Haunted Pubs in the Cotswolds

It’s no surprise that the Cotswolds, with its wild rolling hills and propensity for heavy mists, also has a glut of fine haunted pubs throughout the region. Discover some of our favourites below and get stuck into the sinister season with some first-rate food and drink.

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The Fleece Inn, Bretforton

Situated in beautiful Bretforton, just outside the north Costswolds, The Fleece Inn dates back to the 15th century. Once a farmhouse, it has been an inn since the 1800's and is now owned by the National Trust. The interior feels untouched by modernity, with handsome old tables, ancient wooden doors and a well-worn stone floor. You feel as if you're entering a kind of living history. The best bit about The Fleece though, is unequivocally, its fabulous menu. There are their famous pies and an array of hearty, well-made food. Enjoy it by the roaring fire, soaking up the atmosphere as you escape the seasonal chill.

The Ghosts: Lola Taplin, the landlady who died in 1977, is said to haunt The Fleece Inn. Shadowy apparitions disappear swiftly around corners, tankards fly unaided from shelves, and empty chairs move about or rock ominously. It's said that Lola was eccentric and particular. She wouldn't serve customers when Coronation Street was on and didn't sell bar snacks as she detested the mess. She also drew witches' circles by the fire hearth and told customers she would come back as an owl to keep an eye on them. So prolific are Lola's antics that even the most hardened local sceptic has come to believe in the supernatural.

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The Ragged Cot Inn, Minchinhampton

A delightful, independent pub steeped in history sitting in the pretty market town of Minchinhampton. With a bright and cosy interior and an excellent menu carefully developed by the in-house chefs, it's a gem of a Cotswold pub that's well worth a visit for ghost hunting or just to hunker down as the nights draw in.

The Ghosts: The Ragged Cot has a history spanning 300 years and is said to be haunted by the wife and child of an ex-landlord called Bill Clavers. The story has it that in 1760, Clavers decided to rob the midnight stagecoach that regularly stopped near the pub. To give himself courage, he filled himself with rum. As he drunkenly took his pistol and prepared to meet the stagecoach, his wife - with their child in her arms - begged him not to. In a drunken rage, he pushed them both down the stairs, and they fell to their deaths. Only after he had robbed the stagecoach and returned did Claver realise what he had done. He attempted to hide their bodies, but a ghostly apparition of his wife and child appeared to constables and he was arrested, tried and hung. Guests sometimes hear loud, strange banging and occasionally see the faint image of Claver's wife holding their child, silently making her way through the rooms of The Ragged Cot.

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The Red Lion Pub, Avebury

An ancient, thatched pub in Avebury that is probably the only pub in the world to sit within a prehistoric stone circle. The famous stone date from 4000 to 2400 BC and are actually made up of three stone circles. The Red Lion pub sits in the middle of this mystical place and dates back to the 1600's. The pub interior was bright, modern and welcoming whilst retaining its special rustic charm. The food is comforting and tasty pub food and ideal for autumn. A great place to visit after exploring the historic and beautiful local area.

The Ghosts: There are said to be several ghosts at The Red Lion, but the most widely reported is Florrie, who lived there in the 17th century during the Civil War. It's said that Florrie's husband returned unexpectedly from the war and caught his wife in the arms of another man. Furiously, he shot her lover dead and then killed his wife Florrie. He then dragged her body to the well (which you can still see today in the pub's front garden) and threw her to the bottom before sealing it with a huge bolder. Florrie's ghost has remained ever since and is said to wander about the pub and gardens searching for a man with a beard. Whether that's her lover or her husband no one is entirely sure.