Original subtitles

I'll take it as a yes if you spike this EMF detector.

- Ooh, big spike. - You got one?

Right there, and it's just behind us.

Behind us?

- Do you see anything? - Nothing.

Wait, and another!

Look, we are right in the middle of all of these.

What is going on? It's like we're surrounded.

Going in.

On this episode of "Expedition X"...

...my team journeys to the home of the mythical thief,

Robin Hood, Nottingham, England.

- History everywhere. - Yeah.

A city scarred by centuries of medieval conflict.

- Were people actually dying? - There would have been.

It was a form of entertainment.

Where today, the dead are said to be robbing residents

of their sanity. - Right there, right there.

Witnesses report hostile ghosts

in the city's hidden tunnels.

Just literally flew past my face.

That felt like a rock that was thrown.

And unexplained phenomena in the ominous Sherwood Forest.

I would see orbs in the branches of the trees.

Phil and Heather discover the horrifying history behind

the Robin Hood legend... - Whoa.

...as they experience a nightmare in Nottingham.

Alright, buckle up, boys. Have I got something for y'all.

- Check this out. - Oh, boy.

- What do we got? - Let's see it.

Oh!

Wait a minute. What is that?

That looks like a ghost.

It could be fog, moisture in the air.

- Or a ghost. - Mm-hmm.

It looks like a transparent person

running across this path.

Where was this taken?

- In Sherwood Forest in England. - The Sherwood Forest?

Yes, made famous by Robin Hood and his merry men.

- Kevin Costner? - Eh, "Men in Tights."

Animated fox.

But any way you cut it, they're all Robin Hood.

And look, this is an iconic character, the legend of this

medieval outlaw who steals from the rich and gives to the poor.

This whole period is filled with stories

that still resonate today.

But these aren't just stories, and they're not just movies.

It's real history that people believe is inspiring

real paranormal activity today.

You know, a few years ago, I had a chance to investigate

the origins of the Robin Hood legend.

And you're right, that this area of the country

is just a hotbed of some pretty horrific history.

And so if there are paranormal reports coming

from Sherwood Forest, that doesn't surprise me at all.

This region is the most storied in all of England.

Of all of the great cities of Great Britain, arguably none

have as dark a history as Nottingham.

Situated in the heart of the nation,

from the Middle Ages onward,

whoever controls Nottingham controls England.

Which is exactly why it becomes a powerful royal stronghold,

fought over for centuries in some of

the country's bloodiest battles.

Among the deadliest of these conflicts

is the Battle of Stoke Field in 1487,

where King Henry VII's army

wins the Wars of the Roses.

The battle leaves thousands dead

and the nearby River Trent stained red with blood.

But Nottingham's medieval violence isn't limited

to lords and their armies.

Civilians also live under constant threat.

The Sheriff of Nottingham polices the city

with absolute authority,

solely deciding who is classed a criminal

before publicly hanging them in the streets

as a hideous warning.

And all this while the Sheriff often indulges

in criminal behavior himself,

corruptly profiting from his power.

Beyond the city walls in nearby Sherwood Forest,

commoners accused of poaching are mutilated or executed

under the brutal edict known as forest law.

But in response to this oppression and extortion,

the legend of Robin Hood emerges,

the ultimate symbol of defiance.

Today we know him from many classic movies,

but his story first surfaces in 13th century ballads,

which tell of a dashing outlaw

who robs from the rich and gives to the poor,

before vanishing into Sherwood Forest,

escaping the evil sheriff.

Whether Robin Hood truly existed remains a subject of

great debate, but there's no question the legend is inspired

by the real-life cruelty of Nottingham and the rebels

who fought back against it from the shadows of Sherwood Forest.

But now, many believe all this bloodshed has left

a terrifying paranormal legacy.

Humanoid smoke figures, shrouded apparitions,

strange lights, disembodied voices,

and malevolent spirits are all regularly reported

in and around Sherwood Forest.

And within the city itself, deep inside secret tunnels

once used as bandit hideouts,

hostile poltergeists are said to hurl stones

while shadowy shapes of outlaws

appear from thin air.

Nottingham's history lives on in the legend of Robin Hood,

but does it also live on in something far more frightening?

