. “The double image on the test card has been very pronounced at times. Now, with aerial correction, the second image is rimlike, but it is still a nuisance.”

Our reporter saw the image himself on the BBC test card. A light grey glow was apparent round the centre circle.

Mr A Burton nearly brought a projection model with him from his former home which was not far from Holme Moss, but upon arriving in Conisbrough has had to lay his set aside for the time being. Reception has been too bad.

Residents of Willow Street would like to “lay” the ghost and any advice would be welcome.