Liverpool’s Slaughter House Ghosts – Do the Facts Match the Stories?

Is Liverpool’s famous pub, The Slaughter House, truly haunted? And does history support its many ghost stories?

Here’s what I found out.

The haunted Slaughter House Pub is just one of many haunted sites in Liverpool.

It’s also the city’s oldest pub.

(The pub’s name gives me the creeps, but it’s popular with tourists as well as local residents.)

According to the Paranormal Database, the Slaughter House’s ghosts include two spirits who live in the cellar, and sometimes appear near the bar.

However, other reports suggest even more entities at the site.

So, let’s start with the obvious question… the pub’s name.

It probably wasn’t a slaughterhouse. Or… maybe it was?

According to researcher Tom Slemen, the pub was never an “abbatoir” as some were called. (Other terms included “fleshers” and “flesh markets.”)

Mr. Slemen lists several previous owners and businesses at the Fenwick Street location.

I checked his research, and confirmed his results.

For example, I had no trouble finding Peter Edwards in the 1827 Liverpool city directory, with an office where the Slaughter House is, today. (His residence was 11 Portland Street. His office was 15 Fenwick Street.)

Peter Edwards - Slaughter House - 1827

However, I’m not sure if Mr. Slemen studied anything before the late 18th century. (Generally, I like to go back at least to the 16th century, and as far back as the 14th – or earlier – if I can.)

Liverpool directories didn’t exist in earlier times, so it’s not an easy task.

So, Mr. Slemen’s initial study may not reflect the whole story. In fact, Alex of Auld City tours says the Slaughter House site was an abbatoir.

Until I can study this further, I’m reluctant to say it was never an abbatoir.

Note: English history goes much further back than modern records. Also, hauntings like the Slaughter House’s usually indicate a lengthy, turbulent past.

So, I cast a wide research net, and don’t rule out anything until I’ve triple-checked it.

If you’d like to dig further into history, see my preliminary notes about the Slaughter House site: Haunted History: The Slaughter House, Liverpool.

But what about its ghosts?

Reports at the pub include the sound of a little boy ghost, hair being moved by invisible fingers, other poltergeist activity, and the sound of glasses clinking when no one is nearby.

The best description of the Slaughter House’s ghosts appeared in a 2004 article, quoted at YO! Liverpool.

Here’s some of that article:

[from the cellar] …We decide to go walkabout. On the “evil” stairs leading out, the ghostometer begins to sound uncomfortable and Billy claims he feels a presence but nothing too strong and certainly not malevolent.

We proceed to the top floor and it’s here, at the top of the stairwell, that Billy first detects something.

“The impression that I get here is that there was some kind of self destruction that somebody committed suicide. Somebody died in this area but it must have been some time ago. It was a man who hanged himself here.”

The ghostometer duly goes slightly bonkers emitting a fluctuating whine like that of the dentist’s drill. We head a little more quickly back downstairs where, back in the bar, it’s thought that it might be a good idea if Billy went back down in the cellar, alone this time, so as not to be distracted.

Billy, for some reason, doesn’t agree.

Minutes later Joe and I are perched on stools downstairs and after a brief surf with the divining rods – this area of the city apparently being awash with ley lines which convey psychic power – Billy has placed the ghostometer at the centre of the low stage at the far end of the room.

He then retreats to another stool on the far side where he sits occasionally stroking his chin apparently preoccupied in thought.

No words are spoken. The only sound is the warble of the ghostometer in mild distress.

Ten minutes later Billy springs up and walks over. “I’ve just been having a conversation,” he says calmly and then points at the stage.

“It’s a guy sitting over there. He says his name’s is Walter Langton. He worked here in the 1800s. He’s very rude and bad tempered and he says he wants to do me harm. I’ve told him he can’t. He chooses to be here. He also knows that we are here and he wants us to go. But I don’t feel intimidated.”

Billy then says that there is another presence on the stage. It’s a middle-aged woman dressed in grubby smock and bonnet. She’s possibly from the 19th century and called Meg or Mary. She’s unaware of us but is apparently looking for her son.

” He was crushed to death here,” adds Billy simply.

Needless to say neither Joe or I have seen or heard anything – it is, unfortunately, the drawback of the medium’s trade that concrete proof is hard to produce.

Nevertheless there’s an unnerving feeling that we’re not alone and there’s relief in finding the stairwell behind the bar – and not adjacent to Walter’s alleged spot at corner of the stage – to return to a curious Adam and co upstairs.

