A museum of the paranormal has opened in Carmarthen hosting weekly seance nights.

Rowtons’ Museum of the Paranormal and Spirituality is the brainchild of Erik and Laura Rowton, a couple who have been exploring the supernatural for 10 years.

Their work investigating the otherworldly has led to a plethora of documentaries and collecting hundreds of spooky objects from a 100-year-old Ouija Board to a haunted wine cabinet - a Dybbuk box - that allegedly caused illnesses in the family who owned it.

Their latest project is creating the museum to display their strange objects, hosted in an old chapel - Penuel Chapel - which according to the couple has its own links to the supernatural through faith healing, demonic possession and exorcism.

Their relics come with explainers about what they may have been used for
Their relics come with explainers about what they may have been used for (Rowtons' Museum of the Paranormal and Spirituality)

Erik said on opening to the public on 22 Feb: “There’s only so much you can convey in a documentary, we wanted to create a safe space where people can explore spirituality or beliefs in a free and open way.

“The attendees loved the launch and asked us to set up a cafe so they could’ve stayed longer, which we want to do in future.”

The items collected include a Victorian mirror said to be used for black magic rituals, a full-size replica of the Shroud of Turin, a 1890s Victorian mourning dress and relics from famous haunted houses including Amityville Horror House.

But what’s it like having so many supernatural objects in one place?

Erik, 34, said: “We have paranormal activity daily.

“Not just from the items but the building itself is quite active - we see shadow figures to full on apparitions.

“When we first viewed the place we heard footsteps all around us in the classroom.”

Penuel Chapel is a former Baptist Church that the couple bought after experiencing strange happenings whilst viewing the property
Penuel Chapel is a former Baptist Church that the couple bought after experiencing strange happenings whilst viewing the property (Rowtons' Museum of the Paranormal and Spirituality)

They have developed practices including using holy water and crystals to help “control” the items so people can observe them without fear, though Erik added: “Zoos keep lions around and they can be much more dangerous than our items.”

The items are colour coded - ‘green’ indicates items with positive associations such as saints' relics and scrolls made by an Ethiopian shaman to rid people of demonic possession.

‘Amber’ denotes items that come from a stressed environment, such as items from the Battle of the Somme.

The couple host seances in the old school room where they said they heard footsteps
The couple host seances in the old school room where they said they heard footsteps (Rowtons' Museum of the Paranormal and Spirituality)

Red items come with stories, from presences to poltergeist activities - these items include donations from the public, including a chest of drawers bought from a charity shop, that a man claims was possessed and caused shadow entities to pull him out of bed.

What started as a “curiosity” for the couple led them to making videos in and around Cambridge, where Laura studied, before embarking on expeditions into Europe conducting surveys on belief - that was until Laura had a paranormal experience of her own.

Erik explained: “One of the mediums said something it was impossible for him to know, and that led us down a rabbit hole.”

They now run weekly seance nights in their parlour, weekend investigations and hope to host other events in future.

For more information, visit https://rowtonsmuseum.co.uk/