The restless dead.

I feel like I know where your head's at.

- What are you thinking? - The kid in me is geeking out.

I wanna bring my bow and arrow.

Finally, you're excited for a ghost hunt.

I really am, but maybe that is the problem here.

This place is so full of legend, both medieval

and Hollywood, that maybe people are experiencing things

there because they want to, because it'd be fun to.

I mean, who wouldn't want to see the ghost

of a bow-wielding bandit in Sherwood Forest?

Myself included.

Alright, so Phil just wants to wear tights.

And what about you?

Here's the thing, it's not just Robin Hood.

There's centuries of dark history in Nottingham.

Plus, there's even reports of pagan rituals

done in Sherwood Forest itself.

So we have to figure out what's going on here.

In fact, I've already reached out to several locals to see

if they wanna share their experiences.

Alright, we got a plan.

The two of you are gonna head to Nottingham and see if

you can figure out what's really going on here

and whether the Robin Hood legend plays some part in that.

- Sound good? - Sounds good.

- Yep. - Alright, don't forget your bycocket.

- Whoa, whoa, whoa. - Whoa, what?

It's the silly hat that Robin Hood wears.

- It's called a bycocket. - Really?

- Yeah, Google it. - Weird.

Just go, pack your tights, get out of here.

It's about a seven-hour flight from New York City

to London, England.

From there, it's another two-and-a-half hours

by car to Nottingham,

the so-called Queen of the Midlands.

And around here, there's no better way to soak up centuries

of history than over a pint.

Look at that, established year 1240.

- History everywhere. - Yeah.

Waiting for us inside the pub is a group of locals

who believe Nottingham's ancient history

is all too alive.

Where should we start?

You can start right here in the Salutation Inn.

There are caves beneath the pub, and there is a lot of

paranormal activity down there.

What sort of activity are we talking about here?

People complained about having clothes tugged,

scratches, figures that walk into rooms

and then aren't there.

The most notorious spirit that we have is a highwayman that

we feel is linked to a hidden well beneath the pub.

There was a highwayman that supposedly was trying

to hide out, and he hid in the well, fell, and drowned.

Various people have seen him down in the caves,

approximately about six-foot tall, quite rugged,

unshaven, dark, long coat.

It's almost like somebody's seen the same person

every single time.

And multiple people have seen him for years?

For years, yeah.

Because in that well, there is believed to be his sword.

There's a sword in a well underneath here?

Yes. It's been seen a few times.

People have gone in to try and find it.

They can never find it when they go in, but it's been seen,

it's been photographed. - Do you have photos of it?

Yeah, I've got it on my phone.

- What?! - Oh, yeah, that's a sword.

Basically, the sword still being seen,

and so is the highwayman ghost.

Amazing.

OK. Where else?

You've certainly got to go and pay a visit

to the City of Caves under the City of Nottingham.

It used to be a place where people would have lived

in the time of the Black Death

and throughout the medieval time period,

and there's a lot of paranormal activity.

You've got disembodied voices, shadow figures that people see

on a regular basis, stones being thrown.

In fact, I had one thrown at me.

No one around at the time,

it just literally flew past my face.

Certainly got a lot going on in that location.

So, we've heard a lot of stories about Nottingham,

but what about Robin Hood's old stomping grounds,

Sherwood Forest?

I grew up in the village that is part of what's now known

as the heart of Sherwood Forest.

I would spend a lot of time walking in the woods,

and I would see orbs.

They would whizz up into the air and dance in

the branches of the trees.

People have also reported seeing shadow figures,

sort of smoky figures in the woods.

They will often say there are places

where I feel like I'm watched.

It's got a very sinister feeling when you go

into that place.

A really disturbing place within the forest

is Newstead Abbey.

There's a terrifying apparition known as the Black Friar.

He's a disheveled monk-like figure walking around

the cloisters, and you really don't want to be

in that area when he's there.

I've also been there at night.

I was in a room, and I felt a presence there.

I could hear tapping and footsteps, and I just felt

like I needed to get out of the building.

I stepped out into the forest, and I heard a voice behind me

say my name, "Jackie."

Jackie...

I turned round, nobody else was there.

That was disturbing.

