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Pub Ghosts, Folklore and Forteana

Shadows at the Bar

Location: Wroughton (Wiltshire) - Black Horse public house (now Check Inn)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1994
Further Comments: Staff reported seeing shadowy people at the bar, but as they moved towards the area, the figures would vanish. A visiting clairvoyant said that she could see a man in a powered wig writing poetry using a quill.


ID #7635, last updated 2007-07-10

Fred the Flusher

Location: Wyke (West Yorkshire) - The Hypnotist public house
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Twentieth century
Further Comments: 'Fred' is thought to be the ghost of an engineer, based at a nearby dam, who drowned in an accident. He is described as middle aged and dripping wet. Fred is blamed for flushing the toilets when no one is around.


ID #2623, last updated 2002-10-13

No Touching the Tankard

Location: Yateley (Hampshire) - White Lion public house
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 2000s
Further Comments: This phantom, thought to be James Rogers (the first licensee), has a particular liking for his tankard. When the tankard was last moved, the alarm system kicked in during the early hours of the morning until a peace offering was made.


ID #11337, last updated 2013-04-07

Woman with Sword

Location: Yeovil (Somerset) - Elephant and Castle public house, Middle Street
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1970s
Further Comments: This lady is said to walk about the building holding both a lamp and sword (or possibly just a lamp). She was seen passing through a closed wardrobe.


ID #4125, last updated 2003-04-13

Tizzy

Location: Yeovil (Somerset) - Ilchester Arms public house
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1990s
Further Comments: This spirit, thought to be a teenager who died of fever, was heard typing late at night. The teen is also blamed for creating the sounds of barrels being rolled over cobbled stones - the stones had been removed many years previously.


ID #2487, last updated 2002-09-28


Punchbowl pub, York.

Burnt Landlord

Location: York (North Yorkshire) - Punchbowl public house, Micklegate Bar
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A landlord who burnt to death in a fire haunts one of the bedrooms and the cellar, while the shade of a woman who died of a broken heart has also been observed on site.


ID #6485, last updated 2005-08-13


Roman Bath pub, York.

Splashing

Location: York (North Yorkshire) - Roman Bath public house, St. Sampson's Square
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Late twentieth century
Further Comments: From the old baths located below this pub, phantom splashing can sometimes be heard.


ID #6444, last updated 2005-07-30

Human Shape

Location: York (North Yorkshire) - Dun Cow public house
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 31 August 1977
Further Comments: While on honeymoon, a woman awoke to see the shape of a tall person by the window. The shape appeared to be made up of small pulsating balls of light. The figure suddenly disappeared.


ID #11321, last updated 2013-03-31


First Hussar pub, York.

Caped Man

Location: York (North Yorkshire) - First Hussar public house, North Street
Type: Unknown Ghost Type
Date / Time: Twentieth century
Further Comments: A small team of men working through the night to complete a painting and decorating job all reported seeing a ghostly man dressed in a cape, who vanished through a wall.


ID #3235, last updated 2002-12-04


Five Lions pub, York.

Green Jenny

Location: York (North Yorkshire) - Five Lions public house (now Watergate Inn)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Early twentieth century
Further Comments: This figure has not been seen for many years, and her history is all but forgotten.


ID #6548, last updated 2005-09-13

Highwayman

Location: York (North Yorkshire) - Four All's public house, A64
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 06 November 2006, 23:45h
Further Comments: A driver returning home from work reported passing a figure on horseback, dressed in highwayman's clothing, stood by the wall of the pub. When the witness looked in his rear view mirror, the figure had vanished. There is a local belief that the highwayman is Dick Turpin, and sightings of the highwayman are said to go back to the mid-twentieth century. A sandstone cave in the area is said to have been one of Turpin's hideouts.


ID #7065, last updated 2006-12-10

Child Crying

Location: York (North Yorkshire) - Lamb and Lion public house
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 2010s
Further Comments: The sound of a child crying has been reported upstairs, even when no child has been present. Doors are also said to close unaided by human hand.


ID #13448, last updated 2019-12-07


Snickleway Inn, York.

Little Girl

Location: York (North Yorkshire) - Snickleway Inn, Goodramgate (was the Angler's Arms public house)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Seen as she waits on the staircase, this entity is said to radiate peace and love. She met her death when a horse and cart delivering beer ran her over just outside the pub. The ghostly presence reported down in the basement is much more sinister and has been called evil by previous landlords. Finally, a phantom cat may rub itself against the legs of visitors.


ID #6443, last updated 2005-07-30


The Golden Fleece pub, York.

Drunken Airman

Location: York (North Yorkshire) - The Golden Fleece public house, Pavement Street
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Twentieth century
Further Comments: Towards the end of the Second World War, a drunken Canadian pilot fell from an upstairs window in the building and broke his neck on the pavement below. Since then, this ghost has reportedly haunted the bedroom from which he fell.


ID #2407, last updated 2002-09-10

Caped Figure

Location: York (North Yorkshire) - The Other Tap & Spile public house, North Street
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: This shadow form has been seen in the building with a cloak or cape draped around its neck.


ID #3142, last updated 2002-11-12


York Arms pub, York.

Grey Lady

Location: York (North Yorkshire) - York Arms public house, High Petergate
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The phantom nun which haunts this pub was bricked up behind a wall after giving birth. The building in which this occurred no longer stands, but the pub was built on the same spot... This may be the same ghost which haunts the Theatre Royal.


ID #6260, last updated 2005-05-18

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