See some of the UK’s most haunted pubs

most haunted pubs

With Halloween just around the corner, pubs are the perfect place to find spirits, it more ways than one.

And to help you find the right one brewers Greene King, owners of more than 1,600 pubs around Britain, has launched guide to the most haunted pubs in Britain. Here are the best of the bunch.

Red Lion, Avebury

The Red Lion is unique in that it is the only pub in Britain to be surrounded by a stone circle. Originally a farmhouse dating back to the early 17th century and turned into a coaching house, this pub has been voted as one of the top ten most haunted pubs in the world.

There are said to be at least five ghosts at the Red Lion, with the most famous being a girl named Florrie who was killed by her husband after he discovered she had been unfaithful. She can be found by a well inside the pub and it is thought that she is responsible for throwing small items across the bar.

Some other ghosts seen include two children and a woman, possibly related, as well as a ghostly horse and carriage that pulls up outside the pub.

Scotia Bar, Glasgow

Established in 1792, the Scotia is Glasgow’s oldest pub and, according to legend, has several ghosts that live inside the building. One of them is a 20th century prostitute named Annie. During an investigation at the pub, Annie communicated with a Scottish group named Spirit Finders. She ‘answered’ questions by moving a glass placed on a table, and made the phone ring when the Spirit Finders asked her to prove her presence.

The manager of the Belhaven pub has also reported a young child who runs in and out of a door, a lady in a white wimple who sits in the snug and a lady in a green velvet dress who parades up and down the pub. These ghosts have been subject to several paranormal investigations.

The Bell Inn, Thetford

Thought to be one of the most haunted places in the UK, the Bell regularly hosts ghost tours. One spirit is thought to be Elizabeth Radcliffe, a landlady who was murdered in the 19th century when she was pushed out of the window of Room 10, a room which enjoys its fair share of ghostly goings on. The hotel is popular with paranormal investigators given the substantial amount of supernatural activity and many sightings have also been reported in Room 11. Staff have heard children playing in empty rooms, rattling keys in the night and seen the ghost of a hooded monk.

Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem, Nottingham

This Nottingham pub claims to be England’s oldest and is home to an apparently harmless ghost named ‘Yorkey’, a previous landlord who had said that he never wanted to leave the inn. He has been spotted by members of staff over the years in either his favourite place by the fire, or in the cellar. Staff members also hear moans, groans and noises, when in the cellar, a former gaol.

Legend has it that a nameless cursed galleon may have been presented to the inn by a parting sailor and it is possessed of a hideous curse. It is reputed that the last three people who dared to try and clean it, died very mysterious and unexpected deaths. Today the cursed galleon is safely housed in a glass presentation case, where it is shrouded in years’ worth of undisturbed dust and cobwebs.

The Mount, Orrell, Wigan

The Mount holds regular ghost walks and hosts psychic groups. Customers and staff alike have all reported that a little girl lives in the pub, with one account claiming that she likes to play hide-and-seek with those using the meeting rooms. Members of staff at the pub have also spoken about the ghost of a barrow boy named Charlie, who will barge into you if you are in his path.

Parts of the cellar of this supposed haunted building previously served as a mortuary and the hotel attached to the pub was built on top of an old graveyard.

The Chequers, Bromley 

The Chequers is said to be haunted by at least three ghosts including that of notorious Highwayman, Dick Turpin. Apparently, he has been seen late at night by both staff and customers. The other ghosts include a French soldier or policeman who by goes by the name of Barnard. It is said that he was brutally knifed to death as he awoke to find people in the middle of a robbery. A lady in stilettoes also haunts the building, slamming doors as she moves.

Some visitors to the pub have had some frightful experiences. One was knocked to the floor and forced to crawl out through the door in order to escape; a member of staff staying the night felt her door unlock by itself, followed by the sound of someone whispering “who are you?”

There is also a young boy who lives at the Chequers, although not much is known of his past. He likes to show himself to other children, who tell their parents about playing with the little boy upstairs.

For more see www.findaproperpub.co.uk/halloween