Within several weeks, Dale and his friend Janet (a personal friend of Steven's) got permission for a select group of people to visit the castle on Thursday night, June 20th. The evening was to begin at 7 p.m. and end at the bewitching hour of midnight.

The night before our big event we were e-mailed some guidelines to follow. As this is Steven's (and other occupants) private home we are asked to respect it, and them… please use no spells, incantations, lines of questions that either anger or insist that the ghosts follow you home. They need to remain in the castle. At this point I'm thinking, "Wow, exactly how do you anger a ghost? Tell him his sheet is wrinkled?" Do you poke him accidentally with your elbow while walking and forget to say excuse me? I didn't want to know. Even if he was a friendly ghost, I didn't want one as a souvenir, and even if I did, what would I do, hold him hostage at gunpoint? "Look Casper, you're coming with me, and none of that disappearing stuff."

The guidelines continued, "… and please, no opening of portals of any kind… we don't want the stay-puffed marshmallow man from Ghost Busters showing up." I totally agreed… besides I had absolutely no idea how to open a portal. Do you use a can opener and some WD40?

I read further, "Sensing equipment, like dowsing rods, pendulums, EM field sensory devises etc. were not only allowed, but appreciated. "Wow, I had none of these things in my closet, but I did have a Ouija board, however thoughts of the Exorcist came to mind and squashed that idea.

That Thursday night, I met Dale for dinner at a place down the road from the castle called, the "Dead River Pub". I was hoping this wasn't a premonition of things to come.

After dinner we drove to the castle which was situated at the end of a long, winding, one lane, dirt road. I got out of the car and Dale snapped a quick picture of me in front of the place.

Then we went inside to meet the others. I felt a tad nervous stepping into the castle, but the second I did I felt I was ready to begin this adventure. Inside this massive stone building the hand-picked group of seven was seated around an antique table next to a stone fireplace. This particular room served as Steven's office.

Janet who was orchestrating the evening suggested we start by stating why each of us were here, our spiritual encounters if any, and what we hope to accomplish. She asked for permission to video tape us.

In a nutshell, Steve the owner, allowed people in his home because he wanted to be a believer in the spiritual realm. Janet had previously owned a high-end spiritual rejuvenation health spa and was now working on an animated cartoon (Janet from another Planet) about spiritual experiences. Avis was Janet's friend and here to support her. Dale, who had several experiences with people who have crossed over, and also had a government documented brief alien encounter was asked to see if he felt any energies in the house. Jim Tooey, a comedian, who had astral projected and had a near death experience wanted to see the house, possibly get some comedy material, and just see what he felt. Jim's girlfriend Kelly, also a comedian, was there in support of Jim and a charity project they were working on as well. She was also serving as the evening’s videographer. And then there was me, with my three prior spiritual encounters, one involving my Dad after he passed, another one from childhood, and the last one culminating in my book, Hopeville: The City of Light. I was there to get an experience and write a blog.

After our introductions, we got a short history of the castle and were ready to begin. I thought it might be best that I empty my bladder prior to the tour just in case. Just as I was about to go to the bathroom, Avis turns to Steven and says, "Did a young boy die in here?" I sat back down in my seat waiting to hear this answer. Steve said, "I'm not aware of all the entities in the castle, but it’s possible." "Well" she said and looked right at him. "The boy's standing next to me."

Okay, that did it. Even though I didn't see a thing, there was no way I was going to the bathroom by myself. I turn to Dale to ask him to go but before I could get my request out he says, "Well, now that we've brought that up, Fran… I didn't want to freak you out, but when you were doing your introduction; your dad appeared briefly behind you and smiled… kind of checking out his daughter kind of thing." I just nodded.

At this point I was wishing I had depends on. I asked Dale to walk me to the bathroom, which was in another part of the house on the second floor. (I silently asked my dad, who liked to play practical jokes, not to follow.)

As I ascended the stairs, a black object leaped out. I jumped… only to realize it was Steven's pet dog. Okay, maybe I was a little more scared of friendly ghosts than I thought. Dale laughed hysterically. "Capo, don't make me peel you from the ceiling." I ran into the bathroom and made a world record pit stop.

Now we were ready for our tour, I asked Steven if I could take pictures. "You won't be able to… it's totally dark." "What do you mean dark? There's plenty of light in this house." "Not in the part we're going. We have to use flashlights." All three comics looked at each other, as if to say, "Oh man, what did we get ourselves into?"

Steven, enjoying our reaction and to add to our anticipation added, "The only images that show up are with infra red cameras." I looked once again at the other two comics…we were nervous, but couldn't wait to get in. Steve grabbed two flashlights, "Let's go!"

Realizing there was seven of us and we were a tad short on lights I turned to Kelly, "Hey you guys don't mind if we hold hands do you? I mean, none of us want to get lost. Kelly laughed, "Fran, I was thinking the same thing." We walked out of Steven's castle into the crisp night air, the darkness illuminated only by the beam of the flashlight. We arrived at a set of wooden doors and were just about to walk in when Avis backed up. "I can't go in there." I looked back at Avis and she looked frightened. Janet stood by her side and said, "I'll wait out here with her."

Great. Was that ghost boy telling her something that we should know? I searched the night woods and strained my ears for sounds of owls hooting, wolves howling, or anyone in general yelling, "Don’t go in!" I heard nothing and continued to walk into the house with my new found friends, just like in every one of those B rated horror flicks.

The inside was dark, damp and musty a good place for the imagination to run wild. Steve started speaking, "This part of the building was damaged in 1971 by a fire. It happened while the castle was occupied by an all boy’s school." I was hoping it wasn't that little ghost boy who set the fire. Maybe he was scared to go inside because the ghost of Bill Beatty would whip his butt.

