Mysterious Britain & Ireland
The Old Still has a fine theatrical tradition as well as its resident ghosts. The famous soprano, Dame Maggie Teyte, spent her formative years here and many stars of showbiz have called in for a drink whilst treading the boards at the nearby Grand Theatre.
At least three ghosts are said to haunt the Old Bulls Head Inn. Whether any of them is responsible for the poltergeist type activity here no one knows. Objects disappear and reappear again in strange places. On one occasion a book from the bookcase was left open on the table even though nobody had touched it.
The ghost of a mysterious lady has haunted The Red Lion for many years. When Frank and Lil Ward moved to the pub in 1963 they were told she was a previous landlady who had died falling down the cellar steps but this is debatable.
The Miners Arms has played host to a few strange experiences. A figure has been seen a few times in the pub who simply disappears when he is spotted. He has been known to approach the bar as if to order a drink and then simply vanish.
The Manor Arms was originally a farmhouse until the Anson family who owned it began selling beer to passing boatmen. The canal runs immediately behind the pub and the bargees were a good source of trade. The building is mainly 18th century but parts of it are believed to date back to the 15th and 16th centuries.
The Malt Shovel is situated in one of the most haunted areas of Dudley. One of the ghosts here is called the Blue Boy and is only seen in the upstairs windows of the pub usually as an indistinct, misty form.
Another of the apparitions is a small person who walks in accompanied by a black dog. When staff go to look where they have gone they are nowhere to be seen.
The Little Chop House is reputedly haunted by the ghost of a little girl who died of Scarlet Fever in the early 1900s. She seems to be something of a playful entity who likes to hide things and have them reappear in unlikely places.
The Wheatsheaf is a very old hostelry and was certainly recorded as trading in 1801. A great deal of paranormal activity has reputedly taken place here including the banging of doors and footsteps heard in the bar area after the pub is closed late at night. Footsteps have also been heard on the stairs.
The original Whittington Inn dates back to 1310 and it comes as no surprise to discover that the present building is haunted. Prior to becoming an inn in the 18th century it was the manor house of the De Whittington family of Dick Whittingham fame. One of the ghosts seen here is that of a monk who may have hidden in one of the priest holes in the building.
The Woodman has been subject to continued poltergeist activity over the years. In the upstairs kitchen all the plates were smashed except one which was left in the middle of the floor. A large key went missing only to reappear the following day in the middle of a bed which had only just been made.
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