‘The Cage’ is located in St Osyth, Essex (Image: SWNS)
A mother-of-two from Essex claims she got the surprise of a lifetime after buying her dream property in St Osyth. Vanessa Mitchell, who was raised in the area, said she was “obsessed” with the 16th-century building, which was located close to her childhood home.
Despite whispers of hauntings and being aware that someone had taken their own life there, Vanessa seized the opportunity to put in an offer when the two-bedroom property became available.
“I knew someone who had friends that lived there and they said it was haunted, but you’ve got to remember I live in St Osyth – it’s an ancient village,” she explained. “Our entire village is pretty much haunted, so why would I care?”
Reflecting on spotting the property listed for sale, she said on the What It Was Like podcast: “[I thought] I’ve got to have it, I just completely tunnel-visioned. It came out of absolutely nowhere.”
The historic property is widely recognised as The Cage, having formerly operated as a prison for alleged witches during the 1500s, most famously Ursula Kemp.
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Ursula Kemp was imprisoned in The Cage in 1582 (Image: SWNS)
Providing further details on the podcast, host Julian Morgans informed listeners: “Records show that a total of 14 women were convicted of witchcraft in this town, the first of whom was Ursula Kemp.
“According to historical evidence, Ursula was a poor midwife who fell out with another local woman and was accused of killing her child. She was thrown into the local prison, tried, found guilty, and hanged.”
Vanessa, child-free at the time and working as a salesperson, bought the property in 2004 for £144,000 and settled in with her childhood friend Nicole, whose partner subsequently moved in with them.
However, merely 24 hours after settling in, the homeowner claims she sensed an uninvited presence beyond her housemate.
“It was the first day something felt a bit off,” she explained. “I was just making a cup of tea. Nicole was going back and forth, and I was busy in the kitchen and thought she’d come in.
The haunted house was bought by new owners in 2025 (Image: SWNS)
“Then I saw something in my peripheral vision and heard a noise. I said, ‘Your tea is here,’ but when I turned around, no one was there. Instead, a huge black mass-shaped figure was gliding slowly behind me.”
While initially unnerved, Vanessa said she remained composed and resolved to monitor the situation.
As weeks passed however, the homeowner said she “lived in fear” as the unsettling occurrences intensified.
“The feeling in the house started changing. It’s a feeling you can’t make up, a sixth sense,” she said.
Describing some of the phenomena she claims to have witnessed, Vanessa said she encountered ghostly figures, taps turning on without assistance, doors flying open, and an unexplained pool of blood on the floor.
New owners have renovated the house (Image: SWNS)
In one particularly disturbing episode, she said she was also pushed while expecting her first child.
“In my case, it turned out to be worse than some of the stuff I’ve seen in movies,” she added.
Following the departure of her housemates, Vanessa found herself alone with her first born and chose to “live in one room” due to overwhelming fear.
After four years, she vacated the home and attempted to sell, though the property remained on the market for nine years without a buyer.
“I had no choice. I had to leave, I had to get me and my baby to safety and that’s what I did,” she said.
Looking back more than two decades after purchasing the property, she reflected: “I understand it more now because now you can actually turn on the TV and watch about this stuff.
“But back in my day you couldn’t, there wasn’t Discovery+ and all these channels, so I never had the experience of any of that.”
Upon moving out, Vanessa learnt that numerous former occupants had encountered paranormal phenomena and none had remained beyond three years.
“I think all the other people that had left that house over 300 years shouldn’t have had to leave,” she added.
“I think they were feeling some kind of way the same as well, that they knew that it was bad. They had to get out.”
The residence is now in the hands of Amy’s Crypt, an Australian paranormal investigator, and her partner.
Following their 2025 purchase, she informed followers she was refurbishing the home to establish a “safe place for spirits” while maintaining the building’s historical significance.