Haunted Hosts

An unseen entity of unknown identity that occupies the inn.

The sorrowful spirit of a 17th-century nursemaid and chambermaid to Oliver Cromwell’s family, who became his mistress.

The specter of Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of England (1653–1658), who stayed at the Golden Lion during the Civil War.

The executed 16th-century Scottish queen, Mary Stuart, who spent her final night at the Haycock in February 1587.

One or more ghosts of unknown identity appearing as dark, human-shaped shadows in various parts of the hotel.

A young woman from the 11th century who died by suicide on 17 March 1050 after a tragic love affair. She is buried beneath the inn’s bar.

The ghost of Richard “Dick” Turpin, an 18th-century highwayman who often stayed at The Bell while evading authorities.

An invisible presence that roams the hotel’s halls, possibly the spirit of a past staff member or simply an anonymous soul, nicknamed “Fred” by employees.

The ghost of a dog believed to have been killed in a coaching accident in the 1800s on the hotel grounds.

The spirit of an unidentified female servant who worked at the Rose & Crown, believed to linger out of dedication to her duties.

The spirit of a former hotel chambermaid who, as legend says, never stopped taking care of Ye Olde Griffin.