It’s the day before Halloween and I am heading over to The Ring O’Bells pub to interview landlord Roger Haines and Halloween mega fan Maxine Moore who coordinates the Halloween celebrations in the pub.
I have been waiting for this opportunity because the pub has a reputation for being incredibly haunted.
What is true and what is folklore?
The Ring O’Bells has been offering refreshments for hundreds of years, local folklore dates the pub back to the 12th century however, archaeologists and historians date the pub’s actual origins as 1810.
Legend says that the land which the pub sits on has connections to an ancient Druid Temple where occult practices took place.
Whilst there is no true evidence of this, Roger does indeed confirm that there are pagan connections to the pub which are celebrated. Every Easter Monday the pub is host to a special play called The Pagan play.
Downstairs in the back bar area of the pub there are also an array of Pace Haging Sticks which are wooden sticks used by performers. The pub is a key part of the history of Middleton.
Middleton’s tunnel stories
Across from The Ring O’Bells is St Leonards Church and Jubilee Park. For decades there has been folklore relating to a network of tunnels connecting these key sites and even extending down to The Olde Boars Head.
Until 1907 another pub known as ‘The Grapes’, sat across from The Ring O’Bells pub next to the church. During an archaeological dig, evidence of the tunnels was discovered however, local folklore is that the maze of tunnels were used for the transportation of illegal goods and criminals who were held in the cellar of The Olde Boars Head awaiting trial.
The archaeologists determined that actually they were more likely to be priest hidey holes and ways for the priests to move to safety during the 16th and 17th century, St Leonards Church was previously a Catholic church.
The Sad Cavalier and cellar shadows
But what of the ghostly history connected to The Ring O’Bells? Roger and Maxine report there to be little activity that they have experienced, and this relates mainly to cold draughts and temperature drops.
However they do acknowledge the haunted history of the pub.
The most famous ghost is known as The Sad Cavalier who reportedly roams the pub dressed in his full battle attire. His name is Edward, he was the son of Lord Stannycliffe and he was killed as the result of a betrayal.
He allegedly continues to haunt the pub because he has unfinished business. There is a much darker story connected to the pub, one of mass murder at the hands of a former landlord who is rumoured to have killed up to 60 people using vats of boiling liquid on wealthy customers from whom he would then steal their belongings.
Down in the cellar there have been reports of shadow figures lurking, laughing and creating a sense of discomfort for anyone who dares to venture into the darkness.
There is an element of truth relating to the stories connected to the truth but regardless of that everyone loves a good creepy story and it is those stories that draw people far and wide to The Ring O’Bells and I see no harm in that.
