Haunted Pubs Gazetteer

The ghost that haunts this 18th century establishment appeared every day and sometimes more than once each day according Mrs Mary Walker, the landlady during the early 1970s. It was described as "like seeing a sheet flick from one door to the other". In 1973 Marc Alexander nominated The Acton Arms as England's most frequently haunted inn. Read More »

The pub is reputed to be haunted by two ghosts. One is the tall ghost of a seaman, dressed in a naval coat, and the other is thought to be that of a coachman, who is seen standing looking out of the kitchen window. The hotel was an old coaching Inn, and was used by the local shipbuilders as a hostelry.

Said to be haunted by a white lady, the spirit of a former owner's daughter who committed suicide.

The hall is the oldest building in Whitby built in 1516. It is now a hotel said to be haunted by Browne Bushell, a former owner who was executed for piracy. He has been seen walking up the staircase, and has also been heard in the same place.

There has been other strange phenomena associated with the hall over the years, including poltergeist activity.

One room is said to be haunted by a young girl with black hair that has been known to suddely whip the bedclothes from people staying in her room. There could also be the ghost of an old man who knocks on the bedroom doors. The Inn has a 300-year-old history.

On the evening of 23 September 1916, the L-33 a German Zeppelin under the command of Kapitan Alois Bocker bombed Upminster and Bromley during a World War I air raid. Anti aircraft fire from Victoria Park, Wanstead or Beckton damaged the L-33 whilst it was at 13,000 feet. Needing to shed weight it dropped more bombs, one of which destroyed the Black Swan on Bow Road. Read More »

This old pub, parts of which date to the 14th Century, was a stop of point for pilgrims on their way to St Albans Abbey. It is not far from Minsden Chapel, which is also haunted. A local legend suggests a tunnel exists from the pub to the Chapel or to the ruined church in the village, which is most likely a memory of the route taken by pilgrims. Read More »

The sixty five room Cadogan Hotel is one of the oldest and most famous hotels in London and is reputedly haunted by the actress and lover of King Edward VII, Lillie Langtry (born 13 October 1853 – died 12 February 1929). Read More »

The Caxton Gibbet stands on a small knoll between Cambridge and St Neots. Not far away is the pub of the same name, which has been haunted in the past by phantom footsteps.

According to a local story one of the early landlords intended to rob three wealthy travellers who were staying at the inn. Read More »

Many strange things are alleged to have happened here in modern times, with doors opening and closing, floorboards creaking and lights going on and off in empty rooms. Read More »

Craig-y-Nos Castle is nestled away in the scenic Brecon Beacons National Park. Once the home of famous opera singer Adelina Patti (10 February 1843 – 27 September 1919), the castle has a reputation as one of the most notorious haunted venues in the United Kingdom. Read More »

This Coaching Inn dating from 1693 is located in the centre of Peebles and is probably the town's oldest building. Bedroom 5 is said to be haunted by the ghost of a woman called Marion Ritchie who was the first Landlady of the Cross Keys and this is where she reputedly died. Read More »

“I went down to the Crossroads, fell down on my knees” Robert Johnson.
When Robert Johnson sang of the Crossroads down in the 1930’s Mississippi Delta, he was paying homage to a tradition that has existed in varied forms for centuries, and at the same time adding his own contribution to the wealth of folklore that exists around the crossing place of two highways. Read More »

The hotel is haunted by the sound of children playing and various other ghostly phenomena. In legend deformed twins were kept locked in an upstairs room.

Directions:
The pub is on Market Street within Poole.

Named after the local Devil's Stone, this Inn is supposed to be haunted by a young girl aged around seven years. In 1982 a student staying at the pub saw her in his bedroom with accompanied by a grey bearded man. A young boy staying visiting the Inn also came across her in the upstairs toilet. Read More »

The Dolphin is an old coaching inn dating back to 1735. In the summer of 1806 the poet Lord Byron stayed at the Dolphin Hotel and supposedly nearly drowned as he was swimming in the nearby River Arun. The Dolphin would appear to be haunted by several different ladies and some ghostly children which have been seen and heard. Read More »

The Dolphin Inn in Penzance has a long and interesting history, reputedly including amongst its visitors Sir Walter Raleigh and Judge Jeffries .

