Spirit scents
Like the spirit of Northwood House’s former caretaker with his distinctive smell of tobacco, scents can signify the presence of spirits.
Some spiritual aromas are residual, like a playback recorded on the fabric of a building. For example, if someone had a bath the same time every day when they were alive, the current owners of the home where they used to live may be able to smell soap in the house at that time. The smell is absorbed by the building and becomes a spiritual energy itself, being released by the building at certain times.
The beautiful aroma of flowers, for example lilac, rose and lavender, is thought to be associated with angels. Smelling those scents could indicate an angelic presence.
Conversely, nasty smells such as sulphur, burning and rotting flesh can be a sign of dark spirits and poltergeists.
During one investigation at an ancient manor house in Yorkshire, I smelled lavender perfume on the stairs. I found out later that the spirit of a lady wearing a white dress has been spotted there on many occasions. I’ve also smelled strong tobacco in an abandoned building in Scotland that was once used to house destitute sailors.
Most touching of all is when a spirit sends a smell as a message to a loved one on Earth. They send the scent of their favourite perfume, aftershave or flower – a smell that their loved one will associate with them – to show they’re still around. Smell is such an evocative sense so what better way for a spirit to show a loved one they are watching over them?