Trigger Warning - Murder
The Red Lion Pub, Avebury
This 400 year old pub is the only one in the world to be situated within a prehistoric stone circle, and quite possibly the only pub to have a well inside it, too! In my humble opinion, it is one of the most fascinating pubs in the UK, and also one of my favourites, having spent a lot of time here with friends.
Originally a farmhouse dating back to the 1600s, it later becoming a coaching inn in 1802, and is said to be extremely haunted. I have heard this first hand from several people over the years, one of which has vowed never to stay there ~ or to even set foot in Avebury ~ ever again.
In the part of the pub that you can see in the picture there is an ancient well. It now has a glass top, and is utilised as a table, but it has a dark story behind it.
There are said to be several ghosts haunting the pub, but the most famous one is Florrie.
Florrie lived in the building in the 17th century during the English Civil War. Her husband was a soldier, and he returned from the war unannounced to find Florrie in the arms of a lover. He shot the lover dead, and killed Florrie, throwing her body down the well, sealing it with a boulder. Florrie’s ghost haunts the pub, emerging and disappearing from the well, appearing in the ladies toilet, throwing salt and pepper mills, and generally causing a stir whenever bearded men are around.
It doesn’t seem as if you can stay there overnight now, but it is well worth a trip for a drink if you’re visiting to see the stones.
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