London is a city steeped in history, and where there’s history, there are ghosts. The capital’s old pubs have seen it all—murders, executions, highwaymen plotting their next heist over a pint. Some regulars never left, and if you listen closely over the chatter and clinking glasses, you might just hear them whispering in the shadows.
Here are five of London’s most haunted pubs, where a casual drink might come with a side of supernatural horror.
1. The Ten Bells (Spitalfields) – The Ripper’s Local
The Ten Bells is infamous for its connection to Jack the Ripper, and the ghostly happenings inside make it one of London’s creepiest drinking spots. Located in Spitalfields, this 18th-century pub was allegedly frequented by two of the Ripper’s victims, Annie Chapman and Mary Kelly, before they met their gruesome ends.
Hauntings Include:
👻 A spectral old man in Victorian clothing appears in the upper rooms.
👂 Disembodied whispers heard in empty corners.
🥶 Sudden cold spots that make customers shiver mid-pint.
If you fancy a pint of history (or horror), this is the place to get both.
2. The Grenadier (Belgravia) – The Soldier Who Never Left
Tucked away in a quiet Belgravia mews, The Grenadier was once an officers’ mess for the Duke of Wellington’s regiment. But one unfortunate soldier met a grisly fate here—beaten to death for cheating at cards. His restless spirit has been lurking ever since.
Hauntings Include:
👻 Footsteps stomping through empty rooms.
🎲 Poltergeist activity—objects move on their own, as if the ghostly gambler is still playing his last, unlucky hand.
🥶 Customers often report an icy chill, even in summer.
So many have had eerie encounters that the pub’s ceiling is covered in foreign banknotes, left as “offerings” to appease the spirit.
3. The Spaniards Inn (Hampstead) – Dick Turpin’s Ghostly Hideout
Dating back to 1585, The Spaniards Inn has everything a haunted pub should: dark wooden beams, candlelit corners, and a ghostly highwayman. Dick Turpin, the infamous 18th-century outlaw, is said to have hidden out here before meeting the hangman’s noose.
Hauntings Include:
🏇 The sound of ghostly hooves galloping past on Hampstead Heath.
👻 A shadowy figure, believed to be Turpin himself, lingering by the fireplace.
💃 A spectral woman in white, doomed to wander the pub for eternity.
The place is so haunted that Bram Stoker name-checked it in Dracula. If it’s good enough for a vampire novel, it’s good enough for a haunted pint.
4. The Viaduct Tavern (Holborn) – Newgate Prison’s Phantom Inmate
If you like your ghosts with a side of 19th-century prison horror, The Viaduct Tavern is the place to be. Built near the site of Newgate Prison, it’s thought that some of the condemned souls still hang around—unwilling to leave, even after death.
Hauntings Include:
⛓️ Ghostly chains rattling in the basement.
🚪 A sinister presence in the old prison cells beneath the pub.
🕵️ A manager once claimed he was locked in the basement by an invisible force.
The pub’s atmosphere is so eerie that even sceptics start questioning their beliefs after a visit.
5. The Bow Bells (Bow) – The Phantom Trickster
Unlike most of London’s haunted pubs, The Bow Bells doesn’t have a tragic backstory—it just has a ghost with a wicked sense of humour.
Hauntings Include:
🚽 The ghost is obsessed with the men’s toilets. It flushes urinals on its own and even whispers to patrons while they’re mid-flow.
🍻 Bar staff have reported objects moving around the pub.
😂 Some say the spirit was a former landlord, sticking around for the laughs.
If you’re not afraid of a cheeky ghost watching you while you relieve yourself, The Bow Bells is worth a visit.
Final Round: Dare to Drink With the Dead?
Whether you believe in ghosts or just love a good spooky story, these pubs offer history, hauntings, and some excellent ales. Just don’t be surprised if your drink mysteriously slides across the table—or if you hear a whisper when there’s no one there.
Would you dare to visit them all?
Leave a Reply