Judge Jeffries the notorious "Hanging Judge" is said to have held court in the dinning room, after the Duke of Monmouth's rebellion. Read More »

The Premonstratensian Dryburgh Abbey was founded in 1150 by Hugh de Morville, Lord of Lauderdale. Now a ruin it rests within the grounds of the baronial Dryburgh Abbey Hose Hotel. The hotel itself is said to have been built on the location of an earlier house from which the haunting may have originated. Read More »

The News & Star published the following article by Matthew Legg entitled ‘Cumbrian pub woman claims hand dryer is haunted’ on 7 April 2011. The article concerns a pub in Workington called Elliotts where the staff have had some strange experiences. Read More »

A White Lady haunts this 18th century hotel. She is said to be a servant girl who was killed by spurned lovers at nearby West Wycombe caves (later associated with the Hell Fire Club).

The pub is also said to be haunted by phantom footsteps.

The Inn is said to be haunted by the ghost of a Roman Centurion, and the sound of marching feet. The marching sound can be heard going the length of the first floor which is split into about 14 rooms. The walls don't seem to impede the foot steps.

The hotel could be built on the site of a Roman cemetery in what was the old Roman city.

Reputedly haunted by Edward Dobson, a Tudor soldier garrisoned at Ludlow Castle. He died in a pub brawl circa 1553 and his ghost now appears hovering over the spot where he fell. The apparition is described as wearing a cloak and a wig. Read More »

The Greencoat Boy public house can be found on Greencoat Place (formerly Coburg Row). The pub is on the site of the old St Margaret’s Hospital and Green Coat School, after which it was probably named. The old prison Tothill Fields Bridewell (Westminster Bridewell) was located beside St Margaret’s Hospital and was on that site between 1618 and 1834. Read More »

The ghosts of Wales are bold and memorable, forceful in character often terrifying and sometimes even dangerous. In a new book by Richard Holland and published by The History Press you realise that Wales is a fearfully haunted place with possibly more ghosts and goblins than in England or any other country. Read More »

The Black Downs are also the home of the Holman Clavel Inn, which resides near Blagdon. The Inn was said to house a spirit known as 'Chimbley Charlie', a kind of protective hearth spirit once thought to reside in many homes. Read More »

Supposedly the oldest and smallest pub in the city, it is reputed to be haunted by a ghost that pulls the bed clothes off visitors. The ghost is blamed on a woman who is supposed to have died from cold and hunger in the one of the rooms centuries ago.

The Jamaica Inn is supposedly haunted by two different ghosts. A ghostly sailor is reputed to sit on a wall outside the Inn. The sightings have always been in the same location. The second ghost is that of a man wearing a tricorn hat and a long coat. The apparition was seen by a pair of eye witnesses in 1970 whilst staying overnight in the inn. Read More »

Kilmichael is possibly the oldest house on the Isle of Arran and is associated with the Fullerton family who were one of the two major landowners on the island. The name itself indicates the location of the house may be on the site of an early Christian cell dedicated to St Michael. An apparition of a Grey Lady supposedly haunts the hotel.

The hotel is said to be haunted by several apparitions including a cavalier and a monk. A secret tunnel is said to have once led to the nearby abbey cellars.

Owned and run by the National Trust since 1925, the Grade II listed 15th century Kings Head on the Market Square is a fantastic building steeped in a rich history and I suppose it is only natural that it has a reputation of being haunted as well by several ghosts, including a nun. Read More »

According to Haunted Sites of Oldham by Janette Quinland and Shaun McGrath the 18th century La Pergola Hotel (now the Clough Manor Hotel) was haunted by the veiled apparition of a woman wearing a Victorian crinoline style dress. Read More »

The Langham Hilton which opened in 1865 as Europes first grand hotel is situated on Portland Place and is supposed to be haunted by a number of ghosts. It was once owned by the BBC and many of the accounts come from journalists staying there. Read More »