Was Walter Langton real?

Because Liverpool was a very active port in the 1800s, it’s difficult to pinpoint just one likely person, even when the name is unusual.

Walter Langton might have worked at the site briefly, waiting for a ship to sail, or immediately after he arrived in England from Canada or the United States.

I found one Walter Langton, born around 1863 in Plymouth (England), who was part of the crew of a ship that docked regularly in Liverpool.

Casting a wider net, using “sound alikes” such as Langdon and Longton, I found a large array of Walters arriving and leaving on ships at the port.

A Walter Longton appeared in the 1871 census for Liverpool. He was a student and the son of a farmer. He was born around 1860. I have no further info about him.

My “gut feeling” is that the Slaughter House’s Walter Langton may have been a transient.

(For more history like this – strictly for hardcore researchers – see my related article, Haunted History: The Slaughter House, Liverpool.)

Conclusion? Everything is a “maybe.”

Between the size of Liverpool, it’s history as a busy port, rumored names (and myriad spellings), it’s difficult to confirm – or deny – the many stories connected to the Slaughter House and its ghosts.

My sense is: It’s haunted. I’m just not sure about the ghosts – who and how many, and from what eras.

Maybe the Slaughter House is just a convenient focal point for local urban legends.

But maybe it isn’t, and spirits really do lurk there.

If you’re going to be in Liverpool anyway, I think the Slaughter House pub is worth a visit, and definitely a ghost vigil.

Let me know what you discover. Something about the Slaughter House pub has an odd energy to it, and I’d like to understand what that is. It’s just… odd. That’s the only word to describe it.

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Other investigations

Here’s one YouTube video of an informal seance (glass on a table) at the Slaughter House:

 

Liverpool’s Slaughter House Ghosts – Haunted History and Trivia

history of the slaughter house, liverpoolIf you’re a ghost hunter interested in extremely detailed history related to the Slaughter House, here are more notes from my off-site research.

(If you’re looking for Slaughter House ghost stories, see my related article, Most Haunted: The Slaughter House, Liverpool.)

The following history might connect to ghosts in and near Liverpool’s Slaughter House.

First, I researched Jane Ellison. She was a previous owner of the Slaughter House site. I’m not sure those notes are useful.

Then, I studied old maps – and business directories – looking for local clues. That historical information may be helpful for future investigations at the Slaughter House.

Or it might be irrelevant. I haven’t a clue, but – having put so much time into this – I’m sharing it in case it’s useful.

Jane Ellison

Using Tom Slemen’s list of historical owners of the haunted Slaughter House site, I researched early owner Jane Ellison.

For some reason, Jane’s name seems to “light up” for me. (When I use that expression, it means the item seemed to hold my attention more than it should. That’s when I go looking for something odd to explain it.)

Jane Ellison #1

Here’s one interesting Jane Ellison, but I don’t know if she had any connection to the history of the Slaughter House.

This Jane Ellison was born about 7 March 1820 as a “female bastard” child of James Ellison, a laborer (from the nearby borough of Knowsley), and a woman whose name might be Margaret, but I can’t quite read it.

Here’s part of the court record:

court record Jane Ellison Liverpool

However, Ellison isn’t an unusual name in England.

This document does tell us that, in the early 1800s, at least one Liverpool-area Ellison caused some drama. He didn’t show up at court when charged as Jane’s father.

That’s a big red flag, if this Jane Ellison was connected with the history of the Slaughter House.

Also, in the 1766 directory, I found only one Ellison actually in Liverpool. (He was David Ellison, a watch maker on Ranelagh Street, not far from the Slaughter House site.)

So, maybe “Ellison” wasn’t a popular surname in the area, until much later.

Jane Ellison #2

Next, I found a burial record for “Jane, daughter of Jane Ellison,” who was buried 4 Oct 1819 in Liverpool.

The oddity there is that she’s just the “Jane, daughter of Jane Ellison,” without a father listed. Other entries on the same page list the mother and father of each deceased person.

Here’s the burial record:

Jane Ellison burial record 1819 Liverpool

Below, you can read the detail.

Burial record Jane Ellison Liverpool 1819

That record shows:

  • She lived on Dale Street. (It was just around the corner from Fenwick Street, where the Slaughter House is.)
  • She’s noted as a “spinster.”

So, there are two red flags connected with the name “Jane Ellison.” One was an illegitimate child, Jane Ellison, who was born in 1820.

