The spookiest pubs in Cambridge to visit for fright night
The Pickerel Inn
As the oldest pub in Cambridge, this famous pub dates back to 1608 and has a colourful history. Part of this is the Pickerel Inn‘s resident ghost. A former landlady who drowned in the nearby River Cam in the 1950s is said to haunt the building. Her ghost has been spotted on several occasions, so maybe you’ll be next to see her after a few drinks and a bite to eat.
The Eagle
Another historic pub with a fascinating story to tell, the Eagle is best known as the place where a couple of scientists announced they’d cracked the code on DNA structure. But why’s it on our list of spooky pubs in Cambridge? It’s not the nicest story, but around 300 years ago, three children were unable to escape the pub’s burning building. They sadly died in the fire, and are said to haunt the Eagle to this day.
It’s written into the pub’s lease that a window above the beer garden must stay open at all times. This allows the ghosts to come and go as they please and was ordered after strange things happened in the past when the window was closed. As if that wasn’t enough, the pub’s only a stone’s throw from Corpus Christi College, which is also said to be haunted by three ghosts. So if you’re looking to go on ghost walks in Cambridge, this is a good place to start.
The Duke of Cambridge
One of the first places you need to check out on haunted walks in the city is the 17th-century Abbey House. Known as the ‘most haunted house in Cambridge’, it was built on the site of an old priory, and as the story goes is home to the ghost of a nun called the Grey Lady. This particular legend rose to prominence in the early 1900s, while the spirits of a number of animals have also apparently been spotted in the house’s gardens. You’ll probably need a stiff drink if you encounter the Grey Lady, which you can get at the Duke of Cambridge – a short stroll from Abbey House.
The Bath House
From haunted houses to haunted bookshops. The Bath House is right around the corner from Sarah Key Books, a haunted bookshop Cambridge is known for among ghost hunters and bookworms alike. It’s also only a few steps from Great St Mary’s church, which is where a number of Cambridge ghost tours start. Fuel up for your tour on traditional pub food, and maybe work up some Dutch courage while you’re there.
The Little Rose
This quaint pub does a great job of hiding some of the horrors that lie right across the street. Dating all the way back to 1209, Peterhouse is the oldest Cambridge college and has a ghostly heritage like no other. Dubbed the ’most haunted university in the world’, at least three exorcisms have been performed at the college. Most recently in 1997, so we’re not talking pitchforks and torches here. If you’re not too spooked to stay in the area, head over the road to the Little Rose gastropub and look out for their seafood specialities and cocktail offers.
Maybe you’re looking for ghost tours in Cambridge and a pub to visit afterwards. Maybe you’re after somewhere to go for Halloween, or you simply want to have a drink shrouded in supernatural mystery. Whatever it is, enter your postcode via the button below to pick out a spooky pub in Cambridge near you.
Pubs near me in Cambridge