Norwich-based Photographer Andrew Kitt felt chills whilst processing images from a recent photo shoot in the courtyard at Cinema City, Norwich. As he flicked between two images, he noticed a shadow in one that was absent from the following shot in sequence. Zooming in, the shadow looked suspiciously like a figure, despite the fact that Andrew is almost 100% certain that no one was in the shot when he snapped it. Attempts to resolve the figure served only to add to the mystery as the entity became clearer still, appearing as a hunched shape wearing what could, with a little imagination, be described as Tudor-style dress. Very spooky.

 

 

Properties were recorded on the site that Cinema City and eatery, The Dining Rooms, now occupy as early as the 13th century, but it is believed that the oldest surviving parts of the building date from the 14th century. In the mid-1500’s Robert Suckling, Mayor, Sheriff and Burgess in Parliament purchased the property. He made substantial alterations to the buildings and renamed it after himself. The centre of the house was, as it remains today, the Great Hall, with its scissor brace and crown post roof. Staff at Cinema City and The Dining Rooms tell a few tales of odd, unexplained happenings on the site. Perhaps the sympathetic but stunning restoration and refurbishment in 2007 shook up a few old inhabitants?

Turns out that during these most recent renovations, an underground vaulted room was uncovered which had clearly been bricked up for many years. The room, which was dry and in good condition, opens from below into the kitchen. It is still there today. The Managing Director of Cinema City says that it "seems mysterious when whole rooms are bricked up and that perhaps there was a reason for an earlier generation to decide to block it over?"

 

 

Andrew refuses to make any solid claim as to the nature of the form in the photograph, but is categorically firm on the fact that it has not be altered digitally or tampered with in any way - the shadow, and the figure resolved from the shot, were definitely present when the image was taken (at around 10.40pm on a Tuesday night in late June). Equally, he states that the image is not intended as a hoax or anything like that. Take a look and judge for yourself…

 

 

Cinema City & The Dining Rooms Bar & Restaurant.

St Andrew's Street, Norwich, NR2 4AD.

Tel: 0871 704 2053 (9.30am-8.30pm daily) for films or 07504 356378 (Reservations) from 11am daily for bookings at the Dining Rooms.

www.picturehouses.co.uk

Andrew Kitt Photography.

Tel: 07799 537 023.

www.andrewkittphotography.co.uk