Holywell, St Ives, Cambridgeshire
The Old Ferry Boat Inn is renowned as one of Cambridgeshire's most haunted pubs, dominated by the legend of Juliet Tewsley, a seventeen-year-old maiden who allegedly died by suicide on March 17th, 1050, after her love for forester Tom Zoul went unrequited. Her grave, marked by a granite slab now incorporated into the bar floor, serves as the focal point for annual manifestations on the anniversary of her death. Staff report year-round phenomena including lights that won't extinguish until they say 'goodnight Juliet,' unexplained cold spots, mysterious menu movements, and door slamming. The consistency of March 17th reports has maintained the tradition of 'Juliet's Night' at the pub, though paranormal investigators note that evidence remains generally inconclusive. The legend gained specificity through 1950s séances, and whilst no Norman records support the story's historical accuracy, the physical presence of the grave slab and decades of consistent witness accounts have cemented Juliet Tewsley's place in local folklore.
Juliet Tewsley (Residual Haunting)
The legend tells of Juliet Tewsley, a seventeen-year-old maiden living in Holywell during the 11th century, who fell passionately in love with a local forester named Tom Zoul. Contemporary accounts vary regarding her method of suicide—some claim she hanged herself from a tree where Tom would see her body on his way to work, whilst others suggest she drowned herself in the River Great Ouse. Whatever the method, she took her own life on March 17th, 1050, and due to medieval attitudes towards suicide, was buried in unhallowed ground marked only by a plain stone slab. Over centuries of building extensions, this slab became incorporated into the inn's interior and can now be seen in the bar area, with a memorial inscription painted in gold lettering on an oak beam above: 'In memory of Juliet Tewsley who died 17th March 1050 AD.' Annual manifestations occur on the anniversary when her ghostly form allegedly rises from the river at midnight and glides towards her grave. Staff have developed rituals around her presence, including the practice of saying 'goodnight Juliet' to turn off stubborn lights. Former duty manager Jamie Toms documented increased activity in the week leading up to March 17th, with lights pulsating without control adjustment and guests reporting restless nights after walking over the grave slab. The tradition dictates that stepping on the slab invites misfortune and requires buying drinks for everyone present. Modern accounts describe a forlorn figure in medieval dress, her features often indistinct and shrouded in ethereal mist, accompanied by unexplained cold spots, menu movements, door slamming, and the faint sound of sobbing or whispers of Tom's name.
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.
Grade II listed 17th century building with claims of 560 AD origins (archaeologically unverified)
Village tavern and ferry crossing inn
Located in Holywell, one of only three Saxon ring villages in Cambridgeshire, this inn sits beside an ancient ferry crossing that operated until 1930. The village's holy well has been in use for over 2,000 years, and local legend connects the ferry crossing to Hereward the Wake's escape from Norman forces in 1066. While the inn claims 6th-century origins, the current Grade II listed structure dates to the 17th century with possible earlier foundations. The building is uniquely positioned over what local folklore claims is the burial site of Juliet Tewsley, making it one of the few pubs literally built over a grave.
Whitewashed thatched inn (Grade II listed), with a cross-wing dating to the 1600s
Annual manifestations on March 17 (the death anniversary) are the most famous: patrons have felt an unexplained chill or seen a wispy female form. Throughout the year, other mild activity occurs – cold spots around the bar, sudden emotional heaviness, or on rare occasions a pale face glimpsed in an upstairs window when no one is upstairs.
The main bar area, directly above Juliet’s grave, is the focal point of the haunting. The adjoining snug and the area by the old fireplace also carry an eerie atmosphere on quiet nights.
Jamie Toms, former team leader and duty manager who lived above the pub, provided detailed accounts to Cambridgeshire Live in 2019, reporting that lights would refuse to switch off unless staff said 'goodnight Juliet,' and menus would mysteriously appear on the floor. He noted that the week before March 17th typically brought increased phenomena, with lights pulsating or brightening without anyone adjusting controls, and guests complaining of poor sleep after walking over the grave slab. Connor Button, another team leader, confirmed that whilst staff haven't witnessed full apparitions, paranormal investigation groups regularly detect unusual activity during March visits. Multiple guests over decades have reported waking at midnight to see a translucent woman in old-fashioned dress standing by their bed or floating near the bar before disappearing. Some visitors have reported photographing faint outlines near the grave slab, though such evidence remains inconclusive. Staff describe hearing faint sobbing, door banging when alone, and occasional whispers of the name 'Tom' during lock-up procedures. The consistency of reports, particularly around the anniversary date, maintains the legend's credibility among believers whilst the establishment's 'Goodnight Juliet' ritual has developed organically from years of staff experiences.
The Old Ferry Boat Inn's haunting has gained widespread recognition through multiple media outlets including Cambridgeshire Live, which highlighted it as 'one of the most haunted pubs in Cambridgeshire' alongside The Eagle in Cambridge. The inn has been featured in paranormal books and regional media coverage, with articles appearing in publications such as The Mirror and various local news outlets. The story gained initial specificity through séances conducted in the 1950s, during which participants claimed to contact Juliet's spirit, though these sessions produced inconsistent information—initially suggesting 11th-century origins, then moving the timeline to the 15th century the following year. Modern paranormal investigation groups regularly visit the establishment, particularly around March 17th for 'Juliet's Night' themed evenings that attract ghost hunters from across the country. However, Reverend Alexander George McLennan Pearce Higgins was historically vocal in disputing the story's authenticity, noting the absence of Saxon records mentioning Juliet Tewsley, though he paradoxically later wrote a short story incorporating séance details that helped elaborate the local legend. Despite scholarly scrutiny and the lack of historical documentation, the consistency of witness reports and the physical presence of the grave slab maintain the inn's reputation as a genuine paranormal hotspot, with evidence remaining generally anecdotal but persistently reported across multiple decades.
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📅 Sample dates:2025-08-28 to 2025-08-30 • 2 adults
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Address:
Holywell Front, Holywell (St Ives), Cambridgeshire, PE27 4TG, UK
Phone: +44 1480 463227
Status: Open
Known for **Juliet's Night** on March 17th, attracting ghost hunters and the curious.
Historic building with low-beamed ceilings. Specific accessibility should be confirmed directly.
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