With so many paranormal reports now on our radar,

Heather and I borrow a page

from a medieval king's playbook-- divide and conquer.

Heather will begin her investigation

a couple miles across town

at what's known as the City of Caves,

a refuge for the living dating from the 1200s, now rumored to

harbor spirits of the dead.

Meanwhile, I go nowhere.

I'm going to investigate the tunnels right under my feet,

beneath Ye Olde Salutation Inn.

I want to see if I can find the highwayman's sword

that's said to be hidden in an underground well

or anything else that could confirm

this location's violent history.

Wow, look at this place.

We're about 40 or 50 feet below the pub right now.

So, right now I'm looking for any signs of a well

and any signs of what could be mistaken

for a six-foot-tall highwayman in a tricorn hat.

Anything that could cast an unusual shadow,

but so far coming up empty.

Wow.

Look at these walls. These caves were hand-carved.

Just touching these chisel marks is like feeling history

and understanding the energy and the power

that went into creating these caves.

OK.

We gotta be careful.

The activity reported here is intense.

We're talking disembodied voices, shadow figures,

rocks being thrown at people.

What was that?

Did y'all hear that?

Hello?

That sounded like a gasp.

...rocks being thrown at people.

Did you hear those footsteps?

What is that?

Honestly a bit of a maze down here.

Oh, look! Is this what I think it is?

Yes!

This is the well where a sword

linked to a highwayman has been seen.

If we can find that sword, not only does it confirm

that story, but it is real evidence

of Nottingham's violent past.

First glance...

No sword.

I think I need to head down there myself.

Time to rig up.

Alright...

as I have no idea what I'm gonna encounter down there,

I've got a sifter, mask and snorkel, and I can

have my crew send down my instruments

via this incredibly sophisticated equipment

called a bucket on a string.

Let's get to it.

Let's see if I can find a dead bandit's sword.

Going in.

So thankfully, there are these little...

footholds that have been carved out,

so I can make my way down.

The sandstone is brittle.

Oh, this thing goes deep.

Yeah, I'm good. I'm good.

Ah, I just slipped.

OK. How deep is this water?

And how cold and how dirty?

That's another question.

And... yeah, it's cold.

Can I reach the bottom?

I don't know. I really don't.

The water's dirty. I can't see anything.

I think I'm gonna need my mask and snorkel.

Alright.

Alright so, water's too deep

to touch the bottom.

Gonna dunk in and see what I can find.

Alright.

Going in.

Whatever just made that noise,

I think it came from in here.

Didn't it sound like footsteps?

Hello?

It was like a tapping noise over there.

Is there anyone here with us?

Did you just make that noise? Can you make it again?

Tap.

I'll take that as a yes.

Ooh, look at that!

OK.

Gotta find that sword.

We've gone down and up, down and up, multiple times.

No sign of that sword, but this bucket

is full of debris.

And hopefully, within that debris,

there is some history, some evidence.

Because otherwise, I froze my butt off

at the bottom of this well for nothing.

Alright, you can send the bucket up!

Coming up!

Something is definitely in here with us right now.

Let's see if we can give him a voice.

I'm gonna use the Ovilus.

Hopefully, if there's any spirits in here,

they'll answer the questions I'm asking.

Is there anyone here with me?

Forever?

You've been stuck here forever?

Tell me what you did down here.

So you came down here to be safe...

because this was a safe hideout?

Did you steal?

It was necessary, but it was wrong.

Were you a bandit?

That's crazy.

Were you part of Robin Hood's band of merry men?

Where should I go if I want to understand

what's happening in Nottingham?

You are Lord of this area?

Tell me what you mean.

Religious?

Do you want me to go to the abbey?

Whoo-ooh.

Whoa!

Oh my God.

OK.

Did you just throw that rock?

It almost hit me!

Look up, around.

There's loose brick, crumbly pieces of mortar.

But that didn't feel like a rock that fell.

That felt like a rock that was thrown at me.

Alright, time to see if that cold plunge was worth it.

Well, I didn't find a sword,

but I have this pinpoint metal detector,

so let's see if I pulled up any evidence to back

up the legends of Nottingham.

Getting hits already. That's a good sign.

Hm.

Got a coin?

