The Ancient Ram Inn in Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire, is widely regarded as "the most haunted building in England." This Grade II* listed building operates as a guesthouse, with its owners advertising it as "the most haunted building in England" with around twenty ghosts said to haunt it. Over 800 years old, the Ancient Ram Inn is the oldest building in Wotton under Edge, and is widely regarded as one of the most infamously haunted buildings on the planet.
Historical Background
Built in 1145, the Ancient Ram Inn is a former priest's residence, inn and public house; it is also the oldest building in England's Wotton-Under-Edge. Before the construction of the building in 1145, the site was believed to be a Pagan burial ground. The building was first used to house masons, slaves, and other workers who were building the nearby St. Mary's Church. It served for a time as a priest's house before converting to an inn. Its last pint was pulled in 1968.
Ley Lines and Ancient Power
The land where the inn is built is at the intersection of 2 Ley Lines, places where people believe in having high spiritual energy. Using a map, you can trace the lines through the centre of Stonehenge. According to legend, Stonehenge has an energy that travels through the Ley Lines to feed the paranormal power found in the Ancient Ram Inn. Additionally, an ancient Pagan burial ground is reported to have resided on the site over 5,000 years ago.
John Humphries and His 50-Year Battle
Once the inn had closed for business, John Humphries purchased the building from the brewery in 1968. He fought a perpetual battle to save the historic structure, right up until his death in 2017. The first night he stayed on the property, he says he met the spirits. He claims that demonic forces grabbed him by the arm and dragged him across the room from his bed. Since that time, he's found evidence of ritual sacrifices and devil worship on the inn's grounds. He's come across the skeletal remains of children he believes were stabbed with daggers. The ghostly spirits never discouraged Humphries from maintaining his residence there. Though his wife and daughters left him at the inn, he remained, preserving the building. Night after night, the spirits returned, but Humphries stuck it out for more than 50 years until his death in late 2017. Within the skeletons were found broken daggers, which he believes were used in a deadly ritual and then broken, so that they could never be used again. John Humphries claims that he continues to be haunted and attacked by the violent entities residing in the Ancient Ram Inn.
The Witch's Room
Perhaps the most famous ghost is a witch who was burned at the stake in the area during the 1500s, the height of witch-hunting. The woman fled from potential "trial" by government-sanctioned witch hunters and took refuge in the Ancient Ram Inn. She was soon captured, however, and burned at the stake. The room where she hid has been dubbed The Witch's Room, and her spirit is believed to be haunting it to this day.
The Bishop's Room
The Bishop's Room is considered the most haunted in the inn. According to urban legend, the rooms here are still inhabited by the souls of long-gone bishops. There are persistent reports of sightings of malevolent spirits, dark monks, and even the souls of these bishops at this location. A centurion from Rome has even been seen galloping past the walls.
John Humphries' Bedroom - Incubus and Succubus
The chamber that John Humphries chose as his bedroom is said to be haunted by an incubus and a succubus, who frighten anybody who dares to remain there overnight.
The Men's Kitchen
The first chamber guests see is the ""Men's Kitchen,"" which is said to be located on a pagan burial place and is said to be haunted by the eerie sounds of a baby crying.
The Attic
Even the attic has its share of ghosts. There seems to be a heavy sense of sorrow in the air as visitors climb up and crouch under the roof joists. There are also stories of the former innkeeper's daughter hanged in the attic.
The 18th-Century Barn
A 7-foot-tall black ghostly figure, hostile toward males but partial to a certain kind of woman, haunts the 18th-century barn. As if to defend or safeguard something inside, this foreboding figure materializes at the doorway of the barn.
The Oppressive Atmosphere
The Ancient Ram Inn possesses a genuinely chilling aura, not to mention a reputation that is so menacing that many local people won't even walk past it at night. The moment you enter the old inn, an aura of dreadful foreboding envelopes you. The bare walls, creaking floorboards, steep stairs and mysterious shadows are sufficient to elicit the coldest of shivers.
Paranormal Investigator Experiences
Mike Driscoll, from the group UK Paranormal, reported being shoved down the stairs by a poltergeist on more than one occasion. Orbs of these spirits have been photographed by paranormal investigators and the curious. Strange lights have terrified visitors hoping for a peek into the afterlife.
Media Recognition
In 2008, the television show ""Most Haunted"" conducted a thorough investigation, capturing strange noises and anomalous activity on camera. Ghost Adventures also featured the inn in an episode, documenting their experiences with EVPs (Electronic Voice Phenomena) and unsettling encounters. Owner Caroline Humphries (John's daughter, who took over after his death in 2017) has said the building "kind of evolved into an event location for paranormal activity" after her father converted it into a guesthouse in 1968. The Ancient Ram Inn continues to attract paranormal investigators and brave visitors from around the world who seek encounters with its demonic forces and tormented spirits in what remains one of the most intensely haunted and feared buildings in Britain, where millennia of dark history have created an overwhelming malevolent presence.