Veteran US paranormal investigator Dale Kaczmarek shares insights from more than 50 years of ghost hunting. Speaking to Spooky Isles, he discusses Britain’s haunted history, the influence of British ghost hunter Harry Price, and how UK hauntings compare to those in the US
Dale Kaczmarek, a veteran paranormal investigator with 50 years of experience, has explored some of the most haunted locations in the United States.
However, his fascination with Britain’s ghostly past has brought him across the Atlantic many times, where he has investigated historic castles, battlefields and the sites of legendary hauntings.
In a recent Podcast interview with Spooky Isles, Kaczmarek shared his thoughts on the UK’s rich supernatural history, the legacy of British ghost hunter Harry Price, and how British hauntings compare to those in the US.
The UK’s Deep Paranormal Roots
For Kaczmarek, the UK’s appeal lies in its long history and deep-rooted ghost stories. During his visits, he has explored some of Britain’s most famous paranormal hotspots, including the Tower of London and Bannockburn, the site of a major Scottish battle in 1314. Reflecting on his visit to Bannockburn, he said, “I felt a lot of sadness there. I mean, really just a lot of sadness.”
One of his favourite locations is Berry Pomeroy Castle in Devon. First visiting in the 1980s and then returning years later, Kaczmarek described the eerie legends surrounding the ruined fortress, particularly the story of two sisters in love with the same man, one of whom is said to haunt the ramparts. “We did a mini-investigation there,” he recalled. “We didn’t really get anything, unfortunately, but the story is really kind of crazy about two sisters, you know, that were in love with the same gentleman and one was locked in.”
He also noted the difference in attitudes towards ghosts between the UK and the US. “In England, you can go into any pub, literally, and they pretty much had a ghost story and they’d be more than happy to talk to you about it, show you around and everything. Here in the United States, it’s kind of different. You go into a pub and say, ‘Show me your ghost,’ and they’ll say, ‘You’ve had a few too many!’”
The Influence of Harry Price on Dale Kaczmarek
A key influence on Kaczmarek’s career is the legendary British ghost hunter Harry Price. Born in 1881, Price is best known for his investigations of Borley Rectory, often called ‘the most haunted house in England.’
On one of his trips to the UK, Kaczmarek visited several locations associated with Price, including the house where he died and his final resting place. He described the experience as a pilgrimage of sorts. “Paul Adams, who I’m sure you’re friends with, took me to all the Harry Price places – the laboratories he worked in, the house he died in, the cemetery he’s buried in,” he said. “We even got to sit on chairs that Price had donated in a church.”
While Kaczmarek acknowledges that some of Price’s methods were rudimentary compared to today’s ghost-hunting technology, he believes that the British investigator laid the foundation for modern paranormal research. “Harry Price’s tools were state-of-the-art for his time. He used things like baby powder on the floor to detect movement and strings on doorknobs to see if spirits would break them. Today, nobody uses those methods, but I think we’ve lost something by abandoning those old-school techniques.”
US vs UK Hauntings: The Differences
When comparing hauntings in the UK and the US, Kaczmarek pointed out that British hauntings often involve centuries-old tales, while American ghost stories tend to be more recent. “In the US, our earliest hauntings date back to the 1600s, and many famous cases are much more modern. The UK has ghosts from medieval times, from kings and queens to tragic figures like Anne Boleyn.”
He also noted the strong connection between British hauntings and history. “Places like Hampton Court Palace or the Tower of London have reports of residual hauntings – events that seem to play out like a recording. People hear Henry VIII’s footsteps or the screams of Anne Boleyn. It’s the ‘stone tape’ theory at work.”
In contrast, American hauntings often focus on personal encounters with spirits. Kaczmarek’s own experiences include investigating sites like Bachelors Grove Cemetery in Chicago, where he has seen shadowy figures and unexplained light anomalies. “Sometimes, I think ghosts kind of know that you’re filming them, that you’re taking them, and they like to play games.”
The Evolution of Paranormal Research
Kaczmarek has witnessed the evolution of ghost hunting from the days of simple tape recorders and Polaroid cameras to the high-tech equipment used today. While he appreciates modern tools, he is sceptical of some ghost-hunting apps. “Some of them are really kind of off the wall. Your phone is not picking up EMF. Some of those are random generators of words or images. I mean, there’s even an app where it cycles through faces, and if the face is smiling, they say the ghost is happy. It’s just very random stuff.”
Despite advances in equipment, he maintains that the best tool is still the human body. “You can feel changes in temperature, hear sounds, and sense things in a way that no device can fully replicate.”
After five decades in the field, Kaczmarek remains a firm believer in the supernatural. “Einstein said energy can’t be created or destroyed—it just changes form. I think that’s what ghosts are. There’s something more after we die,” he said.
His experiences in the UK have only strengthened that belief. With its castles, battlefields, and ancient traditions, Britain continues to be one of the most compelling places for paranormal research. “I’ll keep coming back,” he said. “There’s always something new to uncover.”
For those interested in exploring Kaczmarek’s research further, his website, Ghost Research Society, features recordings, photographs, and case studies from both sides of the Atlantic.
Listen to Dale Kaczmarek Interview
You can listen to this on Youtube below, or via the Spooky Isles Podcast.
What are your differences between British and US paranormal research? Tell us in the comments section below!
