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Phantom Coach Dog

Residual Haunting • 19th century

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

👻 Residual Haunting 📅 19th century 🏰 The Bull Hotel

The Story

A spectral black Labrador is said to roam The Bull Hotel, the spirit of a coachman's dog tragically run over by a coach in the courtyard in the 19th century. Its presence is known primarily through physical traces and sensory cues. Housekeepers have reportedly found muddy paw prints on freshly made beds or clean floors in empty, locked rooms, with no logical explanation. Guests have felt something brush against their legs under tables in the bar, as a dog might, only to find nothing there. Some have heard a single bark echo at night in the courtyard when no dogs are present. Very rarely, a medium-sized black dog figure is seen briefly trotting around a corner. Its devotion in life was such that its spirit seems to have never left.

Historical Evidence

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The story goes that a loyal dog traveled with a stagecoach that stopped at The Bull, and in a tragic accident, the dog was fatally injured. The ongoing appearance of paw prints on beds and floors corresponds to this tale. The hotel once displayed an old painting of a black dog above the bar to honor this ghost.

Where to Encounter This Spirit

🔥 Most Active Areas

Courtyard
Ground-floor hall by the kitchens
Bar area
Guest rooms (paw prints)

👁️ Common Sightings

Muddy paw prints appearing on beds/floors
Sensation of a dog brushing against legs
Single bark heard in the courtyard
Brief sighting of a medium-sized black dog

Paranormal Investigations

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The ghost dog story was mentioned in the TV series “Great British Ghosts.” While management doesn’t heavily publicize it, the tale is a recognized part of the hotel's haunted history.