The UK has a rich history and culture, with legends, myths, and folklore passed down through generations, much of it on the spooky side. We may not be believers in the paranormal, but there’s no doubt some places have a definite atmosphere, and we have just one question.
Would you spend time in one of the UK’s most haunted pubs?
From ghostly sightings to mysterious noises, these 10 pubs are said to be some of the most haunted in the country. So grab a pint and settle in as we go pub-crawling with ghosts in the UK.
The Ancient Ram Inn, Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire
Although it’s no longer a pub (it closed in the 1960s) its reputation as one of the most haunted buildings in England has long outlived the beer. The Grade II* listed inn is famous for stories of footsteps and children crying, and for a witch said to have been burned at the stake in the 1500s. Tales of children’s bones turning up under the floor have added to the gloom.
The inn’s own website bills the building as 800 years old. Tree-ring dating of the timbers points to the 1490s, which is still plenty old enough to creak convincingly.
You can visit on an open day or book an overnight ghost hunt. Dates and prices are on the The Ancient Ram Inn website.
The Skirrid Mountain Inn, Llanvihangel Crucorney, Monmouthshire
Set at the foot of the Skirrid, about five miles north of Abergavenny and inside Bannau Brycheiniog (the Brecon Beacons) National Park, this is one of several pubs that claim to be the oldest in Wales. The inn traces its roots back to the early 12th century, though the current building is 17th century.
Legend says it once doubled as a courthouse, and a beam over the stairs is said to be where around 180 people were hanged. The Hanging Judge Jeffreys is often named in the story, but nothing documents him ever sitting here. Tales of flying glasses and a sudden waft of old-fashioned lavender perfume add to the atmosphere. Not for those of a nervous disposition.
Stay the night and take part in a spooky ghost hunt or just enjoy a steak and ale pie, more information can be found on the Skirrid Inn website.
The Spaniards Inn, Hampstead, London
Built in 1585 as a tollgate inn, The Spaniards sits at the edge of Hampstead Heath, and it has never been short of famous names. Dickens put it in The Pickwick Papers and Bram Stoker gave it a cameo in Dracula. In the Gordon Riots of 1780, the landlord is said to have kept a mob happy with free drinks until the militia arrived.
Then there’s Dick Turpin. Legend ties the highwayman to the pub, with his father as landlord, though Turpin was actually born in Essex. Bar staff say his ghost still turns up now and then. Keats is also said to have written ‘Ode to a Nightingale’ in the garden, although he lived about a mile and a half away, so he’d have had a bit of a walk home.
Find out more about this landmark London pub on the Spaniards website. Maybe book a table in the restaurant, although Dick might be a no show!
The White Hart Inn, Edinburgh
In one form or another, this pub on Edinburgh’s Grassmarket can trace its history back to 1516, which would make it the oldest in Edinburgh. It stands on the Grassmarket, where Robert Burns stayed on his last visit to the city in 1791, the same year he sent ‘Ae Fond Kiss’ to Clarinda in a letter. William Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy took rooms here in 1803.
Burke and Hare are said to have been customers, which is a grim thought over a pint. The pub bills itself as Edinburgh’s most haunted, with tales of customers being pulled and prodded. It remains dog-friendly, and children are welcome over the age of 5 if an adult main meal is ordered. The pub says its haggis is award-winning, so Burns would approve.
Follow in the footsteps of Burns and try the White Hart’s award-winning haggis. Despite its spooky reputation, it remains a cheerful dog-and family-friendly pub.
Ye Olde Man and Scythe, Bolton
A charter of 1251 mentions this pub by name, and the pub reckons itself the 4th oldest in Britain and 5th oldest in the world. The current building was rebuilt in 1636, but it’s still a Grade II listed place with plenty of history in the walls.
Its best-known ghost is James Stanley, the Seventh Earl of Derby, beheaded in Bolton on 15 October 1651 for his part in the Bolton Massacre of 1644. The chair he’s said to have sat in beforehand is still inside, so if you’re feeling brave, raise a glass to the Earl, but don’t sit in his chair. A young girl called Jenny is also said to haunt the place.
In 2014, staff reported that CCTV had caught a figure just before the camera stopped recording at 6.18am. In 2016 the pub demanded its ghost back after an artist bottled it up for an exhibition. There’s live music on Friday and Saturday evenings, and the Earl might even join in. Dogs are welcome, but not at weekends.
Head over to Churchgate street in Bolton for one of their live music nights, and maybe you can duet with the Earl! More info can be found on their Facebook page.