The second (but lesser anomaly) was another Jane Ellison who appears to be a single parent, and – in 1819 – she buried a child named Jane Ellison.

In my research, I always note those kinds of anomalies. At least half the time, if they’re connected to a haunted site, their stories will be related to that site’s ghostly energy.

(Additional — but less unusual — Jane Ellison notes are at the foot of this article.)

Next, I looked at Liverpool maps and city directories. If I were investigating at the Slaughter House, I’d definitely study the maps in greater detail. I’m sure more clues are hidden in the history of the neighborhood.

MAP STUDY

If you’re researching the haunted Slaughter House’s history, here’s how the immediate area looked in 1766 Gore’s Liverpool Directory. (That directory is available, online.)

Slaughter House area Liverpool - 1766

Here’s a transparent overlay of the current Slaughter House site (courtesy Google Maps), on that 1766 map.

Overlay Google Maps and 1766 Liverpool

So, if you’re studying what was where in the late 18th century, the green arrow, on the map below, points to the current Slaughter House site.

I’m not sure what the “Dry Bn” was, or if that’s what the map says. But, I’d look at the history of the area where Fenwick Street (circled in red) intersected with Moore Street and — on the 1766 map — what’s indicated as Castle hill.

I’d also look at what was on Castle Street, in or close to the same building.

Fenwick Street and the Slaughter House 1766

In 1766, these were businesses on or near Fenwick Street:

1766 directory of businesses at or near the Slaughter House

“Peter Carson, dancing-master” caught my attention. From my previous research involving dancing-masters, he’s likely to have a colorful history. (But, to be fair, “dancing-master” didn’t always indicate something other than dancing lessons.)

Other directory notes

Surveying the area, I have an uneasy feeling about nearby Castle Street, where a “cabinetmaker and toyman” business was mentioned. Perhaps something there was connected to the Slaughter House’s ghost stories.

And, Thomas Banner was an innkeeper at the Golden Fleece on nearby Dale Street. It was a long street, so that may not be near the Slaughter House site. It simply caught my attention as I was studying the area. (Also on that street, an inn called the Golden Lion. Interesting juxtaposition of names, particularly if they were near one another.)

Note: Every “Golden Fleece” I’ve researched has had more ghost stories than average. One usually involves a man chasing a woman as she fled for her life. Some of those tales ended more happily than others.

If you find more useful history related to the Slaughter House ghosts, let me know in comments, below.

Slaughter House photo courtesy Rodhullandemu

divider

Additional notes about Jane Ellison

I’m including the following notes about Jane Ellison of Liverpool, for dedicated researchers who may find them useful. At this point, these Jane Ellisons don’t necessarily connect to the history of the Slaughter House or its ghosts.

Jane Ellison #3

This is not unusual; I’m including it in case it’s pertinent, later.

A Jane Ellison, age 75, was buried on 24 Jan 1838. (Born around 1763.) She died in the workhouse.

Aside from living to a grand old age (for that era), and the sadness of dying in a workhouse on a cold January day, there’s nothing of note in this. But, she could have been the surviving Jane Ellison #2 (above).

Jane Ellison died 1838 Liverpool workhouse

Jane Ellison #4

I’m not sure this has anything to do with the Slaughter House, either, but I found the “Will of Jane Ellison, Spinster” in Liverpool. (Reading it requires a fee, and I’m not that interested… yet.)

Note: If she is related to history of the Slaughter House, I’d read that will. Wills and probate records sometimes include the oddest details that can shed light on paranormal activity.

Jane Ellison #5

Here’s the marriage record of another Jane Ellison. Nothing odd here, but it may be useful, later.

Marriage: 26 Oct 1871 St Michael in the Hamlet, Aigburth, Lancs. (in Liverpool)
Joseph Craven – 25 Mariner Bachelor of St James Place
Jane Ellison – 22 Spinster of Collins St
Groom’s Father: William Craven, Builder
Bride’s Father: John Ellison, Labourer
Witness: Thomas Craven; Mary Ann Ellison

LEARN MORE ABOUT HAUNTED HOUSES

Is that house really haunted? Read this book to find out.That graphic links to the Amazon UK link. Click here for the Amazon US link.

Guildford Investigation – UK

In “Guildford ghost hunt” (video below), two members of the Ghostfinder Paranormal Society and a media team investigate a Guildford location related to an interesting — and potentially paranormal — photograph.  In this 7-minute video, they identify enough odd activity to make this a location worth further research.  The historical location makes this site especially intriguing.

