#llandower trow

[theparanormalperiodical]

Every Haunting in Bristol You Need to Know About

When it comes to haunted locations, you need to stick to a few simple – albeit, rather traumatic – conditions: it needs to be old, and it needs to be drenched in death.

And that’s why most historic places in the UK have been stamped with ‘Haunted’ by travel guides and ghost hunters alike. Sure, it’s a marketing go-to to draw in crowds of kids, their disinterested parents, and fellow sceptics, but the unsuspecting city of Bristol has a lot more to support its claims than having a few basic bitch ghosts wandering down its streets.

It actually has all of the stereotypical hauntings and the real ghost stories that you can possibly cram into the HMV horror section; asylums, theatres, pubs.

And it all starts 1019 years ago.

In the year 1000 Bristol was founded, and 20 years later, it began trading. And it is this trading role – particularly the docks and the River Avon – which made it the prominent city that it still is today. This also shipped in the paranormal that we celebrate.

From the 13th century to the 18th century, Bristol was one of the top 4 wealthiest cities in England, fulfilling the prowess it still maintains, and even now it has the 10th largest city population in England.  

Yet even before the middle ages, its history left many intricate traces in the corners of the city: Iron Age hill forts and the odd Roman Villa were built near the River Avon, and have undoubtedly helped fulfil the conditions needed for a haunted location.

But what about being drenched with death? Well, thanks to British History, this is not a difficult condition to meet.

It turns out that Bristol was one of the first locations for the voyages to the New World, and in the 18th and 19th centuries, half a million Africans were sent to the Americans as slaves from this city.

Yet even on top of this it has witnessed further wickedness of its past.

And it is this which puts the paranormal in this place.

Bristol’s Pubs

With every haunted location comes the token haunted pub. Maybe a beer glass goes missing now and then, perhaps a shadowy figure is seen lingering outside?

If it’s haunted, it’s here.

Home to one of the oldest coaching inns in the UK, Bristol’s Rummer Hotel was founded in the medieval city and has been a short-stay favourite for a handful of our kings and queens. It’s no surprise, therefore, there it also houses residents that stay longer for 2 nights and a full English breakfast.

In 2007, a torso – yep, just a torso – was seen by the fireplace in the middle of the dinner rush. And with this uninvited guest, a ghostly young girl is often witnessed here.

Our next pub (The White Hart) is also pretty damn old, and is believed to date back to 1674. But its history has had a much more striking impact on its paranormal activity: it is reported that 2 brothers had a brawl over financial matters in the pub, and the murdered brother is said to stick to his place of death. This often crops up in terms of orbs on the CCTV.

Although these previous pubs won’t be sending too many shivers down your spine, prepare yourself for our final visit in this crawl: Llandoger Trow.

Built 10 years prior to the White Hart, it is founded on the rumours of pirates and tunnels hidden within the secret history of the South West. It’s even been the inspiration for fictional characters that likely would’ve fit in as frequenters of this pub, but what really matters here aren’t the characters trapped within the pages of a book.

15 ghosts allegedly haunt this pub.

And it’s no surprise that the team behind the TV show Most Haunted have even reflected on this rather cramped location!

The most notable resident here is Little Pierre, a young disabled boy, who is often heard upstairs either pulling himself across the floor and sobbing, or limping.

Da streetz, bruv (this is humour, right?)

It goes without saying that to get to these haunted pubs so you can order your pint and wait for the paranormal, you have to, you know, get there. And to get there you have to walk some of Bristol’s spookiest streets.

First up is All Gallows Lane, which isn’t giving out any good vibes from the outset. One of its junctions is reportedly haunted by a highwayman known as Jenkins Protheroe. When he was caught in the 18th century, he was hung for his crimes, explaining the name behind this road.

And the executions don’t stop here; the Christmas Steps might have a jolly name, but the circumstances of this location are less so. Back in the 1660s, this was a famous location for Gallows, and people still claim they can hear a man screaming where the victims used to meet their ends.

The Theatres

If you’re looking for an evening of fine dining, and perhaps even to take in a show, you won’t go a miss here, whether your heading down to the Odeon, or even looking to rewatch Wicked for the umpteenth time.

And if youre really looking for an immersive experience, Bristol is the place to go: the Old Vic Theatre – as Britain’s oldest theatres – has its fair share of long standing residents. And it’s the theatre manager from an odd 200 years ago that won’t quite quit her post: shes often seen lingering around the front desk area (good customer service never gets old, dear reader), and has even been followed out of the building, only to disappear into thin air.

The local cinema also is a phantom favourite, with a murdered manager turning up in the third row occasionally, or wandering down corridors. Cold spots and banging sounds have also added to his paranormal portfolio, and he’s got a good reason for doing so:

It’s the mid 1940s. Britain and the allies have nearly claimed victory in the war. Economic suffering is widespread, and the end doesn’t seem in sight. Oh, and then the manager of your local cinema gets shot in his office.

The guilty party was never found.

Perhaps he is still searching for him, wandering the cinema for the escaped assailant.

The Haunted Asylum

It’s a fan favourite, it’s a common cliché; the haunted asylum is the perfect avenue to erect pyschological thrillers for horror movie obsessives like me.

And it turns out Bristol has just this.

Dower House was once part of Stoke Park Hospital, and has seen no shortage of death and other dark things, but the major haunting cited for this location is that of Elizabeth Somerset.

In 1760, this seventeen year old fell from her horse and broke her neck, dying shortly after.

Walkers today still hear echoes of the horse galloping near the monument commemorating her short and fragile life.

Indeed, even the name of the building serves more to its paranormal purpose: traditionally, ‘dower house’ means the home of a widow, and a wealthy one of that.

And the creepy shit doesn’t stop there – it was in the 20th century that it was converted into the mental hospital that fulfils the trope we know and love (I take that back, I hate it, its cancelled, just nope).

The Clifton Suspension Bridge

Our penultimate supernatural site takes us to one of Britain’s architectural landmarks, and it’s the creation of this bridge – and, unfortunately, its melancholy usage – which leads us to our next rumoured hauntings.

The bridge’s designer – Isambard Kingdom Brunel – is often wandering around the areas that overlook the bridge, but this iconic top hatted figure is seldom the only ghost to haunt these parts.

As it is a bridge, it has become a hotspot for those that wish to take their own lives, and with rumours of dark silhouettes traipsing the area, and a young man hurrying through the woods towards the bridge, its difficult memories remain stuck to this location.

The Dock

It gave Bristol the fierce and famous history it still upholds, and had even been labelled by the crew of Most Haunted as one of their top 5 most haunted locations they’ve ever witnessed - the docks have earned their place in this post.

One of its most famous attractions – SS Great Britain – sees 150000 living visitors, yet those that don’t fit this criteria still find time to make this boat their home.

Residents include a sailor who fell from the rigging whilst working on the ship, or Mrs. Cohen, who passed away weeks after her wedding whilst on the ship. In 2005, for example, workers saw a woman make her way across the promenade deck just before the re-launch of the ship.

On board, or on the land, ghostly attractions are never a sight to be missed.