Reading time: 4 minutes
The haunted Hanbury Arms Hotel in Pontypool has a long and eerie history. RICK HALE looks at the experiences of both owners and guests of this Welsh paranormal icon
I’m about to ask a stupid question, but only because I’m pretty sure I know the answer. Especially when it comes to the paranormal community.
If a notoriously haunted property, such as a house or a hotel/pub, came up for sale, would you buy it?
Of course you would. I know I would. Any ghost enthusiast would put their hard-earned money into the property and possibly turn around and open it to the public with the promise that something extraordinary would happen if you visited.
That’s exactly what Tracey and Nigel Turner did when they bought the Hanbury Arms Hotel in Pontypool, Wales. They knew history well and used it to their advantage.
But it looks like this couple got a lot more than they bargained for. Yet perhaps that is exactly what they wanted. A place so haunted that a waiver must be signed to stay there.
History of Pontypool Hotel and Museum
The Grade II listed building, located near the River Usk, is truly centuries old.
The first known structure on the site was a Norman tower built in 1219 CE and still stands as a reminder of times long gone.
The Hanbury Arms did not start as a hotel or pub. It was previously built as a country home for the powerful Morgan family and was known as Ty Glyndwr.
But Hanbury Arms’ claim to historical fame was visited by poet and author, Alfred, Lord Tennyson.
Tennyson wrote his Idylls Of The King, epic poems that retell the legend of Britain’s greatest monarch, the legendary King Arthur.
Tennyson took his inspiration to write one of his greatest works from the River Usk that flowed nearby and of course the beauty of the Welsh countryside.
Hanbury Arms Hotel chase
Today, the Hanbury Arms and Museum is owned by Tracey and Nigel Turner, two long-time paranormal enthusiasts and the founders of Lost Entity Paranormal.
According to the Turners, the hotel sits atop old Templar tunnels and has once served as a mortuary and execution site throughout its long history.
With such a history, it should come as no surprise that the Hanbury Arms Hotel and Museum is very haunted.
And not just by one or two active minds. But by so many that the Turners have just lost count in their attempts to document the chases.
Freddie and Emily
Sometimes, when it comes to ghosts, it’s almost impossible to put a name to a phantom face.
And this is how some ghosts get names, and that’s the case with our first two ghosts, Freddie and Emily.
Freddie, is a little boy dressed in Victorian era clothing and seems to pop up everywhere in the hotel and museum.
He was also seen in the company of the apparition of a little girl named Emily.
None of these children seem naughty, but they have been known to play in the hallways. The sound of giggling is often heard and associated with these two young, cheerful spirits.
The executioner
A menacing apparition in black has been seen in the garden. This particular ghost is believed to be the former executioner.
It is believed that the garden where the execution of criminals took place is the favorite haunt of this sinister spirit. Where he still enjoys the lives he led centuries ago.
The tickler
Guests brave enough to stay overnight at the hotel have reported a strange occurrence.
A ghost that moves from room to room loves to wake guests up by tickling their feet.
When the guests wake up, they find no one there. Just an empty, silent room with a slightly eerie feeling.
The owners attribute this playful activity to one of the many children who haunt the hallways of their hotel.
The basement
No haunted house would be complete without a haunted cellar. And the Hanbury Arms certainly has that.
Guests and staff who descended into the hotel’s underground belly have reportedly come away with some chilling stories.
A large and sinister black shadow has been witnessed rising from the floor to scare the daylights out of all who saw it.
Whoever this shadow was in life jealously guards their domain and clearly doesn’t want anyone in it.
Other activity
In addition to the apparitions, other ghostly phenomena occur in the hotel. And some of that activity can be unnerving for the unwitting patron or staff.
Customers and staff alike have reported the eerie feeling of being watched. Or hearing the unmistakable sound of footsteps following them.
When they turn to look, no one is there.
You’ve no doubt heard the term “whistling while you work.” Well, the Hanbury Arms has a ghost called the Whistler.
This invisible ghost whistles happily as it floats through the hotel and museum. No one really knows who he is, but his upbeat tune is known to make people feel at ease.
And finally, some mischievous poltergeist likes to push glasses off tables and wander off after breaking them.
When the Turners bought the Hanbury Arms, they were well aware of the building’s haunted history. As well as the coffins that still take up space in the basement.
But they knew exactly what they were getting into. And if you ask me, they were the perfect couple to take on this stigmatized property.
So if you are brave enough to stay overnight, you will need to sign a waiver in case you find yourself in a frightening situation.
The Hanbury Arms in Pontypool, Wales is definitely worth every penny, as well as your time. And if you’re lucky, you might have a spicy encounter that you can’t explain.
Have you stayed at The Hanbury Arms in Pontypool? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