Fort Worden ghost photo - Man in blueA few things stand out in that video.  Initially, I was intrigued by the Guildford photo because it reminds me of my 2003 “man in blue”  photo from near Seattle, Washington (USA).   That’s it, on the right.

A second, similar Guildford photo — seen later in the video — raises more questions about the British pictures as well as the site.

However, I was ready to dismiss this ghost video as too amateurish when I saw the K-II meter spike while the non-contact thermometer was nearby. The spikes occurred again when some other equipment, perhaps a voice recorder, seemed very close to the K-II.

I know how easy it is to be so fixated on the K-II (or any other research tool) that you don’t notice the nearby objects that — because they contain batteries and use electricity — can cause EMF spikes.  It’s pretty embarrassing when that confusion occurs in front of media representatives.

The camera angle made it difficult to be sure how close the equipment was, but it was enough to raise an eyebrow.

But then, at the 5:17 mark, we see the K-II meter propped next to the voice recorder… and the K-II isn’t reacting to the recorder.  So, that may debunk my theory that the K-II spikes were caused by nearby devices.

Another point in favor of the site being active is: The video camera lost all power, though the batteries had been fully charged before the filming.  That’s not normal.  Though it’s not conclusively paranormal on its own, batteries losing power can indicate a haunted site.

Finally, this video seems authentic because most of the activity appeared to be at a location distant from where the photos were taken.  If the researchers had been too suggestible, they’d have discovered “ghostly activity” at or near the photo location.  After all, that would have been great TV.

Instead, the activity was in another spot.  Was it related to the photo they were investigating?  The figure moved from one location to another in the two photos displayed, so the K-II readings and cold sensations could be related to whatever caused those photo images.

Or, it could be something else altogether.

This isn’t a truly unique video, though I liked the suggestion of a noose at the possible “hanging tree.”  So, it ranks low in that category.  (That’s not necessarily a bad thing.  When people get too original with their videos, it sets off the skeptic alarms.  Credibility, not creativity, is most important to ghost hunters.)

And, though I was ready to give this a single star for credibility (due to the proximity of the K-II and other handheld devices), the later shot of the K-II (next to the voice recorder) increased the credibility significantly.

Originality

2-half-stars

Credibility

4-stars

 

York’s Cozy Ghosts at The Golden Fleece

Ghost of York, England - an orb discussion If you’re looking for cozy ghosts, and orbs that seem to feel right at home, make York’s Golden Fleece Inn (and pub) your destination.

The Golden Fleece is where I’ve seen some of the best, most convincing ghost orbs.

Of course, orbs can appear anywhere.

Some seem to be floating or gliding energy forms.

Context is important.

I’ve heard reports from people who successfully asked orbs to move to certain locations for photos.

For example, when someone told the ghost to move the orb to a particular doorway or gravestone… it did.

(Generally, I ask ghosts to manifest however they can, if they’d like to appear in a photo. I’m uncomfortable with ordering them around.)

Predicting Orbs

During many years of studying ‘ghost photos’, I’ve noticed an odd pattern among many orbs. They appear in consistent places. The trend is so predictable, we believe it’s beyond coincidence.

In an unusual number of photos, I’ve seen orbs directly over people’s heads. In most cases, the photos were taken at a significant event (such as a wedding or prom) or a family gathering.

The lighting and setting don’t matter. If it’s a family gathering or major social event among long-time friends or associates, orbs often appear in the photos.

An Odd Orb at the Golden Fleece

At other times, orbs appear – in surprising numbers – over chairs, as if the ghost is sitting there.

What follows is one of my favorite examples.

A group of us – experienced ghost hunters – visited “York’s most haunted pub” in June 2007.

The skeleton and other visual cues weren’t there at that time. It just felt like a nice, cozy pub with delicious food and great prices.

But, after a few minutes inside, the pub had a certain eerie edge to it.

And, as seasoned ghost researchers, we tend to be somewhat skeptical.  So, we sat, enjoyed our lunch, chatted, and took a few photos.

One surprised me.

My photo shows an orb ‘seated’ at the haunted Golden Fleece pub in York, England.

York - orb over chair in Golden Fleece

Because that restaurant has many shiny surfaces, I discounted other orbs from that casual investigation. Nevertheless, the placement of the one in the photo caught my attention.

Is it a credible photo? I’m not sure.  I’d need more evidence.

