Few horror films have left audiences as shaken as The Conjuring (2013), but what makes it truly terrifying is that it’s based on real events. The Perron family’s haunting in the 1970s wasn’t just Hollywood fiction—it was a nightmare they claimed to have lived through, one that even famed paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren struggled to contain.

A New Home, A Living Nightmare

In January 1971, Roger and Carolyn Perron moved into a sprawling 18th-century farmhouse in Harrisville, Rhode Island, with their five daughters. From the moment they arrived, strange occurrences unsettled them—doors creaked open on their own, objects went missing, and whispers echoed through empty rooms. At first, the spirits seemed harmless. The children even gave some of them nicknames. But soon, the presence in the house turned sinister.

Carolyn Perron, in particular, became a target. She awoke to find large bruises forming on her body with no explanation. At night, she would feel something pulling at her limbs. The family reported seeing shadowy figures lurking in doorways and hearing voices calling their names. The girls described a horrible stench of rotting flesh that would suddenly fill the air.

Bathsheba Sherman: The Spirit That Tormented Them

The Warrens believed the evil force tormenting the Perrons was Bathsheba Sherman, a woman who had lived on the property in the 1800s. According to legend, Bathsheba was a practicing witch who sacrificed her own child to the devil. After being accused of witchcraft, she allegedly cursed the land before taking her own life—though historical records remain vague on her actual fate.

Carolyn claimed that Bathsheba’s spirit despised her and viewed her as a threat. One night, she was thrown across the room by an unseen force. Another time, she described waking up to see a grotesque, hollow-eyed woman hovering above her, whispering: “Get out. Leave now.”

The Warrens’ Investigation: A Failed Exorcism?

Terrified and desperate, the Perrons sought help from Ed and Lorraine Warren, the famous demonologists known for investigating the Amityville Horror. Lorraine, a clairvoyant, immediately sensed the darkness lingering in the house.

The Warrens believed an exorcism or séance could drive out the spirits. But during the séance, things spiraled out of control. Carolyn became violently possessed, speaking in tongues and contorting unnaturally. At one point, she was lifted into the air and thrown across the room. Roger Perron, terrified for his wife, demanded the Warrens leave immediately.

Did the Haunting Ever End?

The Perrons continued to experience paranormal activity until 1980, when they finally moved out. Though they never fully escaped the trauma, they believed leaving the house was the only way to be free.

While skeptics dismiss the story as exaggeration, Lorraine Warren stood by her claims until her passing. The Perron daughters, now grown, still insist they lived through a horror movie before it was ever filmed.

So, was The Conjuring just another Hollywood ghost story? Or was it a chilling glimpse into something real?

Would you ever dare to visit the real Conjuring house? Let’s discuss! 👻