One pence. Not exactly Robin Hood old.

OK, another coin.

A lot of modern coins.

Throwing coins down a well.

Turns out it's a thing.

Starting to get a little nervous.

Oh, what's that?

Ooh, what's that?

Well, this is interesting.

This what I think it is?

Wow, OK, now we've got something good.

So this is half a coin, which you may think is

a damaged coin, but no, back in the day,

this is how people made change.

But this method of making change was outlawed

in the 13th century,

meaning this coin isn't just old,

this is Robin Hood old, this is bandit old.

So no, it's not a sword, but this is incredibly valuable

to our investigation.

I head across town to the City of Caves

to show Heather this amazing discovery

from the time of Robin Hood.

- Phil? - Hey.

- How'd you find me? - Uh, it's a dark cave.

- I followed the light. - Fair.

So, I didn't find the sword. But I did find this.

- Take a look. - What is this? Half a coin?

Yes, but not just any coin.

My initial analysis dates this to around the year 1200.

Who supposedly lived around then?

- Robin Hood! - Exactly.

So this is solid evidence tying these caves to that era.

- Yeah. - Hold on to this.

This is a powerful artifact and come in handy later.

My thoughts exactly. How's it going here?

Well, I've had some intense activity.

I got the words "Lord" and "religious."

And where do you find those things?

- Uh, church? - Right, Newstead Abbey.

And our witnesses said that was a really active place.

- OK. - Well, sun's about to come up.

We need to get a little shut eye, but we know where

we're going next. Newstead Abbey.

- Let's do it. - OK.

As the sun rises, we head out for Newstead Abbey.

But first, there's a stop that

I think we really, really need to make.

Yes, right on target.

Dang it!

Isn't this fun, Heather?

No, Torres, this is not fun.

Did I win? I did win.

Once. You can win once.

Alright, let's head to Newstead Abbey.

Alright, let's go.

And for the record, I think the only reason I didn't get

another bullseye is because I wasn't wearing a bycocket.

- You're a bycocket. - Wow.

There it is. Newstead Abbey.

- This is stunning! - Wow.

I mean, heck, if I were a ghost I'd come haunt here.

I'd never leave here.

Alright, let's head in. Try not to get lost.

We're meeting with guide, Barrie John,

whose five-times- great-grandfather once worked

at Newstead Abbey himself back in the 1700s.

Well, thank you so much for having us here.

This place is magnificent.

As soon as you walk through the doors, you can feel

the history here. How did it all start?

It started out as a religious building, an Augustinian priory

going all the way back to 1170.

People came here to seek sanctuary, to seek safety,

and there was even outlaws out there

that could come here for refuge.

Maybe even Robin Hood himself came here for refuge.

Yes.

So this started as a place of good.

When did that all change?

It changed with that dissolution of the monasteries in 1539.

Henry VIII came in with his soldiers, took ownership of

the building, and it was then put under the arms of

the Byron family.

The Byron family, as in Lord Byron, the famous poet?

Yeah, the famous poet.

But that was a real time of darkness for us here at

Newstead Abbey. - What do you mean, darkness?

So the most infamous person here at Newstead Abbey

is Byron, the famous poet's great uncle, William Byron.

Everybody calls him the Wicked Lord.

He was certainly a truly evil man.

He used to have mock battles on the lake, and he employed

sailor boys to sail up and down that lake to be fired at.

- It was live ammunition? - Live ammunition, live cannons.

And this is where my five-times- great-grandfather comes in,

because he was a sailor boy for the wicked Lord Byron.

Were people actually dying?

There would have been, it was a form of entertainment.

Good Lord.

We've also got Devil's Wood that was called Devil's Wood

because the Wicked Lord had Satanic parties.

So the fifth Lord, this Wicked Lord,

was interested in the dark arts? - Yes.

He purchased two satyr statues we have at the back

of the house. Half man, half animal.

And the story goes that they get down off

their platforms in the night and dance around the gardens

in Devil's Wood.

And have there been any reports that he may still haunt

this property?

I have to say his bedroom is probably one of

the most active, which is over the other side of the house.

OK.

So do you think this place is haunted?

Absolutely, yes.

I've had some real terrifying experiences here

that have made me more of a believer.

