Devon's most haunted pubs and hotels revealed ahead of Halloween
Devon has been named one of the UK’s most haunted regions, according to new research by Where The Trade Buys, one of the UK’s leading print suppliers to the hospitality industry.
The study analysed more than 1,300 recorded ghost sightings from The Paranormal Database, revealing the UK’s most haunted hospitality hotspots ahead of Halloween.
Devon has 43 recorded hauntings across pubs, hotels and restaurants, making it the sixth most haunted region in the UK.
Among Devon’s most haunting tales are those of a Napoleonic soldier said to appear at the Berry Head Hotel in Brixham, and a ghostly monk who vanishes through doorways at the nearby Churston Court Hotel. Guests have also reported candles lighting themselves and a lone diner visible only through a mirror at the Smugglers Haunt Hotel.
In Ashburton, the cries of unseen children have been heard upstairs at the Bay Horse pub, while in Chagford, staff at the Ring O’Bells have reported unexplained banging from the cellar. The town’s Three Crowns Hotel is said to be haunted by Royalist officer Sidney Godolphin, who died on its doorstep during the Civil War.
Across Devon’s countryside inns, ghostly regulars remain part of local folklore. The Waterman’s Arms in Ashprington is said to be home to Emily, a young girl who died after being hit by a cart, and a grey-haired landlady who still watches over the bar. In Buckland Brewer, the Coach and Horses is reportedly haunted by a woman in black and a phantom Roundhead, while the Pig and Whistle in Littlehempston has its own amorous monk, nicknamed Brother Freddie.
At Plymouth’s Admiral MacBride, a woman murdered in the cellar is believed to linger in shadow, and the Minerva pub is said to host four spirits, including a smuggler and a ghostly child. Elsewhere, guests at the Royal Castle Hotel in Dartmouth have reported the sounds of a phantom coach arriving in the early hours, and in Kingsbridge, a jilted bride still wanders the corridors of the King’s Arms Hotel.
Other reports include laughter echoing through the Fisherman’s Cot in Bickleigh, doors opening on their own at the Tors Hotel in Belstone, and poltergeist activity at the Farmer’s Arms in Woolfardisworthy, where doors swing open and bells ring of their own accord.
Emma Thompson, Marketing Director at Where The Trade Buys, said: "Our research shines a light on the incredible history and individuality within the UK’s hospitality scene. From centuries-old pubs to seaside hotels, each venue has its own story, and for some, that story comes with a spine-tingling twist.
“Seasonal moments like Halloween are a chance for businesses to celebrate that character and engage new and existing customers in creative ways. With helpful platforms like Canva, it’s easier than ever for venues to produce their own special marketing and promotional materials, including posters, banners and special menus. By printing on Canva, they can quickly create materials that capture their unique atmosphere and bring those stories to life."