We walked with our footsteps echoing in the empty rooms. Steve continued to lead the way with his flashlight. Kelly was in front holding my hand, and I held Jim's in the back. Dale was floating around the room looking for energies with the other flashlight.

We made our way through crooked hanging chandeliers, and pulled down sheetrock… we felt the damp cold air. We went into one room that was apparently a ballroom or party room of some kind in the 17th century. Dale said, "I'm picking up energies in this room… right over there… over here and over here." The minute he said that, as if on cue by some Hollywood prop guy, thunder and lighting filled the room. Not a slim bit of lighting. I'm talking the light-up-the -earth, now-it-looks-like-daylight variety lightning. We all jumped. Dale laughed at us. I couldn't help but look around to see if Boris Karloff was standing nearby.

Steven continued, "That's very good Dale." At first I thought he meant that Dale was controlling the visual effects. Steven continued, "Dale, you are pointing to the same spots that many other psychic investigators have pointed to as well." Now I was confused. Don't these ghosts move around? Its bad enough they are stuck here on earth, but to be stuck in the same spot of the house as well… man that's got to be a boring afterlife. Dale explained that this room had lots of activity and so much residual energy was felt.

We continued walking from room to room. The lightening and thunder continued outside, adding to ghostly atmosphere. At one point Jimmy said that the hairs on his arms and back were standing up and that he felt heaviness on his chest. I stilled myself to see if I sensed anything. I felt a pit in my stomach but figured it was more nerves than spiritual vibrations. I rationalized that there really was nothing to be scared of and that if there was, my dad would knock out any ghost that tried to hurt me.

In the midst of picturing my dad arm wrestling a poltergeist, I started hearing this slow breathing. The Darth Vader type breathing… deep and steady … I was getting ready to yell "CUT!" Then I realized it was Jimmy standing next to me. Whew!

We walked around more. To cut the silence I asked, "Hey Steve… do you ever walk around here alone?"
"Yup, many times."
"At night?"
"No, usually, during the day."

I grinned. I guess even skeptics don't like taking chances, just in case. We walked around the castle amazed at the old architecture… reverse impression scroll work and moldings in the plaster walls, a wooden door with a Celtic cross burned into it, beautiful trim in the corners of the rooms… all things filled with history.

At one point we went out on a balcony. The wind blew through the trees, the moon looked eerie, and just for effect lightning lit up the sky again. It really was the perfect haunted house setting. We went back inside and then out through one last set of doors. That's when I noticed Dale was gone. I called out his name and at first he didn't answer. "Dale? Where are you?" No answer again. "Okay, I don't appreciate jokes like this." I was hoping I wasn't going to have to be that stupid girl in every movie who runs back in to find her dead friend and then gets waxed too. Luckily as I continued to scare myself, Dale yelled out, "Hey guys shine your flashlights here so I can see how to get out?"

Looking still in tact he came out smiling. I asked him what happened… he said, "I’ll tell you later." I hate that! I looked around to see if I could find a tattle tale ghost to spill the beans. After twenty minutes our tour was over. We got back to the lit portion of the house.

Janet and Avis rejoined us for a moment to say goodnight then left. Afterwards we all sat and watched the episode on Unsolved Mysteries. It told the history of the house, how from 1945-1947 it was occupied by two different boys schools, and how the students and faculty had sited Bill Beatty on many occasions and even heard a pipe organ playing, how one couple who lived there later on used to be teased by Bill's ghosts who would play such pranks on them like moving loaves of bread off the counter and onto the floor etc. Many investigators said they had been touched and tapped. Some said they smelled the scent of alcohol in the ballroom area. One said they saw a spirit of a soldier who seemed to be frightened and lost. (Heck, maybe he just didn't like to dance.)

After the tape, and some talk about fund raising projects that we were all working on, the evening was over. We thanked our gracious host, Steven for letting us into to his home and giving us a memorable evening. At midnight, the four remaining guests, Jim, Kelly, Dale and I stepped outside into the crisp night air. Again as if on cue, lightning struck and once more lit up the haunted castle. We all laughed uneasy.

I was elected to lead the way out along the dirt road. I told Dale that on my way out I wanted to stop my car, shine the headlights on the sign that said Phareloch Castle. I asked if he could snap a picture of me by the sign. He agreed. I drove down the lone road, the sound of my wheels crunching the gravel and dirt. The two cars trailed behind me. I made it to the main road, and then I noticed I was alone. I waited. I decided they couldn't be far behind so I decided that I'd get out of my car and wait by the sign. Just as I got out of my car, the streetlights flickered. Okay, back in the car. When the other two cars finally arrived, they got out of their cars as well. As they did the streetlights flickered again. We all got creeped out, but decided it might be one last way of the ghosts bidding us good night. We snapped the picture, and then got into our perspective cars.

Dale headed down the road one way, while Jim and Kelly in their convertible car and I in my jeep headed back towards 287. We inched our way, not sure of which direction to head. The low fog on the highway laid thick, hovering a few feet from the ground, adding final touches to the evening. To calm ourselves we stopped twice on the deserted road assuring ourselves that no ghosts had followed us out of the castle and that the headless horseman suddenly wasn't going to make a grand appearance. With the main highway finally in site, we waved good night to each other. I turned the music up loud and laughed to myself… that was one heck of a great haunted evening… I looked in my rear view mirror, total darkness. I looked again and thought I saw my dad wink. I laughed to myself… but just in case, I sped the car up and zoomed home.

To see pictures of the inside of the castle taken with infra red lights go to South Jersey Ghost Research.