Haunted pubs: Five of the spookiest rooms in Wiltshire

From tales of spooky apparitions floating through the wall, to a friendly coachman who died after crashing into the pub, our county's watering holes are rich in legend.

Not to mention the various tales of victims buried beneath the pub - or simply thrown into a well in the middle of it!

Here are some of Wiltshire's most famous spine-chilling tales. 

1: DEVIZES: The Black Swan, Market Square

The Black Swan

Room Four at the Black Swan Hotel in Devizes is rapidly gaining a reputation as one of the most haunted bedrooms in the country.

Both staff and guests of the hotel have seen the transparent figure of a woman in a long white flowing dress. 

The sightings of this young woman in white are always fairly similar. The woman appears the walls of rooms and then sits down for a short time, usually staring out of the window. She then gets up again and leaves by walking through the wall!

There have also been reports of paranormal activity in the cellar, where a face has been seen coming out of the wall.

2: AVEBURY:  The Red Lion 

The Red Lion

This pub is considered to be one of the most haunted places in Wiltshire! The thatched public house was built in the early part of the 1600s as a farmhouse. It then became a coaching inn around 1802.

Today, it is known mostly from its appearance on the first season of paranormal television show Most Haunted and for the six different ghosts that call this place home.

Florrie is the most famous. Back in 1643, Florrie was married to a soldier who returned from the English Civil War only to find that she had been unfaithful!

In a fit of jealous rage, he murdered his wife and disposed of her body by dumping it in the village well which is now inside the pub and has a perspex cover so drinkers can look down. 

There have also been reports of a couple of children in the Private Room. Terrified witnesses report seeing the apparitions cowering in one corner. On the odd occasion, the children are also accompanied by a female apparition known as Beth.  

3: DEVIZES:  The Bear Hotel, Market Square

The Bear Hotel

One of the most well-known tales of unexpected happenings comes from 1965 when a barman heard loud voices coming out of an empty room.

On another occasion, a maid from The Bear Hotel was outside and noticed a grey figure closing the curtains in a room she knew was unoccupied.

She entered the hotel and went straight to the room to double-check and again, she was correct and the room was empty!

4: MALMESBURY:  The Old Bell Hotel

The Old Bell

The Old Bell Hotel stands right next to the ruins of Malmesbury Abbey and it is believed that the hotel’s East wing is actually built on top of a section of Abbey’s cemetery.

Rumour has it that there are even a number of sarcophagi concealed underneath the hotel bar. 

The most famous ghost linked to The Old Bell Hotel is the Grey Lady. She is frequently sighted in the James Ody room by staff and guests alike. She is usually described as looking sad and a little lost as she glides silently around the hotel.

Legend has it that if you stand in the James Ody room and chant ‘Grey Lady, Grey Lady, Grey Lady’ then she will appear in the room.

5: WANBOROUGH: The Harrow Inn

The Harrow Inn

One of the oldest pubs in the Swindon area, the Harrow Inn has parts dating back to before 1740 when it was known as the Harrow and Kings Head.

Originally built as a coaching inn on the Roman road to London, it still operates as an inn today. 

Apparently, The Harrow Inn is haunted by a pretty friendly spirit of a one time coachman.

The story is that he crashed his coach right outside of the inn and killed not only himself but also his passengers. His apparition is now seen with some regularity walking around the dining room.