In Essex County, there is a notable number of ancient villas, each with its own history influenced by both ordinary tales and mystical legends.
Enthusiasts of exploring abandoned villas and believers in the existence of spirits often come here to conduct their investigations or simply to get chills.
However, locals often warn them. In 2007, a man from this area claimed that spirits of his ancestors inhabited his house, and he feared for his life and that of his family.
The property was left to him in inheritance, and unaware, Taylor Mills moved with his family into the luxurious residence.
The first to sense the presence of paranormal activity were the two cats belonging to the Mills family.
The animals sensed a certain danger and sometimes would suddenly start growling, their fur standing on end, transforming from adorable and friendly cats into true terrors that heavily scratched Taylor’s daughters and wife.
Then, a strange event involved the youngest daughter.
In the middle of the night, she began screaming that her (then deceased) grandmother was pulling her leg.
The parents, disturbed by this event, tried to reassure their 4-year-old daughter, attributing it all to a bad dream.
But in the morning, when they saw bruises on both legs below the knees, they believed Emily’s story.
The following month turned into a real nightmare.
The children alternately complained about the presence of the grandmother, the animals went crazy, and Taylor’s wife issued an ultimatum: either they sold the house, or she would leave with the children to her parents.
The problems became even more serious when Taylor’s eldest daughter, at school, was noticed to have bruises and scratches.
Authorities tried to figure out who had beaten the girl, but she said it was the grandmother.
Police intervention further complicated things.
The parents were threatened with losing custody of their children, but child protective services listened to the girls‘ testimonies and installed cameras in the house.
In the following two weeks, footage was recorded indicating that windows and doors were opening inexplicably in the house.
The animals behaved extremely strangely, growling into emptiness and trying to scratch an invisible enemy.
Taylor’s youngest daughter spoke in those days with the words and voice of her grandmother, as if the spirit of an ancestor had entered her.
Houses with ghosts in Essex County are not rare.
The parents accepted the rituals of exorcism and purification of the house, organized by the local church.
They assured that nothing similar would happen in the villa anymore, but the situation repeated itself after three weeks.
The house had to be abandoned.
No one dared to buy it. The Mills moved to Colchester, and the property has remained vacant for over 15 years.
Some paranormal researchers visited the house multiple times.
They discovered the phenomenon of voices and the presence of otherworldly forces.
However, many skeptics believe that all of this is nothing more than a staged act to sell the normal villa at a higher price.
The Mills themselves claim, though, to be willing to significantly reduce the price only to profit from the inheritance.