The Case of the Abandoned Monastery

by: the Haunted NC/Seven team

When we are contacted by someone with a reputed haunting of a landmark or general area we tend to try and gather more information prior deciding to do an investigation. After all, there isn't much worse than hauling people and equipment untold miles only to find it was a hoax or not really even there.

This particular ‘investigation’ and article will, I hope, point out the necessity of doing your research before you leave for that cool haunted house.

Early summer of 2001 we received an Email informing us of a haunted and abandoned monastery in northern North Carolina. With nothing else to go on, we let it go. Several months later we received other emails about this same location. With several independent inquiries we decided to begin a base research to see what might be out there.

Former members Micki Rowlette and Amber Patterson took the assignment to research this location. With only an idea of what it was and a county name (with one possible road name) they were off. Dividing up the work, they contacted the Granville County Tax Office & The Granville County Museum & Historical Society. From there they tracked down a clergy member who had assisted a monk from this monastery. They also put in calls to the Raleigh Roman-Catholic Diocese.

There research turned up several interesting things…and not what we had expected. It turns out the “monastery” was most likely a simple house and built later than one would have expected. The Roman Catholic Church sold this particular property and they then built a new church. There were only 2 monks in residence, and both returned to Massachusetts. An additional sale of the property in very recent history resulted in the destruction of the ‘monastery’.

In light of the information they discovered, Seven decided that there was likely no possibility of an investigation if it was even warranted. A new home had been built and was privately owner. We did not feel the evidence allowed us to disturb a private homeowner with news of possible – though not likely – ghosts.

It is this kind of case that reminds one that being responsible sometimes means doing a great deal more work than hopping in a car and heading for the haunted location. Had we done so we would have either failed in our quest or worse, bothered a private homeowner who may or may not believe in this sort of thing. It was many phone calls and emails that netted us the information we needed. And the story is interesting if not haunted. No group has 100% hits…. and sometimes the ones that AREN’T haunted can teach us as much as the ones that gain great photos or EVP.