Lighthouses are a symbol of solitude and inner reflection. Their guiding light is a source both of comfort and mystery. To be a lighthouse keeper is to dedicate yourself to a single task and – at least traditionally – not see another soul. But often these solitary places and the beacon that shines so brightly even in the darkest night seem to often attract another kind of being, one from the other side of life. And now one of those haunted light houses has started receiving visitors yet again as it has gone on sale. But will this shining tower of mystery scare off prospective buyers?
The tower, located in the East of Wales, has been long avoided by those strolling merrily down an otherwise fairly normal space. The mysterious tower has been the source of great concern among tourists who suggest it might be the last known refuge of one or more of the former keepers. Generally manifesting as the lonely souls who stayed there for days, one of the ghosts appears to be fairly recent – at least since the electricity was put in the building. It has been seen doing repairs on the old light. But when witnesses draw near they realize the old building has only one entrance, and it is padlocked – from the outside. Other mysterious happenings in the area include footprints which appear out of nowhere and then disappear just as mysteriously and the strange behavior of many of the walkers’ dogs which will not dare to go near the building, instead whining and barking at it as though they can see something their walkers cannot.
So will the lighthouse find an owner? Strange buildings such as these have been a source of curiosity for buyers worldwide who often even rent them out to would be lighthouse keepers and enthusiasts as a way to get away from it all and focus primarily on the meditative tasks of keeping such an old building. But this one doesn’t seem to have quite the same level of serenity others might.
But haunted lighthouses are certainly not unheard of. On St. Simons Island in Maine, for example, the history still resounds through the echoing tower there on one of the points thanks to a killing that happened over a century ago. It’s said when Frederick Osborn and John Stevens started fighting over something – reports vary on what – Osborn shot Stevens fatally, killing him instantly. Rather than charge Osborn with a crime, he instead continued his life now in solitude in the light house. It’s said you can still hear his footsteps and whispers – or perhaps echoes of an argument long ago. Osborn then lived many years at the light house before finally dying himself.
And that’s not even the strangest tale of mystery at a lighthouse. The light house in the Flannan Isles where three lighthouse keepers disappeared without a trace. Their belongings were discovered along with a freshly made meal, but there was no trace of any of the men. A thorough search of the area turned up nothing.
What is it about light houses that seems to inspire the paranormal? Perhaps it’s the idea of isolation and solitude. But there might be something else. Could it be that the towers actually represent something else to us? A light in the darkness, perhaps, guiding us toward the truth?