White Hart, Crystal Palace
On 4th March 2009 the following article by Jennifer Heape entitled ’ Crystal Palace pub’s strange basement ‘haunted by girl’, appeared in the Streatham Guardian
Deep beneath the White Hart pub in Crystal Palace rumours of secret tunnels, hauntings and witchcraft abound.
The subject of the speculation is the mysterious basement under the Church Street local.
Full-sized, decorative windows runs along one wall – yet there is no natural light. There are large guttering-like pipes, doors which only lock from one side and a small room which looks like an outside privy – but the room is sealed shut and situated one storey under the street.
The mystery continues as rooms lead to more rooms. The strange evidence piles up with eerie tunnels and shafts leading into the darkness and ancient, rusty chains hanging from the walls.
“No one can figure out what it is,” said Mark McLaughan, manager of the White Hart.
“I always thought it was just where the staff used to live, but after seeing those chains it looks more like a torture chamber.”
He added: “I’ve heard tales that there used to be a tunnel that ran to the Alma pub across the street and even to the Queen’s Hotel half a mile away.”
The bizarre basement has left local historian Melville Harrison stumped, despite his 30 year experience as an expert on Crystal Palace.
“I haven’t a clue what it could be. I’m completely gobsmacked,” he said.
“Why would anyone want to put something down there? They must have been doing something they didn’t want anyone to see, something secretive.
“It makes me think it could be something like a secret society meeting place, or even witchcraft.”
Across the road at the Alma pub, where the alleged tunnel runs, locals Terry Mulholland and Ray Tucker add their theory: “Maybe the tunnel was used for smuggling. So when the cops came they could move whatever they were hiding to the other basement.”
“It’s haunted too,” said Mr Tucker. “People say there’s a ghost of a little girl down there.”
According to Liz Kennedy, who helps her son Charlie run the Alma, one previous manager got so scared in the basement she refused to ever go down there again.
“I don’t know what spooked here, but she was in a real state,” she explained. “You get a funny feeling down there with shivers and stuff.
“I don’t mind it though. Sometimes I even leave out sweets or crisps for her and I always say hi when I go down there.”
Re: White Hart, Crystal Palace
my name is Tracey and in the 70s i lived with my family at 64 church road on the same side as the white hart pub crystal palace. We resided there for approx 3 years. The house was a beautiful house from the bottom up to all 3 floors full of history but also had the dreaded basement which like the white hart had tunnels. During the 3 years we encountered lots of paranormal activity which has lasted my life time with horrific dreams still of that place. Over the years when any of us drive past there are always signs up to let as if people dont stay there long. 64 church road had a number of things wrong with it from the demononic thing in the cellar to the old lady who visited my younger sister to the old man who came from the staircase every night to my bedroom door to the woman who had a habit of moving things around in my room and used to scoul at me from the window when i played at the back in the cobbled lane. I had a dog in them days which my dad told me to take up to my room at night because by this time i was terrified to go to my bedroom which was on the top landing which resulted the dog turning white over night screaming at what he could see and what i had to endure every night. If you or anyone would like or interested to know what we had to endure living in that place then please respond to this and i will tell you in detail what we endured, why we left in such a hurry. and the tunnels in the basement which was occuipied by something demonic.
Re: White Hart, Crystal Palace
also like the white hart there was a door which should of opened to the cellar but was sealed up..to gain entrance to the cellar you had to leave the house and walk round to the cobbled lane and down the dark steps to the cellar door once in you had to walk down a dark corridor to find the lights which should of contained stairs back up to the house but this had been removed.?? once inside there was room after room after room with no light no windows which went under the road towards the other side..the same side as the alma tavern.i could go on but i dont no if anyone would be interested ..
Re: White Hart, Crystal Palace
Thank you for sharing ‘Believer’ :). Of course we are very interested to hear about any experiences.
Re: White Hart, Crystal Palace
Interesting stuff, I knew about the hidden (and rather beautiful) subway under Crystal Palace park but not about the creepy tunnels under pubs.
With reference to believer’s post, 64 Church Road is no longer a residential property at ground level. The downstairs has been commercial units for at quite a few years, and is currently a beauty therapy place I think. Possibly the upper part of the building is still lived in, but I don’t know.