Sean Manchester, Highgate Vampire and the Asetian Bible

I was very suprised to see that Luis Marques quotes Sean Manchester on page 55 of the AB. I'm not sure how many here appart from me are familiar with Manchester and his writing. He is an ordained bishop who considers and describes himself as a "modern day vampire hunter" and claims to have exorcised a real "vampire" (in the traditional "Bram Stoker" kind of sense) that apparently plagued Highgate cemetery in London in the 1970s by driving a wooden stake through its heart. I've done a lot of research into this "Highgate Vampire Case" as which it later became known. I found it interesting that the AB actually quotes Manchester. Does this mean that traditional vampires (in the sense of Dracula) could also exist according to Asetian tradition, perhaps as some kind of earthbound spirits which require the vital life force of human blood to sustain their (unnatural) existence? Am looking forward to hear your opinions on this and to find out if anyone else here is familiar with Sean Manchester's work. I personally find some of his accounts hard to believe but none the less fascinating...

Unfortunately I am old enough, just , to remember the whole sordid case being reported in the tabloid press and the ensuing battle - not between Manchester and the 'vampire' but between Manchester and David Farrant, a feud which continues to this day.

To my knowledge there is no record of Manchester having any theological training, ordination or higher clerical status (viz bishop) within the RC church. He claims he is a bishop in the 'Old Catholic Church' whatever that may be.

If my memory serves me correctly, before becoming a self-appointed bishop in the said Old Catholic Church, I remember him courting publicity for his vampire hunting activities and his status was at that time a 'self-appointed vampire hunter and exorcist'. The title of Bishop came some time later.

Regarding the actual case of the Highgate creature (and similar), Manchester has always claimed his prey to be the 'supernatural beings of folklore' so I would presume his knowledge of and experience with real vampires is minimal to non-existent.

At that time Highgate Cemetary and it's environs were rife with occult groups, especially of the satanic variety, and the area was used by these groups for their nefarious and diabolical activities.

Serious occultists and paranormal researchers have, as I understand the hoo ha, always been sceptical of there ever being a Vampire lurking among the remains.

In 2006 Manchester and other Highgate Vampire hunters lodged a complaint with Ofcom for being referred to in a Channel 4 programme as '1970s weirdos'. The complaint was rejected.

'Nuff said.