Is the Golden Fleece haunted? I believe so, and I wish I’d spent more time there. On my next visit to that part of England, I’ll definitely want to spend a night or two at the Golden Fleece. (Haunted Happenings has been among the groups organizing vigils at the Golden Fleece.)

The Golden Fleece is a Different Kind of Haunted

My main impression was: Yes, it has that “spooky vibe” we notice at haunted sites. Its ghosts are well-documented, too.

But there was something else… something I can’t yet put into words. It was a different kind of haunted, if that makes sense.

Usually, when I use a phrase like that, it’s because I’m uneasy. Something troubles me, and it’s the kind of place where I’d take extra spiritual precautions.

But in the case of the Golden Fleece… well, that site really is different.

I’d expect spirits like the cheerful ghosts in the 1988 movie, High Spirits… and perhaps a few truly creepy and unearthly spirits, as well.

In general, I believe the Golden Fleece is one of York’s most intriguing haunted locations. Whatever haunts the site, it’s unusual, even for York, one of England’s more haunted cities.

Haunted York Videos

Here’s a quirky (and slightly silly) four-minute video about haunted York, including the Golden Fleece.

Haunted York

York, England has been called the most haunted city in all of Europe. see more about WTHR’s Scott Swan’s story here: http://www.wthr.com/story/19191664/engla…

That YouTube video of haunted York is at: https://youtu.be/L_0KHH7_6NM

And another video of a Golden Fleece investigation.

YouTube URL - https://youtu.be/Q-GihuTQ3W8

The Orb-Ghost Connection

Are orbs proof of ghosts?

The context is important.

For example, if other odd things were going on, exactly when the photos were taken. Or, if someone – without knowing where an orb was hovering, in a photo or video – directly indicated something else “ghostly” at the exact same place and time.

In other words, orbs may be one of those “you had to be there” phenomena. Out of context, it’s difficult for others to take orbs seriously.

I understand that, and it’s frustrating.

Personal evidence can be the most personally convincing… and have the least credibility when you talk about it later.

So, What Are Orbs?

To be honest, I don’t know what orbs are.

Professionals check for normal, natural explanation. Those include humidity, dust, reflected light, and so on.

In 2013, after several years of intense study, I concluded that humidity, dust, reflected light, and other apparently reasonable explanations rarely cause convincing orbs in photos.

But, for over 10 years, I claimed that most orbs were the result of natural phenomena, reflective objects, and so on.

Well, they’re not.

Yes, that’s an embarrassing admission. I wouldn’t admit to it, except my tests have shown, conclusively, that most convincing orbs really are anomalous.

So far, ghost hunters recognized that:

  • Orbs appear in haunted places in dramatically higher numbers.
  • Orbs seem to appear in areas where EMF levels spike.
  • The actual orbs may contain higher levels of energy.

But are they ghosts? I’m not ready to claim that.

Some People See Orbs

A small – perhaps gifted – minority of researchers are able to see orbs in real life. However, the orbs that they see don’t usually appear in photos taken at the same time.

In most cases, researchers don’t see anything before, during and after taking photos that – when viewed on the monitor or printed – reveal orbs.

I’ll admit I’m still astonished when investigators see vivid orbs in photos, though we saw nothing unusual when the photos were taken.

Sparkles and Ghost Orbs

Years ago, I was the first ghost hunters to use the term ‘sparkles‘ to describe an odd visual effect that occurs with some cameras.

When people see sparkles, we usually find orbs or other photographic anomalies in our pictures.

Are Orbs Aware of Us?

Ghost hunters aren’t sure if orbs are related to spirits that are aware of us and can respond to the people around them.

However, we’ve seen enough ‘ghost photos’ to know that orbs often appear in similar locations, as if they’re comfortable among us.

Whether they’re posing for group photos or sitting comfortably in a favorite chair, the placement often seems deliberate.

York, England, is just one of many haunted places where orbs seem quite at home. When you research there, be sure to take photos of chairs, stools, benches, and so on.

To me, it seemed like the orbs were pulling up a chair and joining the party.

Stratford-upon-Avon – The Falcon’s Haunted Bedroom

Here’s my experience…

The Falcon Hotel (Stratford-upon-Avon) – now the Hotel Indigo – was haunted when friends and I stayed there in 2007. It’s one of Warwickshire’s most charming hotels, with 20 rooms in its haunted 16th-century wing, and 64 rooms in the more modern wing.

