HERTFORDSHIRE HAUNTED INNS & PUBS
AYOT ST.LAWRENCE
THE BROCKET ARMS
Reputed to be haunted by the ghost of a Catholic Priest who was tried and hanged from a beam in the pub during the Reformation. A ghost of a ‘monk’ has been seen here on at least 2 occasions. The first was identified as a full apparition of a ‘monk’ seen briefly in the Dining area. The second account was of a facial apparition only, surrounded by a ‘a sort of smoky haze’ in a doorway. The sounds of footsteps, thuds and ‘phantom conversation’ have also been heard here. Given the pubs close proximity to the local Abbey, and the belief that they date from roughly the same age, there may be some truth in this ghostly legend.
BISHOPS STORTFORDTHE
GEORGE INN, London Road
The ghost of a ‘grey lady’ has been seen here numerous times. Described by a witness as a ‘swirling grey mist’ it is supposedly the unhappy spirit of a woman who was stabbed to death in room 27, in the days when the pub was a Coaching Inn. This ghost has also been seen in a clearer form, bending over, with her arm raised…If the legend is to be believed, is this the murdered woman still desperately fighting for her life, even in death?
ELSTREE
THE HOLLYBUSH, High Street
This 500 year old Inn, was also the sight of an undertakers (now where the Car Park is) and this could explain why dogs, supposedly, do not like the area. In the Pub itself, the ghostly apparition of a bearded man , who was seen by former landlords and staff. This apparition was accompanied by the sounds of ‘slow and heavy footsteps’, and the phantom footsteps themselves have been heard on occasions, along with other inexplicable noises.
HEMEL HEMPSTEAD
THE OLDE KINGS ARMS
The Kings Arms, despite it’s great age, has very little recorded about its ghostly history. The most ‘noted’ one is the ‘jolly fat man’ seen in an upstairs room, who is reported to be King Henry VIII himself! According to local legend, Henry spent much of his free time courting Anne Boleyn in the Inns of the High Street, where they would meet. Given the areas strong links to Henry VIII this may have some degree of truth, but much dispute arises regarding dates when giving this ‘legend’ credence. The ghost of a ‘Brown lady’ haunts the downstairs bar area, and is supposedly that of a young girl who met her true love in the Inn, only to have him leave her to fight in the War. They arranged to meet on his return but she waited in vain, as he never returned, and was presumed killed in action. Her heartbroken ghost is said to still wait for him there. Sounds of children playing and the sound of whistling, have been reported by members of staff, while the pub was empty. We were fortunate enough to look around this pub ourselves, and had some ‘strange’ experiences while doing so, please see the INVESTIGATIONS page for more details, or click on the 'pen icon'.
HEMEL HEMPSTEAD
THE ROSE & CROWN
On the Official Rose and Crown Website there is mention of the ‘Grey Lady’ but no further details! The current landlords mention that they have not seen this ghost themselves, but that switches in the kitchen area have been known to turn on and off by themselves. There are reported to be 3 regular ‘ghosts’ in the Rose and Crown, but details are difficult to find. The only other (known) story with some relevance is the tale of a young girl who lived at the premises sometime in the past, who was said to have been locked away in her room all her life, because she was crippled. This story has some credence, because when renovation work was being carried out in the pub some years ago, a pair of girls shoes were found under the floorboards in one of the bedrooms. The sole of one of the shoes had been built up…………. Other relevant information: Although this does not relate directly to the Paranormal, it does (perhaps) add some support to the legends of Henry VIII frequenting the High Street. The fireplace in one of the bars of the Rose and Crown has been authenticated by English Heritage as dating back to 1575 – if you look carefully it contains medieval grafitti, supposedly including two figures said to be of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. Apparently they used to stay often in the old hunting lodge in Gadebridge Park, and did their courting in the Old High Street , if this were true, then maybe King Henry is indeed the ‘Jolly Man’ ghost of the Olde Kings Arms??, if this were true, then maybe King Henry is indeed the ‘Jolly Man’ ghost of the Olde Kings Arms??
HEMEL HEMPSTEAD
THE WHITE HART
I personally knew the Landlords of the White Hart in the early 1990s – They had lived in, and been landlords of the White Horse for many years and bought up their family there. I did ask the landlady once about the Pubs history, and had she seen any ‘ghosts’ during her time there? The only things she told me that she had experienced was seeing a small young,male figure standing on the stairs leading up to the second floor, I’m sure (though not absolutely certain) that the ‘ghost’ she had seen had been ‘brownish’ in colour, but was definitely identifiable as being male, and young. I do not know now if other people had seen the same thing during their time there. The staff did mention seeing things ‘out of the corner of their eyes’ and ‘hearing noises in empty bars which sounded like people talking and laughing’, but nothing identifiable.The ‘ghost’ of a young man, with a look of terror on his face is the only recorded ghost of the White Hart – this account appearing in many haunted Pub guides and literature. The young man in question was apparently murdered on the stairs while fighting of ‘press gangers’. Another account of the same ‘ghostly apparition’ but this one also mentions that screams and cries are often heard, and that when the ‘entity’ appears his colours are ‘inverted’ – rather like a film negative – maybe this is the ‘brown’ colour that the landlady refers to?
