The Lamb Inn Devizes

You'd be forgiven if you'd missed this unassuming little pub, tucked away in St John's Street. You may also be surprised to learn that it's supposedly one of Devizes most haunted pubs (there are many).

Landlady of some 15 years - Sally King agreed to show us around and impart some of her ghostly tales. 

Originally called The Scribblings Horse, a name taken from the frame where cloth was stretched for scribbling and cleaning. The inn, or some parts of it date from around 1453. It is likely the front of the inn was refurbished using materials sourced from the old Wool Hall opposite which had been demolished. During the civil war Roundheads were billeted at the inn. Much later, James Wolfe - a British army officer, stayed at the inn during a recruitment drive before leaving to fight the French in Canada during 1759.

Ghostly encounters include; a glass levitating from under the bar and smashing on the floor, witnessed by Sally and one or two customers. A discussion by regulars about where a picture should hang, should it be placed to the left, or to the right? This debate went on for a few minutes until the picture suddenly fell off the wall and shattered. On closer inspection, regulars were surprised to see the glass fragments were arranged in such a way they pointed left. Suffice to say the picture was placed as directed.

One evening as Sally was about to lock up and everyone had left except a couple of bar staff. They all heard footsteps in the corridor which lead from outside to the inner bar door. They waited to see who is was, expecting someone had forgotten something. When nobody entered they went to investigate but found the corridor empty. What was even stranger it had started raining and there were wet footprints leading to the bar door but none leaving. Footsteps from private rooms above are also not uncommon. All the rooms are carpeted but the footsteps sound as if they are making contact with wooden floorboards.

To close, many pubs have ornate horse brasses hanging either side of inglenook fireplaces, The Lamb has a display of used ancient coffin handles hanging from a ceiling beam. Sally is not quite sure how they got there but it is thought local grave diggers may have given them to undertakers who frequented the pub many years ago and would leave them for the  proprietor as a bit of a talking point.