1977 -1979: ENFIELD POLTERGEIST

The Enfield Poltergeist remains one of the most famous—and controversial—paranormal investigations in history. Occurring between 1977 and 1979 in a council house in Brimsdown, Enfield, England, it centered on the Hodgson family, specifically 11-year-old Janet and 13-year-old Margaret.

Here is a breakdown of the case that blurred the lines between genuine mystery and clever teenage prank.

Key Phenomena Reported

The events were investigated heavily by Maurice Grosse and Guy Lyon Playfair of the Society for Psychical Research (SPR). They documented over 1,500 incidents, including:

• Moving Furniture: Chairs and tables sliding across rooms or flipping over.
• Knocking Sounds: Loud bangs coming from inside the walls and floors.
• Levitation: Famous photographs showing Janet seemingly tossed into the air by an unseen force.
• The "Voice": Janet began speaking in a gravelly, masculine voice, claiming to be "Bill Wilkins," a man who had previously died in the house.

The Skeptical Perspective

While the case terrified the public, many researchers and skeptics (including members of the SPR) remained unconvinced.

Evidence For	Evidence Against
Witnesses: Police officers and neighbors reported seeing objects move on their own.	Caught Red-Handed: Investigators caught the girls bending spoons and hiding tape recorders.
The Voice: Doctors noted the physical strain of Janet's "Bill" voice should have damaged her vocal cords, yet it didn't.	Ventriloquism: Skeptics noted the voice only appeared when Janet was alone or behind a door.
Specific Details: The "Bill Wilkins" persona provided details about his death (a brain hemorrhage in a corner chair) that were later verified.	The "Leap": Some photographers suggested the "levitation" photos looked suspiciously like a child jumping off a bed.

The Aftermath and Legacy

Decades later, Janet Hodgson admitted in an interview that about "2% or 1%" of the activity was faked to see if the investigators would catch them—but she maintained that the rest was terrifyingly real.

Today, the case serves as the primary inspiration for:

• The Conjuring 2 (2016): A dramatized Hollywood version of the events.
• The Enfield Poltergeist (2023): An Apple TV + docuseries using the original audio recordings.

Feature	The Enfield Poltergeist (1977)	The Amityville Horror (1875)
Location	Enfield, North London (Council House)	Amityville, Long Island (Large Colonial)
Duration	18+ Months	28 Days
Primary Focus	Poltergeist: Centered on a person (Janet).	Haunting: Centered on the house/history.
Key "Monster"	The voice of Bill Wilkins.	Green slime, "Jodie" the pig, red eyes.
Outcome	Family stayed in the house for years.	Family fled and never returned.
Nature	Classid Poltergeist activity. parapsychologists often link to the presence of a troubled adolescent (Janet) acting as focal point. It was noisy, physical & focused on mundale objects like LEGO bricks and pillows.	Presented as a demonic infestation. The Lutz family claimed the house itself was evil due to the DeFeo murders a year prior. The phenomena were more "cinematic" - black goo, cold spots and personality changes in the the father, George Lutz.
Investigation	Led by Maurice Grosse, an engineer who spent months sleeping of the family's floor. It was documented, academic effort (though critised for being too emotionally involvel).	Ed and Lorraine Warren became household name because of Amityville. Amityville turned into a best-selling bookd by Jay Anson and blockbuster movie.

Google Gemini AI

26 January 2026: 6.46 p.m