A charming UK pub is making a strong bid for the title of ‘most haunted’ watering hole in Britain.

From the outside, it’s the epitome of a traditional British pub with its white exteriors, hanging baskets and breathtaking riverside views. However, step inside and you’re in for a completely different experience.

The pub’s eerie past becomes immediately evident when you spot the grave beneath the bar. This isn’t your average alehouse; it’s a place charged with supernatural energy.

The inn is said to be haunted by a heartbroken lover from the 11th century, whose gravestone is located within the bar and whose spirit is believed to still inhabit the building. A chilling tale surrounds this St Ives gem – the ghost of a teenage girl who died around 900 years ago is said to roam its halls.

Staff insist that she won’t allow them to switch off the lights until someone bids her ‘goodnight’, and there are numerous reports of menus mysteriously scattered on the floor. Indeed, patrons have reported odd occurrences at this St Ives establishment – from restless nights spent on the premises, sudden cold spells and temperature drops, to hearing unexplained noises during the night.

The delightful pub, known as one of Cambridgeshire’s ‘most haunted’, gives The Eagle in Cambridge a run for its money. Not only does it serve up exceptional Sunday roasts and boast a stunning beer garden, but it also carries a chilling reputation that sets it apart as one of the county’s ‘most haunted’ pubs.

Once you hear the eerie tale associated with the tavern, it’s easy to see why. The story tells of a young woman named Juliet Tewsley, who was hopelessly smitten with a forester by the name of Tom Zoul. Tragically, her love was unrequited, leading to a heartbreaking end.

It is believed that the devastated 17-year-old took her own life on March 17, 1050, by hanging herself from a tree near the Inn so that Tom would find her body on his way to work (or she drowned herself in the River Ouse on the same date in 1078, the details are somewhat unclear).

Given the stigma attached to suicide in the 11th century, Juliet was buried in unconsecrated ground near the Inn, her grave marked only by a simple stone slab. Over time, the pub has been extended and refurbished, and the young girl’s grave is now commemorated by a flagstone on the pub floor in the bar, having become an integral part of the establishment’s interior.

Legend suggests her broken-hearted spirit continues to roam the ancient inn at the stroke of midnight each year on the anniversary of her death.

A series of baffling incidents are attributed to her ghostly presence, including illumination that stubbornly remains switched on until someone utters ‘Goodnight Juliet’, eerie noises echoing through the shadows, and one particular evening annually (March 17) when patrons insist they were unable to rest due to the supernatural activity they sensed hanging heavy in the atmosphere.

Speaking to Cambridgeshire Live in 2019, Jamie Toms, former team leader and duty manager at The Old Ferry Boat Inn, discussed some of the spine-chilling experiences he has witnessed whilst working – and living above the establishment.

He said: “There’s a lot of things which go on at the pub, which people can’t really explain. Like sometimes the lights just won’t go out unless you say ‘goodnight Juliet’. Or menus will just appear on the floor.

“Sometimes when you’re here on your own you’ll hear things too like bangs and noises of doors opening. We’ve never seen an apparition but some guests and customers have said they’ve felt someone watching them in the bar or have felt very cold even when the heating is on full. Sometimes it can make you feel nervous but I’m pretty chill about it, we know we’ve got to respect the building and remember that it’s her building.”

Discussing Juliet’s death, Jamie said the week leading up to it proves more troublesome than the anniversary date itself. Throughout those days, lights regularly flicker or brighten without explanation. “Guests will come down in the morning and say they’ve had a really bad night’s sleep – if that happens we always ask if they’ve walked over the grave which is in the restaurant.”

Jamie, who had been running the establishment for eight weeks when speaking to the publication in 2019, confessed he steers clear of crossing the grave himself, reports Cambridgeshire Live.

The St Ives establishment, like countless pubs, claims to be England’s oldest. Tracing back to 560 AD, it boasts links to Anglo-Saxon England. The Old Ferry Boat Inn lies just four miles from St Ives and today, the venue preserves its legacy through its bar, traditional pub grub, and seven guest bedrooms.

Both locals and visitors can enjoy classic British dishes beneath the inn’s low timber beams or within its charming beer garden alongside the River Ouse.

The waterside establishment offers a dog-friendly environment in a cosy atmosphere, whilst the on-site accommodation provides guests the option of staying overnight while leaving their motor parked outside the property.

So, if you’re a fan of the macabre seeking a thrilling time this spooky season – The Old Ferry Boat Inn might be precisely the spot for you.