Ghostly happenings around Highgate are not only confined to Highgate Cemetery and The Flask. Read More »

During mid 20th century the Little Angel Inn was reputedly the scene of haunting like phenomena which was experienced by the Bucknalls who were the licensees. The disturbances were said to take place over a 30 month period starting in 1952. Read More »

Based in what was a sixteenth century barn, the Lost Society bar restaurant on Wandsworth Road is reputed to be haunted by a murdered flower seller named Rose Deveraux. The barn was once part of the Clapham Manor Estate and who’s main house was once the venue for a banquet in honour of Queen Elizabeth I. Read More »

The Malt Shovel is a Grade II listed building and according Sir Nikolaus Pevsner (born 30 January 1902 – died 18 August 1983) dates from around 1720. Originally built as a house by William Moore, the Malt Shovel has a reputation of being haunted. Read More »

The Dalmahoy Hotel, now part of the Marriott group is a Georgian Mansion dating from 1720 and it is reputedly haunted by the second daughter of the 8th Earl of Morton. The name Dalmahoy refers to the family that held the land from the start of the fourteenth century right up to it passing to the Dalrymples in the mid seventeenth century. Read More »

Maryculter House Hotel is situated on the site of a Knights Templar Manor and the ghost that reputedly haunts here may be related to these crusading knights. The land at Maryculter was given to the Templars in 1187 by the King of Scotland, which at that time would have been William the Lion (1165-1214). A further gift of land in the area was then made by Walter Bisset of Aboyne. Read More »

Meldrum House Hotel is a grand mansion built around a medieval Tower House. The Barony of Meldrum dates from 1236 and was granted to Sir Philip de Phendarg by King Alexander II of Scotland. The house has been modified by and passed down through several prominent Scottish families including the Meldrum's, Seton's and Urquhart's. Read More »

‘Traditional and haunted pub! Full of character, the Morpeth Arms pub offers great views of the Thames and charming service.’ The Morpeth Arms, run by Youngs Brewery is a grade II listed building dating back to 1845. Read More »

Nanteos means the valley of the nightingale, and is a Georgian mansion house built for Thomas Powell in 1739. Read More »

The New was originally an old coaching inn, and is reputedly haunted by Henry Rich, 1st Earl of Holland (1950 - 9th March 1649). Read More »

Haunted by an amorphous shape, thought to be a woman called Eliza Jane MacKay who committed suicide by drowning herself in the well of New Inn Farm, which is situated nearby. She is said to have been an alcoholic who drank at the inn and was buried in the orchard at New Inn Farm. Read More »

The Old Red Cow (or Ye Olde Red Cow as it was known) is considered to be one of Smithfield’s oldest pubs, though its current building dates from 1854. It is said that the apparition of a former landlord, sometimes referred to as Dick O’Shea, was seen in the year following his death (1981) sitting watching customers from an upstairs balcony.

The present pub dating from the 15th century stands on the site of an earlier Inn, in which King John is said to have quaffed ale on his way to sign the Magna Carta in 1215.

The Ostrich Inn has a more macabre tale related to the unscrupulous murder of wealthy guests. During the Middle ages a couple called the Jarmans owned the pub. Read More »

O’Neills is the current name for the pub at 196 Clapham High Street, but previously it has been known as both The Goose and Granite and The Plough Inn. The Plough Inn gained a reputation for being haunted during the 1970’s and as the publicity was deemed by the pubs proprietors as being detrimental to the business they removed their landlord, Mr Felwyn Williams* Read More »

Often mooted as the most haunted village in England, this picturesque Kentish village is certainly steeped in ghost stories, whether based on actual sightings or just modern folklore. Its reputation as a ghost village is not without its problems and the village can be a magnet to thrill seekers and also those with a genuine interest in the paranormal, especially around Halloween. Read More »

The ghost of a young girl has been seen in the garden of this 300 year old country manor house hotel. Although very close to Cheltenham Race Course, Prestbury House is also said to be haunted by the sound of horse's hooves.