April 6, 2026
London is said to be one of the most haunted cities in the world. Combine this fact with it being home to some of the oldest pubs in the country and you could be enjoying an alcoholic spirit with a ghostly one too.
London is a city of ghosts; you feel them here. Not just of people, but eras…
A. A. Gill
Haunted London Pubs
So take your pick from this round-up of eerie drinking haunts or embark on your very own spooky pub crawl and join me as I share my guide to the most haunted pubs in London.
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The Spaniards Inn
Step foot in this pub dating back to 1585 and you’ll get a variety of ghosts for the price of a pint. The Spaniards Inn is named after two former Spanish landlords, brothers Francesco, and Juan Porero. They fell in love with the same woman and fought a duel. Juan was killed and is said to have been buried on the land. His ghost supposedly wanders the London pub to this day.
Highwayman Dick Turpin’s father was the landlord in the 18th century and he apparently regularly used the pub as a hideout. The infamous robber’s ghost is said to roam the upstairs rooms making spontaneous bangs, whilst his horse Black Bess haunts the car park.
The downstairs bar is the domain of Black Dick, a moneylender who was run over by a coach outside and has taken to tugging the sleeves of drinkers. You definitely get your money’s worth here!
Location: Spaniards Road | Hampstead, London | NW3 7JJ
Nearest Tube Station: Hampstead
The Flask
Near Highgate Cemetery is The Flask, named after the flasks sold here to collect water from closeby springs. Steeped in history with parts of it dating back to 1663, the pub is home to two ghosts.
A Spanish barmaid hanged herself in the pub’s cellar which is now a seating area, after her relationship with the landlord ended. People have reported the temperature to drop when she’s around, glasses moving, lights swaying and her blowing down their necks – Creepy!
There have also been sightings of a soldier dressed in a Cavalier uniform crossing the main room and disappearing behind a pillar.
Location: 77 Highgate West Hill | Highgate | N6 6BU
Nearest Tube Station: Highgate
Read MORE: Discover Real London on a Private Black Taxi Tour
The Old Queen’s Head
This popular, cool Islington pub has quite the history, not that you’d know it with its plush leather sofas, ornate ceiling, and teal tiled bar. The Old Queen’s Head is a Grade II listed building from the 1830s.
Prior to this, a much older pub stood on the land dating back to the 16th century. According to local legend, Sir Walter Raleigh a noted politician, writer, and explorer either owned or operated the previous pub. His ghostly being has been spotted in the bar area, where it vanishes from sight with a wave of his hand.
A young girl has also been reported to follow staff up and down the stairs sometimes giggling, crying, or slamming doors. And a timely Tudor woman appears on the first Sunday of every month, walking around the pub and slowly fading away.
Book: Private Tour of Islington with a Local
Location: 44 Essex Rd | Islington | N1 8LN
Nearest Tube Station: Angel
READ MORE: Unique Places To Visit In Islington
The Rising Sun
Next to St. Bartholomew’s Hospital is The Rising Sun pub, allegedly where body-snatching gangs would hang out in the early 19th century. They’d drug and kill locals to sell their bodies to the hospital for medical research.
Eerie hauntings have since been experienced, like the landlady who felt an icy hand on her back when showering as the shower curtain pulled back. Also, occupants of the upstairs flat claimed they were regularly woken by a spirit who would sit at the end of their bed and slowly pull the duvet off.
Book: 2-Hour Farringdon Paranormal Activity Tour
Location: 38 Cloth Fair | Barbican | EC1A 7JQ
Nearest Tube Station: Barbican
The Bow Bells
Ladies need to pay special attention to this one. The ghost at The Bow Bells pub is nicknamed The Phantom Flusher and is said to flush the toilets whilst in use in the ladies loos. The mysterious presence has been spooking ladies since the 70s and in 1974 the owners even held a séance to banish the ghost. When the spirit was asked to make itself known, the toilet doors were slammed shut so hard it smashed a pane of glass.
Book: City of London and East End: Ghosts and Execution Tour
Location: 116 Bow Rd | Bow | E3 3AA
Nearest Tube Station: Bow Road/Bow Church DLR
READ MORE: Harry Potter Filming Locations in London
The Viaduct Tavern
Opposite the Old Bailey is The Viaduct Tavern, which many visit as its the last example of a Victorian Gin Palace in London.
The series of poltergeist disturbances have all been confined to the cellars. The pub was built in 1875 above the cells of a former prison which explains the ghostly happenings, such as being locked in with no means of escape and objects being thrown around.
Book: The Ghosts Of The Secret Alleyways Of Old London Town
Location: 126 Newgate St | City | EC1A 7AA
Nearest Tube Station: St Paul’s
READ MORE: Places To Avoid In London
The Ten Bells
One of the most famous London haunted pubs, The Ten Bells can be found on Commercial Street in Shoreditch. Best known for its association with Jack the Ripper, as three of his victims frequented the pub before meeting their grisly end.
The pub bar is apparently home to the ghost of Annie Chapman who was drinking here hours before she was brutally murdered. Other spooky encounters include the wails of a tortured baby, as well as the ghost of a murdered landlord who haunts the upstairs by crawling into people’s beds.
Book: Haunted London and Jack The Ripper Tour with Fish and Chips
Location: 84 Commercial St | Spitalfields | E1 6LY
Nearest Tube Station: Liverpool Street or Aldgate East
The Grenadier
The Grenadier in Mayfair was built to house the Grenadier Guards in the 1720s. Its cellar became a gambling den for soldiers and legend has it that a young Grenadier named Cedric was supposedly beaten to death for cheating at cards. Since then paranormal activities, particularly in the month of September when he was killed have been reported. Watch out for rattling tables, mysterious footsteps, objects disappearing, and strange clouds of cigar smoke.
Location: 18 Wilton Row | Belgravia | SW1X 7NR
Nearest Tube Station: Hyde Park Corner
Guided tours
If this list has whet your appetite for the paranormal on your visit to London. Check out these tours:
Book: London: 2-Hour Haunted Pub Walking Tour
Book: London: Ghastly Ghosts 2-Hour Walking Tour
Book: London: Ghost Walk and Spooky River Thames Boat Ride
Handy Map of Haunted Pubs in London
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