Top 10 Haunted Pubs in the UK – Ghostly Inns & Spooky Taverns

Britain is famous for its old pubs – and it turns out many of them come with resident ghosts. In fact, one industry report estimates there are over 1,000 haunted pubs across the UK, and behind those spooky tales often lie “centuries of historical tales, often tragic or gruesome”. From foggy Highland inns to cobblestone town taverns, these haunted bars blend traditional hospitality with spine-chilling legend. Whether you’re a believer or a sceptic, exploring these ghost pubs in the UK promises a chilling good time.

1. The Drovers Inn – Loch Lomond, Scotland

Often cited as one of Scotland’s most haunted pubs, the Drovers Inn on the banks of Loch Lomond is steeped in eerie legend. One tale tells of Angus, a cattle drover who was killed and hung from a tree behind the pub during a clan feud; his tormented spirit is said to still scream for vengeance in the old bar. Guests and staff report sensing cold, ghostly touches in the bedrooms too – even seeing the apparition of a little girl who drowned in the loch nearby. The inn proudly displays a taxidermied Highland bird (an 18th-century nod to its past) and encourages storytelling by candlelight, making every pint a brush with Loch Lomond’s supernatural lore.

2. The Grenadier – London, England

In London’s upscale Belgravia, The Grenadier has a ghost story fit for royalty. Its most famous haunting is Cedric – a young officer accused of cheating at cards – who was beaten to death by his comrades in the upstairs room. Today, visitors stick coins to the low-ceilinged bar in a cheeky tribute to Cedric’s unpaid debt. Staff and patrons still report sudden chilly breezes, glasses shattering in mid-air, and faint footsteps on empty floors late at night. With its polished wood panelling and historic interior, The Grenadier’s ambiance feels frozen in time – a perfect setting for spotting the occasional flicker of an unearthly presence.

3. The Golden Fleece – York, England

Tucked away in York’s medieval streets, The Golden Fleece is renowned as one of England’s most haunted pubs. Legend says it houses around 15 different spectres, including Lady Ann Pickett (a former landlady) and a World War II Canadian airman whose ghostly gaze is said to follow guests. The snugs ancient stone walls and creaky wooden staircases only heighten the frisson of fear – patrons report unexplained noises and cold spots late at night. With antique furniture and Gothic architecture, even the bravest pub-goers admit there’s something spooky about dining where so many ghost stories circulate.

4. The Skirrid Mountain Inn – Abergavenny, Wales

Abergavenny’s Skirrid Mountain Inn boasts its own grisly past. This 17th-century stone inn – said to have once been a courthouse – still has an oak hanging beam above the stairs, supposedly the last sight of dozens of condemned prisoners. Local legend claims up to 180 men were hanged from that beam, and their tortured spirits linger. Visitors report disembodied footsteps in the dining rooms and slammed doors on empty corridors. The inn even hosts overnight ghost-hunting events, where brave guests use Ouija boards and cameras to try contacting its most famous shade: Fanny Price, a former landlady said to still roam the halls. The Skirrid’s ancient timbers and roaring fire make it as atmospheric as any modern horror show.

5. Ye Olde Salutation Inn – Nottingham, England

Nottingham’s Ye Olde Salutation Inn – reputedly built in the 13th century – is packed with ghostly tales. The pub is said to be haunted by three spirits: a 19th-century landlord who died in a poisoning accident (yet somehow survived along with his family) and returned to haunt the cellar, a highwayman who lurks in the shadows, and most famously Rosie the flower girl. According to local lore, Rosie was hit by a carriage outside the pub and laid to rest in its cave cellar, where her restless spirit scratched at guests. Patrons finally appeased her by leaving a doll in the cave, at which point the scratching stopped. Today the inn displays Rosie’s old doll and invites visitors to leave toys as offerings – a chilling tradition in one of Nottingham’s oldest drinking holes.

6. Jamaica Inn – Bodmin Moor, England

High on remote Bodmin Moor, the Jamaica Inn is steeped in smuggling lore – and in ghost stories. Immortalised by Daphne du Maurier’s novel, its lonely stone corridors and roaring fireplaces seem ripe for the supernatural. Witnesses claim to hear phantom horses and carriages clattering over the cobbles at night, as if smugglers and their mounts have returned from the grave. One famous tale says a guest left half his ale unfinished at the bar before venturing outside – he was found murdered on the moor the next day, and his ghost is said to return to the pub to finish that drink. The Jamaica Inn leans into its haunted reputation: rag-doll sailors and vintage artifacts line the walls, setting the scene for a truly spooky pint.

7. The Red Lion – Avebury, Wiltshire

Nestled within Avebury’s ancient Neolithic stone circle, The Red Lion is a 16th-century inn with multiple reported ghosts. The best-known spirit is “Florrie,” who, according to legend, was stabbed by her husband during the Civil War after he caught her with a lover. Her body was thrown down the well in the pub’s courtyard, and her angry shade is blamed for moving objects and flipping chandeliers in the bar. The current owner has even turned the historic well into a glass-topped table – so you can literally drink atop a murder site. With at least five ghosts said to roam its rooms, The Red Lion’s cosy flagstones and wooden beams are a living museum of Avebury’s darkest history.

8. Grace Neill’s – County Down, Northern Ireland

Named after its 19th-century landlady, Grace Neill’s (opened 1611) is Northern Ireland’s oldest pub – and one of its spookiest. Grace herself is the resident spirit: bartenders and patrons often report hearing her footsteps on the stairs or in the snugs late at night. The pub’s dark wooden beams and stone-flagged floors set an old-world scene, and ghost-hunters say the corners still hold echoes of bygone patrons. Ghost-sensing apps and EVP recordings in the bar occasionally pick up unexplained voices, making locals keep a special eye on the original stairwell where Grace’s presence is strongest. In this intimate tavern, a friendly Guinness is often served with a side of spectral intrigue.

9. Whistle Binkies – Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh’s Whistle Binkies sits on a labyrinth of 17th-century vaults beneath the Old Town. While the pub itself is just a few decades old, its basement tables lie in former stone-cellar chambers for the city’s poor and imprisoned criminals. Legend says that two poltergeist banshees still inhabit these vaults. Staff report eerie incidents: doors swinging shut on their own, bottles mysteriously falling off shelves, and strange music drifting up from the darkness. The pub embraces this underworld vibe with cave-like booths and subterranean art. It’s one of the few places where a lively bar and a real ghost story coexist in the brickwork.

10. The Hatchet Inn – Bristol, England

Bristol’s The Hatchet is one of the city’s oldest pubs (dating from 1606) and it has a bloody reputation to match. It was a centre for bare-knuckle boxing in the 18th century, and many believe the spectres of its pugilistic past still linger in the taproom. Pirates and smugglers also purportedly drank here – local lore even claims the front door was once covered with human skin beneath the paint. Whether you believe that gruesome detail or not, there’s no denying The Hatchet’s chilling atmosphere: dim lighting, warped floorboards, and hushed tales of past patrons make it a true haunted landmark on the Bristol waterfront.

Each of these haunted pubs is more than just a bar — they’re living slices of history where folklore comes alive. Whether you’re there for the architecture, the frothy ale, or the ghost stories themselves, these inns deliver on atmosphere as much as on hospitality. As one pub industry spokesman quipped, “any pub ghost could be forgiven for choosing a spirit instead of a pint”, and a night in any of these spooky taverns will certainly test that theory.