I've had my name called down corridors.

Barrie...

I've locked the building up at night, and when I've walked

away, you can hear door handles being tried.

And that's not just me.

We've got members of staff who have seen a white mist

in the gardens. - Hm.

And we've heard a lot about mist in the forest as well.

- Yeah. - Yeah.

Even Byron, the famous poet,

wrote about paranormal activity here.

He wrote about the Black Friar.

The Black Friar, we heard about him haunting Newstead Abbey.

Yeah, people see these black cloak figures walking in

the cloisters part of the building right at the bottom.

You've got the original mortuary down there where

people were laid to rest. - And who do they think it is?

- Maybe just an old monk? - We don't know.

We just know him as the Black Friar.

So we've got multiple spirits, physical activity,

disembodied voices, mists. - Statues dancing.

This place is like a paranormal investigator's dream.

Do we have your permission to stay overnight?

Absolutely. But just be careful.

There's some strange forces here.

You don't know what's gonna come out of the woodwork.

Paranormal reports stretch across

every inch of Newstead Abbey.

With so much to explore, we decide to split up.

Phil will investigate the grounds,

while I begin inside the abbey in the cloisters.

So we're entering the cloisters, which is

the oldest part of this abbey.

This is where the Black Friar has been sighted.

You could hear a pin drop. That's how quiet it is here.

One can only imagine what life would have been like

in Robin Hood's time.

This was a place of refuge, a place of safety.

To have that all ripped away by King Henry VIII,

that'll leave a mark on a place like this.

OK, so...

I'm gonna use the XLS to see if I can spot the spirit

known as the Black Friar.

Is there anyone here with me?

All you have to do...

is just walk right in front of me.

This device...

will see you...

to let me know you're here.

I'm not seeing anything.

OK, there's something I want to try.

Because we're in this ancient abbey,

I prepared some Gregorian chants

in the hopes that it might trigger activity.

Do you recognize this?

I invite you to show yourself.

Oh, right there, right there.

It looks like he's kneeling right in front of the sundial.

Almost like he's praying.

He's literally on his knees right in front of the sundial.

Can you wave your arm?

He's gone. Gone.

So he was right there.

He was on his knees like he was praying.

So let's see...

if he wants me to follow him.

Wow, look at that.

Incredible.

So this is the medieval facade of the abbey.

The oldest part that remains.

I figure if we're looking for an explanation for what people

are actually seeing, why not start at the beginning?

Witnesses talk about seeing glowing light in this forest

just outside the grounds of the abbey.

Trying to figure out the misty figures

that people describe as well.

This body of water right here, which

under the right conditions, could release very small

pockets of mist and fog that could go across the landscape.

People could say it looks like a misty figure,

when really it's just mist.

Let's see what evidence we can find.

Oh, this must be the mortuary.

For hundreds of years, this is where bodies would have been

kept before being buried.

Wow.

There's a heaviness. It's cold.

I see why they would keep dead bodies here.

Feels like something is pushed up against me, is breathing

down the back of my neck.

The whole back of my body feels like it's burning up.

Is there anyone here with me?

I'm gonna start asking who you are.

And all you have to do is appear,

and I'll take that as a yes.

Are you the Black Friar?

Are you a member of the religious order

that was here at the abbey?

Are you the Wicked Lord?

Ooh-ooh, yep. Yep, OK.

I take that as a yes, then. The Wicked Lord is here.

Now he's gone.

Can you show up again?

Whatever was here seems to be gone,

but I know where I'm going next,

the Wicked Lord's bedroom.

Oh!

Look at this!

Animal down below, human up top.

This Is one of the Wicked Lord's satyrs.

This is one of the statues.

There should be another one, yeah, right over there, look.

That's the other one, which means...

I'm in the Devil's Woods.

Gotta say they got a very devilish look to 'em.

So people say

that these things...

will pop off the pedestal, start dancing back here.

Let's see if we can make them dance.

OK, I'm just trying to look at the different angles of light.

If I get some shadow behind them.

I don't know.

I just don't see how it could be possible.

OK.

I'm looking for the Wicked Lord's bedroom.

What?

That's crazy.

