St James' Church in Lower Gornal has a long history of paranormal activity but one of the most bizarre incidents occurred in 1881 when ghostly voices were heard in the churchyard. The local vicar, not one to shy away from the strange, was suddenly and violently assaulted by an unknown force. It was clear that something was amiss and an exorcism was eventually performed to rid the church of the malevolent entities.

The events of 1881 were part of a larger pattern of unexplained occurrences at St James' Church. During the Victorian era, the church was a hub of community activity but it seems that it also attracted some unwanted attention from beyond the grave. The fact that multiple witnesses reported hearing ghostly voices and that the vicar was physically attacked suggests that the haunting was a genuine and terrifying experience for those involved. While we can't say for certain what caused the haunting, it's clear that the church was a focal point for paranormal activity during this time.