The Skirrid Mountain Inn

The main apparition is said to be that of a one-eyed man who killed himself rather than be judged by Judge Jeffreys, who held court here in 1685; modern day patrons still experience the echo of the executions that took place as some have felt as if a noose had been slipped around thir necks, sometimes causing observable rope marks; Jeffreys himself is said to be "encountered" on the landing. A coachman with 'a tricorn hat and almost like a long, scarlet coat on' has been seen 'in a glance.' It is also said that a former landlady, Fanny Price, indulges in throwing glasses around and other mischief; room 2 is said to be her "haunt". She is said to be detected by the smell of lavender perfume and has been seen about a dozen times since 2005, when the current landlord took over. Ladies who awaken in the morning find their jewellery re-arranged and this has been blamed on Fanny. An invisible lady (perhaps Fanny?) phantom's rustling dress has been heard and felt, and a sensation of cold is detected as she passes. Other stories include: a guest who felt someone squeezing her hand in bed; change from a £10 note that was seen hovering over the counter; the landlord's four year old stepson wanting to use the toilet but came back saying that, ‘The man in the long dress won’t let me in’; a man waking to find his false teeth, placed on the nightstand before retiring, "snapped in half" and on the other side of the room; and a toilet roll that was spun in its holder until all the paper was on the floor! There are many other stories too, including one guest who has convinced that a female phantom was holding her under water in the bath in room 1.

Link: Wales Online

Link: Hereford Times

Link: Daily Star

Link: Wales Online

Link: SouthWales Argus

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