The Red Lion, Avebury
The Red Lion sits right inside the Avebury stone circle, which is Neolithic and part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The pub itself was first licensed in 1802, in a building that dates from the 1600s.
Its best-known ghost is Florrie, who is said to have been killed by her husband when he returned from the Civil War. Accounts differ on the details, but her body was thrown down the pub’s 86ft well. The well is now glass-topped and used as a table in the bar. Florrie is said to take a dislike to men with beards, so choose your seat carefully. There are also tales of two children in a bedroom and a phantom horse-drawn carriage in the courtyard.
It’s a good spot for a lunch and a pint after exploring the stones and nearby Silbury Hill. Dogs are welcome in the bar area only.
Surrounded by the Neolithic stone circle and not far from prehistoric Silbury Hill, The Red Lion is a great place for a lunch and a pint after exploring.
The Golden Fleece, York
The Golden Fleece sits on Pavement, opposite the Shambles, and claims to be York’s most haunted pub. It appears in the York archives as early as 1503 and has been an inn since 1656, though the present Grade II listed building dates from around 1840.
It’s said to be home to around fifteen ghosts. The best known is Lady Alice Peckett, wife of John Peckett, who was Lord Mayor of York around 1702. Keep an eye out too for One-Eyed Jack, said to sit at the bar in a red coat with a pistol, and a Canadian airman who fell to his death during the Second World War.
The pub also has a replica skull of Elizabeth Johnson, the last woman hanged at York’s Tyburn in 1800. It was stolen on New Year’s Day 2022 and handed back later that month.
There are four guest bedrooms if you fancy staying over.
If you stay in one of the Golden Fleece’s 4 bedrooms you might get a visit from Alice if you choose Lady Peckett’s room. Or you could just enjoy a meal in their restaurant.
The Mermaid Inn, Rye
We love the picturesque town of Rye in East Sussex, and the Mermaid Inn on cobbled Mermaid Street is a big part of why. The cellars date from 1156 and the main building from 1420, after French raiders burned the town in 1377. It’s Grade II listed and has 31 rooms..
In the 1730s and 1740s the notorious Hawkhurst Gang are said to have caroused in the Giant’s Fireplace Bar. The inn is reputed to have several ghosts, and the best-told story involves a fight in period costume, with the loser thrown down a hidden staircase. Dr Syn’s Bedchamber is named after Russell Thorndike’s fictional smuggling vicar. If you’re very (un)lucky, you may meet more than one spirit.
With a Priest Hole, The Giants’ Fireplace Bar, Dr Syn’s Bed Chamber you can stay the night, book a table or take the virtual tour on the Mermaid Inn website.
The Jamaica Inn, Bolventor, Cornwall
With the mist rolling in across Bodmin Moor, it’s easy to imagine Jamaica Inn haunted by the smugglers who once used the old coaching inn, which dates from 1750. Daphne du Maurier set her 1936 novel here, and Hitchcock later made a film of it.
The inn was sold to the Coaching Inn Group in 2022. It now has 36 bedrooms and a museum covering du Maurier and smuggling, where a stable boy called David is said to linger. Reported oddities include footsteps, tapping, children playing, and horses and carts in the courtyard. Room 5 is said to be visited by a mother and child. The inn runs its own ghost hunts, so check the Jamaica Inn website for dates.
Jamaica Inn is open to ghost hunters both for weekends and late night investigations. Visit the museum, book a stay in one of the famous Haunted Rooms, or make a table reservation via the Jamaica Inn website.
The Grenadier, London
The Grenadier is tucked away in Wilton Row, on a cobbled mews in Belgravia, and is said to be haunted by a young officer, often called Cedric, who was beaten to death for cheating at cards. He’s said to appear in September.
Many sites describe the pub as Wellington’s officers’ mess, dating from 1720. CAMRA’s heritage pub entry takes a different view. It reckons the current building is from the 1830s or 1840s, and that the card-cheat story belongs to an earlier tavern nearby. Either way, the legend lives on. Customers’ messages written on banknotes from around the world cover the ceiling.
Ineos bought the pub in 2022. It was the favourite local of the company’s founder, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, and the Ineos Grenadier 4×4 is named after it. The idea for the car is said to have been hatched here over a few pints, Ratcliffe is said to have sketched the idea on a £5 note and pinned it to the ceiling, so the pub has a fair claim to being the birthplace of a car.
The Grenadier is tucked away in Belgravia on the cobbled road section of Wilton Row. Visit the Grenadier’s website.
So are you willing to visit and take on the spirits, both ghostly and alcoholic?
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