Mysterious Britain & Ireland

The Mill Inn

The Mill Inn is a family owned public house steeped in local history having previously been a saw and grain mill. On their website they state ‘we have our very own ghost. In November 1923, Robert Forrest the miller, died alone in the top room of the Mill when an accident caused his death.’ Forty five year old, Robert Brown Forrest died on 15 November 1923.

Shrieking Pond or Pit

The Shrieking Pond or Shrieking Pit is a pool near Hungry Hill that is said to be haunted by the ghost of woman who drowned there in 1780.

The New Leathern Bottle, Warfield

Dating from the late 17th century, The New Leathern Bottle is a Grade II listed building with a reputation of being haunted. According to their website a murder took place here. They state that ‘In the mid 1800s the Leathern Bottle, as it was then, was owned and run by the Careys. Hannah Carey was known to be a loose woman and would make herself available to the men of the area.

The Dun Cow, Olney

Possibly having been located at 2 Yardley Road, the Dun Cow inn is now long gone. In his almanac ‘Olney, Bucks’ (1907), Oliver Ratcliff gives the following story about the pub. ‘The old Dun Cow Inn, which stood on the Yardley Road, was also reported to be haunted.

Olney Houses & Devil Legends

The following stories associating the Devil with homes in Olney were published in ‘Olney, Bucks’ (1907) by Oliver Ratcliff. ‘According to legendary accounts the Devil seems to have frequently favoured Olney with his presence.

1 Yardley Road (Formerly The Castle Inn)

Now an Indian restaurant called Amaya, 1 Yardley Road was once The Castle Inn. This 17th century, Grade II listed building was described in Oliver Ratcliff’s almanac ‘Olney, Bucks’ (1907) as ‘one of the oldest inns of Olney and is supposed to stand upon the site of the old castle of Olney which stood in feudal times’.

The Two Brewers

The Two Brewers public house is a Grade II listed building which according to the 1907 ‘Olney, Bucks’ almanac by Oliver Ratcliff has a Devil legend associated with it. ‘There is an inn, called the Two Brewers, which he used to visit frequently, causing the host to play the fool and dance at his bidding.

Parish Church of St Peter and St Paul, Olney

According to ‘A History of the County of Buckingham: Volume 4’ (1927) ‘A church existed in the parish from a very early period, probably long before 1273, the date of the first known reference, but the present structure was built during the middle of the 14th century, the chancel being erected first and the other parts of the building some few years later.

Whirly Pit, Olney

Oliver Ratcliff gives the following legend concerning this pond in his ‘Olney, Bucks’ Almanack (1907). ‘At the north end of the town there is a pond known as the Whirly Pit. This was supposed to be bottomless and to be fed by some mysterious spring. It is a curious fact that it never show’s any signs of becoming dry.

Tobar-na-glas a Coille (The Well in the Grey Wood)

‘This well lies near the old military road, near the top of the hill that divides the glen of Corgarff from Glengairn. In a small knoll near it lived a spiteful Spirit that went by the name of Duine-glase-beg, i.e., the Little Grey Man. He was guardian of the well and watched over its water with great care.