HEMEL HEMPSTEAD
THE CRABTREE
This pretty pub was a 17 C cottage hospital and ‘plague house’, and from the outside still looks original. The recent refurb inside has taken away most of the character, but below that there are reportedly underground tunnels…or so I was told….where these tunnels go to I do not know, but the person who told us swears that as a child they played in them, but never for long…the atmosphere being too ‘spooky’… admittedly they did also say that as a child it would have seemed scary regardless of what was down there! For now, listed only as Haunted Tunnels, but further investigation definitely needed.
HEMEL HEMPSTEAD
THE MARCHMONT ARMS
According to a former resident of the nearby ‘Old Town’ the Marchmont Arms is reputed to be a very ‘active’ haunted location. It has, supposedly been Paranormally researched in the past, but the details of any findings, and indeed any literature relating to the ‘Marchmont ghosts’ seems elusive.
HEMEL HEMPSTEAD
THE VENUE (AKA THE BASEMENT)
This basement bar, in the Towns Old High Street area, would seem the perfect home for ghosts and spirits - but only one has been seen there, the figure of a female standing at the top of the stairs. However, the presence of children has been felt there by other people, as though they were running 'back and forth' across the floor.
HODDESDEN
THE HOLLYBUSH
Although no accounts of hauntings here, The Hollybush has been noted as being ‘haunted’ in more than one publication. Details, however, are scarce and amount to little more than inexplicable noises, objects being moved, and the feelings experienced by persons (and dogs!) of ‘unease’ or in the case of the dogs, a refusal to enter certain areas.
MARKYATE
PACKHORSE INN
On the road from Markyate to Dunstable, the ghostly figure of a ‘tall man in cricket gear’ has been seen by multiple witnesses. The man appears on the road, then disappears. He is believed to be the ghost of a cricketer killed at the spot in the 1950s.
ST.ALBANS
THE BOOT
According to the landlord and staff of this 15thC pub, many 'paranormal' happenings have been accounted here over time. We were fortunate enough to meet with the landlord and his family recently who told us a few tales! - The ghost of a monk has been seen by a visitor to the pub, and on one occasion (in 2009) a drinker in the pub saw 'people in old fashioned dress' sitting and standing in different areas of the pub. This made them feel so uncomfortable that they left immediately! The landlords son told us of doors banging without cause, the sound of footsteps across the floors and on one occasion his dog being petrified by things unseen! - We hope soon to have a full report and history of this historic and haunted, inn.
ST.ALBANS
THE WHITE HART HOTEL
This pub has over 600 years of history and many reputed ghostly sightings during that time. Watch out for the little girl who plays around the Hotel. History has it that she died in a fire in the building. Or the lady who died when her horse drawn carriage pulled in to the archway of what is now our car park. Apparently she didn’t duck in time and had her neck broken. Listen out for the noises and watch out for visions from the cellar where plague victims were kept and the minstrals’ gallery where local hangings took place
SEE OUR 'EVENTS' PAGE FOR MORE DETAILS.
ST. ALBANS
THE WICKED LADY
Another mention of Lady Katherine Ferrars, the ‘Wicked Lady’ of Markyate. One of the former landlords, sometime in the 1970s was out walking his dog near the pub heard the sound of ‘an invisible horse galloping right past him’. Inside the Pub, the sounds of weeping have been heard, but they come from Invisible eyes, the lady phantom remaining unseen. It has been speculated that the ‘Weeping Woman’ could be the Widow of one of Katherine Ferrars unfortunate victims.
ST.ALBANS
THE TUDOR TAVERN (now The Thai Tavern)
The ghost of a former tenant supposedly haunts the Thai Tavern, although some believe the spirit to be that of a murdered soldier. A second ghost, known as 'Harry' is supposed to haunt the upstairs part of the building, and is responsible for moving things around. The ghost was once seen, sitting at a table!
WALTHAM ABBEY
THE GREEN DRAGON
The apparition here has been described as ‘Cavalier’ in looks, and was seen by the daughter of a former landlord. Phantom sounds of footsteps and scuffles have also been heard by staff and locals alike.
WINKWELL
THE THREE HOSESHOES
The Three Horseshoes dates back in parts from 1535. The pub itself is believed to be haunted , and this may well be by Joseph Buck the Winkwell lock keeper who was a popular local character .He unfortunately drowned in his own lock in 1898 (after some believe a few too many at the Pub beforehand!) In addition to this, we have been told by a former employee of the pub that the Three Horseshoes may have more than one ghostly visitor, in the form of a Poltergeist. This account goes back almost a decade, when they remember working in the smaller bar of the pub. They were clearing up after everyone had left, and the pub was empty apart from them. From the shelves behind the bar, a salt and pepper pot was seen to literally 'fly' off the shelf, and land on the floor. Similar oddoccurences, noises, and feelings of an 'unseen' presence where also experienced by them during their time there.
