As a headmaster, Dom Philip Jebb inspired the loyalty and respect of his pupils but they also sensed that he was possessed of unusual gifts – gifts that kept him one step ahead Dom Philip Jebb, who died earlier this year, was a monk of Downside Abbey, a distinguished member of the Benedictine order – teacher, historian, archivist and counsellor – and headmaster of Downside School from 1980 to 1991. One of the most intriguing aspects of his character was his feeling for the paranormal and out-of-body experiences. It formed part of his life in prayer, his personal mystique and the authority he wielded over a large school of unruly teenage boys.Dom Philip took over as headmaster at a difficult moment for the school. It was a time of regular pupil événements,