YouTube documentary to be made about Rougham ‘disappearing house’, near Bury St Edmunds, and ‘ghost village’ of Kersey, near Hadleigh

A journalist from New Zealand is planning a trip to Rougham near Bury St Edmunds, to make a film about reports of a mysterious, ‘disappearing house’.

Jim Birchall who creates podcasts about unexplained phenomena, has appealed for people living in and around the West Suffolk village that may have seen the ‘Rougham mirage’ to get in touch with him.

Over the last 150 years people living in Rougham, and some passing through the area, have reported seeing a grand, georgian style house.

The house has then allegedly either disappeared from in front of them, or simply been missing when they returned to the same road later that day.

Alongside his podcasting work, Mr Birchall works with a YouTube channel called Unexplained Cases, which has almost four thousand subscribers.

Speaking ahead of his visit to Rougham, he said: “I have done some research that suggests the house apparition has appeared to a number of people, both local and visitors, over the past century and a half. I believe the last reported sighting was in 2007.”

He continued: “I am doing a 15-minute webisode for Unexplained Cases on the the time-slip phenomena, and the house is a good candidate.

“I will also be visiting Kersey, the site of another time-slip incident in 1957.”

The Kersey incident Mr Birchall is referring to is when three navy cadets passing through the village near Hadleigh, said they were transported back to medieval times.

Some refer to this phenomena as the Kersey ‘ghost village’.

A time-slip incident is explained as a phenomenon when a moment from the past ‘spontaneously intrudes on the present’.

The journalist hopes to find correlations between the disappearing house and ghost village phenomena, investigating the theory that ley lines (which may be linked to time distortion) run through the region, ending in Bury St Edmunds.

Mr Birchall has spoken to Simon Nunn, a documentary filmmaker, who has own take on the time-slip phenomena and did some local research for his own film, a few years ago.

He has been in touch with Suffolk News colluminst Nicola Miller, who has previously written about the Rougham Mirage, here.

“I have had some nice comments on the Rougham Community (Facebook) page,” continued Mr Birchall, who wants people to contact him by emailing: jimbirchall@gmail.com.

“It appears many locals are unfamiliar with the phenomenon, but a few people have pointed me in the right direction.

“I understand the Bury St Edmunds library may have a file full of clippings about the house.

“I'm particularly interested in speaking with people who have witnessed the spectral house or have family or friends that have.

“To keep a balance, I am also keen to hear from any sceptics. I would like to hear their theories on what people are seeing.”

Mr Birchall added: “I have been the UK a number of times but the Suffolk area is new to me and I’m very excited about my upcoming visit.”