In June 2007, several Hollow Hill investigators spent the night in the haunted wing of the Falcon. It was comfortable and quiet, even though our rooms overlooked the street.

Though we had a good night’s sleep, we encountered a variety of low-level paranormal phenomena. Odd noises, unexplained chills, creaking floorboards with no one there… it was routine for a cozy, haunted hotel. And, it was fun!

However, we’d heard that one room at the hotel is especially haunted. It’s a corner room in the 16th century wing.

It was one of the silliest hauntings I’ve seen in awhile… but, the UK is like that. It has the widest possible range of ghostly phenomena. (I absolutely love investigating in the UK, and especially in England.)

We were lucky to have brief access to the hotel’s most haunted room.

The room with the “broken air conditioning”… that wasn’t

Our adventure began when I was in the lobby and overheard a guest talking about how chilly his room had been.

He complained that he couldn’t find the air conditioning controls.

The hotel moved him to another room, and his previous (chilly) room had been prepared for new guests.

But…

One of the hotel clerks quietly explained to us why the guest couldn’t find the a/c controls: There was no air conditioning in that room.

We rushed to see if the door to that room was still vacant, and if the door had been left open.

It was.

A five-minute investigation

Our team had just a few minutes to explore the room. It seemed elegant and very comfortable.

Haunted bed, Falcon hotel, SuAOur EMF readings and pendulum work – as well as our ‘gut feelings’ – indicated that the bed was the focal point of the hauntings.

The bed seemed to have a ‘hot spot’ over the center of it.

It’s unlikely that the bed itself is haunted. But, if that’s an antique bed frame, the bed (not the mattress) might have its own ghost.

(If anything tragic happens in a bed, such as a death, hotels generally replace the bed immediately. Some even close the room for a week or so, as a precaution. The Driskill Hotel in Austin, Texas went to extremes with one room they sealed up for years.)

Also, in Stratford-upon-Avon’s Falcon Hotel, an earlier bed in the room might be where something – or several events over the past 400+ years – left an imprint.

Just as ghosts don’t always realize that time has passed, they may not realize that the current bed is different from the one that they slept in, centuries ago.

And so we took photos

We each took photos of the bed. I took several with my film camera and at least a dozen with my digital camera.

That’s when this story turned silly.

Only one of my digital photos of the bed shows the bed. That’s it, above.

All the rest show random corners of the room… the kinds of photos I take, but not in the volume that showed up when I had time to go through my camera’s files.

(I routinely take “extra” photos, in case an orb is hovering in a corner. But, in a case like this, every moment was important. I wasn’t going to waste time. Almost all of my attention was on the object most likely to be haunted… and that was the bed.)

The following represent nearly every digital photo from that room.  (The film photos were dark or weird, and pretty much useless to me.)

Falcon Hotel, another corner of the haunted room

Falcon hotel - one corner of the room

I know took five or six photos of a team member using a pendulum. At the time, I was sure I was being annoying, insisting, “Wait… wait… just one more picture…”

Also, in at least one photo, I focused on my own hand (holding an EMF meter). In that one, I’d made sure both the meter and the bed were in the frame.

But… my pictures showed almost everything but the bed.

It’s not a dangerous haunting.

It’s not a malicious haunting. What happened – the camera anomalies – are typical of a prankster ghost, possibly a child.

It was certainly an unusual experience. Annoying at the time, because – when I had a few minutes to review the photos and saw what had happened – we couldn’t return to the room. The housekeepers had locked it as we left.

I wouldn’t hesitate to spend the night in that room, and I’m fairly sure that I’d get a good night’s sleep.

However, I’d be sure to have enough blankets on the bed, in case the room seemed as chilly as described by the previous guest.

That guest’s innocent comments about the air conditioning convinced me that the room is haunted.

In fact, in early June 2007, the Falcon Hotel didn’t have air conditioning. The guest was describing a large ‘cold spot’ around the bed.

(Of course, if it’s a sultry night, that’s probably the room you’ll want to be in.  So, ask the concierge for information about the hotel’s most haunted room.)

This is a good example of how ghost hunters sometimes find haunted locations: We listen (overhear) others’ conversations about odd and unusual things. If it’s something that could be ghostly – like a “cold spot” – we follow-up, if we can.

Next time I’m in Stratford-upon-Avon, I’ll be sure to follow-up and – I  hope – spend at least one night in that same room.

Learn more about real ghost hunting…

Is that house really haunted? Read this book to find out.Or click here for Amazon UK