The Enfield Poltergeist: England’s Most Controversial Haunting



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One of the most infamous and hotly debated paranormal cases in modern history, the Enfield Poltergeist captivated the public, terrified a family, and divided skeptics and believers alike. Between 1977 and 1979, a modest council house in Enfield, North London, became the epicenter of chilling disturbances that included furniture moving on its own, knocking sounds, disembodied voices, and even alleged levitations.

Was it a genuine case of a haunting, or an elaborate hoax? Decades later, the mystery remains unsolved—but the story continues to fascinate and horrify.

The Setting: 284 Green Street

The Hodgson family lived at 284 Green Street, a typical semi-detached house in Enfield. The family was headed by Peggy Hodgson, a single mother of four: Margaret, Janet, Johnny, and Billy. Life was ordinary until August 30, 1977, when the Hodgsons reported bizarre noises coming from the bedroom, drawers opening on their own, knocking on the walls, and furniture being thrown across the room. The disturbances quickly escalated and focused primarily on 11-year-old Janet.

Signs of the Poltergeist

The phenomena reported over the following months included:

• Furniture moving by itself in front of witnesses
• Toys flying across the room
• Cold spots in various areas of the house
• Unseen hands tugging bedclothes and curtains
• Loud bangs and raps on the walls, often in response to questions
• Janet being levitated, seen floating several feet above her bed
• A deep, growling voice that spoke through Janet, identifying itself as "Bill"

The voice, captured on audio recordings, claimed to be the spirit of a man named Bill Wilkins, who died in the house after suffering a brain hemorrhage in an armchair.

Media Frenzy and Investigators

The story quickly grabbed the attention of the British press, and photographs of Janet appearing to be levitating were widely published. While some saw it as proof of supernatural activity, others suggested she was simply jumping from her bed.

Two investigators from the Society for Psychical Research (SPR), Maurice Grosse and Guy Lyon Playfair, spent extended periods in the house. They claimed to witness much of the activity firsthand and documented their experiences in meticulous detail. Playfair later wrote This House is Haunted, a comprehensive account of the case.

Additionally, the case attracted the attention of American demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren, who visited the house briefly. Lorraine declared it a genuine case of demonic oppression.

The Voice of Bill

One of the most disturbing elements of the Enfield case was the deep male voice that allegedly came from Janet, often without her moving her lips. Skeptics believed this could be ventriloquism, but the voice was said to persist even when Janet’s mouth was taped shut.

Bill's “spirit” gave details about his life and death that were later verified, including his name and the manner of his passing, details the family claimed not to have known.

Controversy and Skepticism

Despite the dramatic claims and dozens of witnesses, including neighbors, journalists, and police officers, the case remains controversial. Critics argue:

• Janet admitted to faking some of the activity, although she and her sister insisted it was only a small part of a larger truth.
• Photographic evidence could be interpreted as staged or misleading.
• The paranormal investigators may have influenced the behavior of the children, knowingly or unknowingly.
  
• The “Bill Wilkins” voice might have been produced through false vocal cord speech—a rare but natural ability.

Skeptics suggest the entire event was a combination of attention-seeking, psychological trauma, and suggestion, especially given the family’s difficult living circumstances.

Aftermath

By 1979, the activity had mostly stopped. Janet went on to live a relatively private life but maintained that what happened was real. She has since stated that about 2% of the incidents were hoaxed, mostly during times when investigators pressured them for results. The story has inspired countless books, documentaries, and dramatizations, including The Conjuring 2 (2016), in which Ed and Lorraine Warren’s role was dramatically expanded for Hollywood effect.

Legacy

Whether real or imagined, the Enfield Poltergeist case is still considered one of the most well-documented hauntings in British history. It continues to be analyzed and debated by parapsychologists, psychologists, and skeptics to this day.

It remains a chilling reminder that sometimes, the line between reality and the unknown is thinner than we think, and that truth, like the haunting itself, might lie somewhere in between.