Halloween 2023: Most haunted pubs in Dorset revealed

From sailors and smugglers to  strange noises, there are many creepy goings on at some of Dorset’s favourite drinking establishments.

So, with Halloween just around the corner, we looked at some of the most haunted:  

The Boot Inn – Weymouth

Considered one of Weymouth’s oldest pubs, some parts of the inn date back to the 14th Century and it is rumoured to have several phantoms lurking throughout the property.

The ghost of a man wearing a pinstriped suit in a 1930s style, with a Victorian sailor in heavy sea boots have been thought to appear, whilst some landlords have experienced poltergeist activity with furniture and pictures being rearranged during the night.

In the early hours of the morning, there has regularly been the sound of an invisible choir of men singing sea shanties.

Black Dog – Weymouth

Okay, so whilst maybe not technically haunted, this pub has a pretty chequered past when it comes to murders.

Likely to have been built in the 16th century, the pub has seen two murders occur on its premises. The first was in the 17th century after a trader named William Courtney was brutally slain by the then pub landlord John Chiles with a hammer.

A smuggler in the 1758 became the pub’s next victim as Richard Hawkins was whipped to death in front of the fireplace.

This pub’s bloody history still sends a shiver down the spine!

The Spice Ship - Preston

Strange noises have been heard in the night at this pub and beer taps have also unexpectedly turned on at times.

It is believed a Portuguese sailor creates mischief, including pulling one previous landlord out of his bed and onto the floor.

This sailor drowned off the coast around 200 years ago and locals took his body to the inn for the inquest.

It said he is now haunting the pub whilst looking for his shipmates who were all lost at sea.

Elm Tree Inn – Langton Herring

This pub once had a secret passage between the village church and its bar, and the ghosts that appear here include a fellow who is seen sitting in a bar muttering curses.

Another ghost that appears is a local angler who lied about his catch and was savagely beaten to death in 1780.

Owners of the pub have also said to have experienced some weird goings on, with toilet doors locking on their own, ornaments falling off shelves and unexplained power cuts.

The Smugglers Inn – Osmington Mills

As you would expect, the Smugglers Inn was the home to a smuggler trying to out run a revenue man.

The thatched roof country pub was once the headquarters for 17th century smugglers

The infamous smuggler Pierre Latour was caught at the pub after he was heard plotting with the pub’s landlord.

As they laid out their plans, a Revenue man hidden up a chimney overheard the entire plot before both conspirators met an untimely end and their ghosts have been seen in seafaring clothes from the 18th century.

Another smuggler, William Waters, spent more time in prison than as a free man, but when he was free the Smugglers was his boozer of choice. He is said to haunt a  nearby cottage and his described as a small man with a malevolent smile.

The Old Ship Inn, Dorchester

The Old Ship Inn opened its doors in 1619 and is the oldest pub in Dorchester, so no wonder it has some ghostly stories to tell.

The sounds of ragtime and music from the Second World War. As the legend has it, Russ Conway, who went on to London palladium stardom, was a regular during the war.

He was stationed in the Royal Navy barracks nearby and is said to still reside in the pub playing his favourite tunes on the piano.

In later years, he was stationed in the Royal Navy barracks nearby. He had been a frequent customer at this inn.

There was also a gibbet close by many years ago where people, who had been hanged, were contained and left to rot.

Locals think that the ghost that haunts this area was either a woman from the Tudor period or Martha Brown, the last woman to be hanged for murder in Dorset.

The White Horse Inn - Hinton St Mary 

The ghost that appears in this Dorset village pub is believed to be a Roman.

The village is famous for the discovery of a Roman villa which was excavated in 1963 by archaeologists.

Subsequently, witnesses in the village have claimed to see a ghost of a tall man in a pale cloak or toga stride through the village and stop outside the White Horse before disappearing into its walls.

The ghostly figure could be one of the oldest apparitions in England.