Ghosts are found anywhere, not just where some tragedy happened or where they died. A presence can linger where that person had some emotional tie, maybe a tragic incident, yes, but more often something of great importance, or where they were particularly happy. And the majority of supernatural presences are not hostile or evil. Most are perfectly friendly, with some as unaware of us as most of us are of them.
Our village pub here in Chittlehamholt, North Devon, hosts several such residents.
Built in the 1500s, The Exeter Inn became a coaching inn during the late 1600s – early 1700s, being the first ‘comfort break’ en-route from the Colonial trade ports of Barnstaple and Bideford to Exeter, thirty or so miles away, and to other connections to London. There seems to have been a collection of ‘Exeter Inn’ public houses in our area, varying from thirteen to nine miles apart – usual distances for a coach and horses, depending on the difficulty of the terrain. I presume these same-named inns were conveniently placed along the regular route.
The Tudor Newly-Weds
Pre-mid-1600s travel would have been by foot, horseback or carrier cart, with only the wealthy or tradespeople having their own transport. A Tudor couple arrived at our village inn with their own coach, some time during, we think, the age of Queen Elizabeth I. Kathy has fleetingly seen them several times, identifying the era they belong to by their costume – typical Elizabethan, wealthy garments. They appear to be newly married. She seems quite shy and is dripping with pearls and sparkling jewels. We think they have stopped to rest the horses. Barnstaple is about thirteen miles away, with some steep hills in between.
But where were they heading to? Who were they? Sadly there is no way of knowing. Frustrating, but the one thing ghosts can’t do is leave us a explanatory note!
Where they are heading...? Who knows. Sadly there is no way of discovering more about them, their name, their future fate. All that must be conjecture, and maybe a story for a fiction writer to decide?
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| THE ENGLISH CIVIL WAR |
There is a group of English Civil War king’s cavalry troopers lingering in our village pub. We think from their appearance and agitation that they are in the process of fleeing from the aftermath of that disaster – Torrington is only a few miles away from our village. The bang when that gunpowder exploded must have echoed along our river valleys for miles! Read all about some Civil War encounters in the book.
I also wrote a short story about these pub visitors (who have also been seen at the King's Nympton pub The Grove) in FATE: Tales of History Mystery and Magic
OTHER PUB VISITORS
Not mentioned in thee book
(picked up by a genuine medium, Vara and her daughter, Rowena, on 11th-12th May 2025)
ANIMALS
- A 'Dulux' dog (long-haired Old English Sheepdog) is by the fire with a white and black cat - the cat is rather bullying the dog!
- A litter of labrador-type puppies. One is older than the others - from a previous litter maybe?
- A bat, flying out from the kitchen area
- A blue and red parrot is behind the bar
- A fluffy tabby sits on the bar glaring at present-day Frankie
- During a visit for a meal, Frankie (the present-day pub dog) was playing with something by the settee by the fire. She was told off for making too much noise. Kathy pointed out that she was, in fact, playing with the pub cat which had only recently died.
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| Frankie |
- There is a stable boy, who came from the workhouse - found a job at the pub.
- Eliza - an elderly woman. Often grumpy. She waited, unmarried, for her 'chap' to come home from the war (WWI presumably) but he came back married someone else. Eliza had a hard-life. Rarely spoke unless spoken to. Explains why she was grouchy come the 1950s.
- 13-14 year-old girl, 'useless maid' but learning fast (could this be Nancy, seen often by Kathy?)
- The cavaliers are very dishevelled. They left their wounded behind [at Torrington?] after the church blew up.
- 1950s - Dior dress? Upper-class ladies, group of friends?
- Workers came in with farmers for a 1/2 pint.
- Traders come in with a collie dog and a well-dressed man. The landlady (cook?) is not impressed. A lot of tutting.
- There was a murder in the village, the victim was not found for a while.
- 1800s. People by the bar are watching something.
- Tudor lady. Newly married, heading towards Exeter to join main coach road.
- Bess, landlady (?) famous for her mutton stew.
- Gypsies were not allowed in the pub. Woman (staff? Landlady?) giving birth. Gypsy midwife called - she wouldn't enter to help until the 'no gypsies' sign was removed.
- Nancy is playing with a ball, which is knocking things over.
- Mid-60s near where the forge was: man - chest pains. Heart attack (Vara came over quite faint) A doctor was called. The man survived.
- Well-off Tudior man (the same man as in the married couple?)
- someone is annoyed at the words 'no tinkers' on a notice board
- There was a male 'bedroom' and a female 'bedroom upstairs (up a ladder)
Discover more about the ghosts of our village pub – or North Devon in general in Ghost Encounters: the Lingering Spirits of North Devon.
https://mybook.to/GhostEncounters
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