The Conjuring True Story

History Uncovered Episode 127:
The Real Story Of ‘The Conjuring’: Inside The 1971 Haunting That Inspired The Film

Published October 30, 2024

Not long after Carolyn and Roger Perron moved into a new house in Harrisville, Rhode Island along with their five children, the family allegedly began experiencing a series of chilling occurrences that remain terrifying more than 50 years later.

The 2013 film The Conjuring was such a massive success that it has since spawned seven sequels and spin-offs, partly due to being a well-made film, and partly due to five little words: “based on a true story.” This phrase alone set The Conjuring apart from other similar horror movies, letting viewers know that this horrifying tale was not simply conjured up by director James Wan, but was instead a retelling of events that supposedly actually happened.

Of course, any film based on a true story should be taken with a grain of salt. In this instance, the “true story” that the film was based on came from the published works of demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren, whose credibility varies depending on who you ask.

In short, the true story of The Conjuring is the story of the Perron family, who moved into a 14-room farmhouse in Harrisville, Rhode Island in 1971. There, Carolyn, Roger, and their five children claimed to have experienced a series of disturbing occurrences shortly after they moved in. The alleged haunting began innocuously enough, with Carolyn noticing, for instance, that a broom was not in its usual place, or that small piles of dirt were appearing on her freshly cleaned floors.

But the Perrons’ daughters claimed to see spirits around the house – not all of which were friendly. As Carolyn did more research into the home’s history, she learned that it had been handed down through a single family for eight generations before the Perrons purchased it, and that many members of that family died under mysterious circumstances. Several children died in a nearby creek, one was murdered, and several more hanged themselves in the attic.

Ed And Lorraine Warren

Bettmann/Getty ImagesEd and Lorraine Warren, the paranormal investigators who tried to help the Perron family.

While several alleged ghosts, like that of Abigail Arnold, supposedly plagued the family, Carolyn came to believe that her family was being tormented by one spirit in particular: Bathsheba, a spirit who, according to Andrea, the oldest of the Perron children, “perceived herself to be the mistress of the house.”

Sure enough, there was once a Bathsheba Sherman who lived on the property – and she was believed to be a Satanist. Convinced it was her spirit that was haunting them, the Perrons asked the Warrens to come and investigate their home, and, with any luck, free them from the spirit of Bathsheba so they could live in peace.

The Warrens’ account of what happened next includes a number of chilling events, including one of the most haunting scenes in the movie, in which Carolyn Perron becomes possessed by Bathsheba during a seance, speaking in tongues as she and her chair rise from the ground. But unlike in the film, where the Perrons thank the Warrens for banishing the spirit, the real-life Roger Perron kicked the Warrens out of his home, worried about his wife’s mental stability.

To this day, the Perrons stand by the events depicted in the film, for the most part, and “The Conjuring House” has garnered a reputation for remaining haunted. But given how popular the film is and how much profit there is to be made off of the old Perron house, it does raise some questions about just how true this supposedly true story really is.


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