The Image That Shouldn’t Exist

In autumn 2022, something occurred on The Original Rochester Spooky Tour that still sends shivers down the spine of those who were there. And while many guests have reported strange sensations, unexplained shadows and even the odd mysterious voice on recordings… nothing quite compares to The Image.

Let us explain.

A Chilling Night Begins

Two guests, Katrina and Amanda, arrived early that evening. While waiting in the quiet gloom of College Yard—just beside Rochester Cathedral—they did what most people do: they took some photos.

The first was a striking shot of the Cathedral spire taken from a popular angle—standing on the stone steps that look across the cobbled lane between St Nicholas Church (now offices of the Rochester Diocese) and the Cathedral graveyard. It was 6:50pm. The light was dimming. Autumn was settling in.

A few minutes later, they strolled up College Yard toward the small Postern Door by the main entrance—where tour guests gather before setting off. Katrina, using her iPhone 14, took a cheerful selfie of the two friends in anticipation of the evening ahead.

The tour lasted a little over two hours, winding through Rochester’s haunted corners and sharing tales of burnings at the stake, hauntings, and secrets buried deep in the city’s history.

Little did they know, something far stranger was already on Katrina’s phone.

The Shocking Discovery

After the tour, the friends settled into Moondance Bar (now Bodega 51) for cocktails and a review of the night’s photos. Katrina, who happens to be a professional photographer, began scrolling through her shots.

First, the Cathedral spire from 6:50pm. Next up should have been the selfie.

But it wasn’t.

What she saw instead stopped her dead. So disturbing was the image, so utterly wrong, that she dropped her phone onto the table in shock.

There, sandwiched between the two photos she remembered taking, was one she didn’t.

A Picture No One Took

To this day, Katrina insists she never pressed the shutter. The phone had been screen-locked and placed into her jacket pocket. And yet… there it was. A ghostly image.

Unlike anything she’d ever seen in her long photographic career, the image showed motion—but not just a blur. There were at least three different directions of motion evident. That alone is technically impossible on a smartphone, which doesn’t allow for the kind of long-exposure 'B' shutter settings you’d find on vintage film cameras.

And then, the figures.

Two of them.

One tall figure to the left—with a face. Another, to the right of centre, with what looked like ghostly bull-like horns rising from its head. The image had a dreamlike, disturbing quality. Ethereal… but also incredibly unsettling.

Katrina knew this wasn’t a pocket shot. The exposure, the detail, the figures—it didn’t resemble any accidental image she’d ever seen.

She sent it to Shane Waterman, the guide behind The Original Rochester Spooky Tour. He, in turn, forwarded it to Steve Hartridge, the official photographer for Visit Rochester UK and an expert in image processing.

The Face in the Shadows

Steve did what any good digital expert would: enhanced the image carefully, drawing out light and detail without altering the content.

His partner, Sally, glanced over his shoulder mid-edit and recoiled. “What is THAT?!” she gasped. It made her feel so uneasy, she had to leave the room.

Steve warned Shane before sending him the final version.

In the lower-right shadows of the enhanced photo, four or five distinct pairs of eyes could now be seen. Beneath them, a mouth. The tall figure’s face was clearer too—and somehow, the more you looked at it, the more unsettling it became.

But here’s where the mystery deepens.

Who—or what—Took That Photo?

The file was intact. The metadata showed the image was part of the continuous sequence Katrina took that night. It wasn’t a corrupted file. It wasn’t inserted by mistake.

All the photos—including that one—were taken in exact time sequence.

The problem? Katrina’s phone was locked in her pocket. She hadn’t touched it.

Somehow, something else pressed the shutter.

The Psychic's Verdict

Shane reached out to a trusted psychic investigator, who wishes to remain anonymous. She examined the photo, and after a week of review, gave her chilling assessment:

“There’s something wrong about the graveyard between the church and cathedral. Look at the gravestones. Many of those buried there died young… and unexpectedly.

What you’re seeing in this image are the spirits of those poor souls who haven’t yet realised they’ve passed. They are trapped. And that night, for reasons we may never understand, they made a connection—with Katrina. And they left their imprint on her phone.

They are… lost.”

Whether you believe in ghosts or not, one thing is certain: this wasn’t your average night on a spooky tour.

And that photo? See what you think… if you can bear to look at it!

But be warned. Most who look at it say the same thing—they wish they hadn’t.

Cue the Twilight Zone theme…

Curious? Brave? Book your place on The Rochester High Street Ghost Tour to hear the full story and discover for yourself what might be watching from the shadows…