I just tried to open that and it wouldn't open

and I rattled it, and something just turned the knob in my hand.

And it's not-- look.

Nothing. I can't get in there.

Perfect. Let's get in there.

Hello?

Something was on the other side of this door

and twisting it, just like that.

I'm in the Wicked Lord's bedroom.

It feels like someone is already here.

This was not a good guy, and we are literally standing

in the heart of his domain.

That's even his real clothing.

That's his real bed.

I think I want to do a call-and-response session in here.

And see if the Wicked Lord has something to say.

Is there anyone here with me?

You can make a noise.

You can just talk to me.

Did you twist that knob?

Yes, yes!

Who is here with me right now?

The Wicked Lord?

Am I in danger?

Yes?

What is here?

Evil?

What is evil?

So there's many of y'all here.

Go where?

To what? The-- the-- the forest?

It is eerily quiet out here.

Almost no movement.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Look.

This is coming off the tree.

What the heck?

I mean, it doesn't exactly look like a person, but it's like

there's this pocket of mist that is right here,

but not over here.

What is...

Whoa. Light! Light!

What the hell is that?

You see that?

There's a glowing light right up here.

It's coming from right out there...

in the trees.

There, tunnel.

It was coming from the trees back here.

What was that?

It was definitely not reflective eye shine.

My flashlight was not pointing that way.

I can't see anything. I don't know what to say.

I mean, there is something going on out here in the woods.

I think I need to call on Heather.

Did you hear that?

Heather?

I...

Heather!

I just heard her say

"Phil."

Heather, do you copy? Are you outside right now?

No, I'm in the Wicked Lord's bedroom.

What's going on?

I just picked up my walkie to call you,

and I heard your voice say, "Phil,"

as if you were calling me over.

That was not me, but I literally just got

the words, "go out" on the spirit box.

Like he was leading me out into the forest.

Things are a little crazy out here.

I think you need to get out here.

I'll shine my lights so you can find me.

Copy that. I'm heading your way.

- Phil. - Hey.

- So, this place is wild. - Yeah!

I'm telling you, I saw a mist,

just like what people described.

I wouldn't say it looked like a person,

but it was a ball of mist.

Then I saw a floating light.

- Like an orb? - I'm not sure what it was,

but it was in the forest.

And when I got out here,

that's when I heard you saying, "Phil,"

as if you were calling me over.

That's exactly what the witnesses said

happens out here. - Yeah.

If it is something paranormal, I got something that can

help us find it. Let's throw up the EMF drone.

Alright, let you get up there.

Alright, this drone detects any EMF activity beneath it.

So I'll set it to run a grid pattern.

If there's any spikes, it will pin it and we'll know exactly

where to go. - Alright.

- Get it up there. - Alright.

Let's see what we can find.

- OK, so see that's us. - Mm-hmm.

And now we just wait. See if we get any spikes.

OK.

Is there anyone out there?

I'll take it as a yes if you spike this EMF detector.

I just got the words "go out" when I was inside the abbey.

Was that you?

Whoo! Big spike.

You got one?

Right there, and it's just behind us.

Behind us?

- Do you see anything? - Nothing.

I don't see anything back there.

It was right behind us.

- You hear all those animals kicking off? - Yeah.

I mean, it has been dead silent out here until now.

- Another one! - Where?

- To the right. - So that's two up there.

Wait, and another!

Look, we are right in the middle of all of these.

Earlier, I got the words "many" and "evil" on the spirit box.

And now look at this.

It's like we're surrounded right now.

What the hell is happening in this forest?

Next time on "Expedition X"...

Let's go.

...the team continues their investigation into

the legend of Robin Hood, descending into the depths of

a brutal medieval prison...

What is that?

...said to be horrifyingly haunted by the spirits

of executed inmates.

He's a very aggressive, very volatile spirit.

Were you sentenced right here?

Ooh.

Then a shocking revelation

draws Phil and Heather back to Sherwood Forest...

It just keeps going and going.

...where long buried secrets...

Here in Sherwood Forest, pagans practiced rituals

for well over a thousand years.

...threaten to reveal an ancient power...

I got the words, "go out." Was that you?

...unlike anything the team has encountered before.

Yes, the forest is speaking to us.