Halloween is fast approaching, which means it’s time to celebrate the supernatural and embrace the unknown. If you really want to get in the ‘spirit’ of things there's no better place than an old pub with a few spooky stories to tell.
With many Fuller's pubs dating back centuries, our ancient watering-holes are brimming with ghosts and ghouls. Let’s face it, if you’re going to face eternity pacing the floorboards, there are worse places to do it than the pub.
Fuller's pubs are steeping in haunted history, with tales of troubled souls and stories of those who never quite found their resting place. If you're feeling brave this Halloween, we suggest you grab a pint, find a quiet corner and brace yourself because these pubs really do go bump in the night.
The Viaduct
Dating back to 1875, opposite London’s Old bailey. No respectable ghost hunter would overlook The Viaduct. Regarded by many as one of the most haunted pubs in London, The Viaduct was built on the site of a former jail and still has the remains of the cells in its basement.
The temperature in the pub often drops for no reason and unexpected noises have been known to startle the staff but there are two stories in particular that have cemented its reputation as one of the spookiest pubs in town.
In 1996 the manager of the pub found himself locked in the cellar with the door slamming shut and lights going out for no explicable reason. His wife managed to open the door with ease from the other side, suggesting that the ghost of the viaduct was ‘locking’ him in.
A few years later, builders were laying a carpet, the room suddenly turned cold and they witnessed the roll of carpet lift then suddenly drop, again with no reasonable explanation.
The Artillery Arms
As far as we know, no ghosts have claimed this pub as their own. However, The Artillery Arms is situated in the shadows of Bunhill (derived from the word bone hill) Fields cemetery, one of London’s oldest graveyards which became the resting place for more than 120,000 people between 1665 to 1854. Strange happenings have been reported since, including one woman who claimed she was thrown from her bike by a mysterious dark figure. Cycling through the graveyard has since been banned for fear of the ghostly attacker.
The Flask
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned and this particular woman was a Spanish barmaid who is said to have haunted The Flask in Highgate since the 18th century. The story suggests she hung herself in the cellar after discovering that her landlord boyfriend had not been faithful to her. She still makes her presence known in the pub to this day with icy chills, unexplained lighting and an eerie atmosphere when the lights are turned out.
The Bell & Crown
This riverside pub in Chiswick has been licensed as The Bell & Crown since 1787, so is entitled to a well-earned apparition. Rumor has it the mischievous ghost was a cheeky fellow who enjoyed causing havoc by turning on the beer pumps in the middle of the night.
The Coach & Horses
The Coach & Horses in Soho has many stories of the unexplained and has been scaring its patron since the 18th century. Fitting to the name, this ghostly tale involves a coach driver who would pull up his carriage in days of yore, which seemed normal enough at the time. However, on closer inspection witnesses claim they didn't see a man under the cloak but a headless driver pulling a coach full of grizzly passengers with skull-like faces. Whether or not they stopped for a pint is unrecorded.
The Sutton Arms
The Sutton Arms has no such horrors but a friendly ghost called Charlie is rather fond of skulking in corners. His mischievous antics include flashing drinkers a haunting smile before disappearing into the shadows of the pub.
The Lamb & Flag
At the turn of the 19th century The Lamb & Flag in Covent Garden had established itself as a pretty shady haunt, known for it’s bare-knuckle fights amongst drunken revelers – so much so the pub was nicknamed ‘The Bucket of Blood’. It’s said by past managers that strange noises can be heard after dark in the cellar, echoing those of its blood-thirsty past.
The Wellington Hotel
The Wellington Hotel, located outside Waterloo train station is a firm favorite amongst ghost hunters from all over the world. Having been an infirmary during World War One, the pub now has the ghosts of the dead soldiers walking its hallways. It is considered by experts in the supernatural to be over-flowing with the paranormal – enter if you dare!
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