Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem is renowned for being the most haunted pub in Nottingham.

 

The apparition of a tall shadowman known as 'The Figure in Black' has often been seen rushing around the pub spooking drinkers and staff. It's unknown who this figure is; some say he's a former drinker who regularly visited the pub, and some say he's a black knight (a knight who committed misdeeds and is stripped of any heraldry, hence seen by people in all black).

 

Perhaps The Trip's most famous ghost is the ghost of George H. Ward aka Yorkey. Yorkey's ghost has often been seen sitting in the lounge named after him, as well as playing practical jokes on staff and tourists in the cellars like making loud noises and pulling at people's clothes, which is very in-line to his character when he was alive.

 

In the Rock Lounge upstairs lies The Cursed Galleon, an old, dirty antique ship. The true origins of this Galleon is not documented, but the story goes that it was brought into the pub about 300 years ago and was hung on the ceiling downstairs near the bar. Some time after when the cobwebs, dust and dirt was getting too much, the landlord at the time went to clean it, but within a year he became ill and died. Two other landlords over the years had also attempted to clean the Galleon, but again fell ill and died soon after. Eventually 30 years ago, a cleaner decided to take the Galleon down and preserve it in a display box which now hangs above the bar in the Rock Lounge. A few weeks later, she also became very ill and sadly passed away. Another version of the story claims a dark witch visited the pub one day and put a curse on the Galleon forbidding anyone from touching it. The Cursed Galleon is certainly a mystery, but will the spirits of The Trip help us to solve it?

 

The Trip also houses another mysterious antique which currently lies downstairs in Yorkey's Lounge. This antique is known as the 'Pregnancy Chair'. It is claimed that any woman who sits in the chair will significantly increase her chances of becoming pregnant. However with so many women having sat in this chair over the decades, it is sadly unstable for anyone to now sit in it (sorry ladies).

 

Another spirit sensed in this pub is the female energy of Ada G. Etherington-Ward. Her spirit is commonly felt in the Snug where her portrait hangs, as it's believed it was her bedroom and where she passed away in her sleep. People often hear taps and knocks in this room, as well as the ticking and chiming of the grandfather clock despite the fact it doesn't work, and the sounds of growling have also been heard in this room, which could be attributed to one of the pub's former pet dogs.

 

And in the pub's notorious cellars is a dark and sinister glimpse into Nottingham's medieval past. In one area of the Cellars was where a cockfighting pit once was, while in another area sits the remains of a condemned cell which was once part of Nottingham Castle's Gaol. This area still features an old rustic cell door, and just outside of it carved out of the sandstone is the original gaoler's seat. Down here is where many people feel cold spots and ghostly hands touching them, terrifying male voices, light anomalies and eerie footsteps on the sandstone floor.

 

Other paranormal activity reported here includes a little girl who plays on the stairs leading up from the downstairs bar to the Rock Lounge, disembodied footsteps and voices, harrowing screams heard as well as poltergeist activity like glasses and coasters being moved, the 'Ringing The Bull' rope swinging on its own, and the strange auditory phenomena of glasses being smashed, despite no glasses being broken.

DATE: Saturday 21st March 2026

 

TIMES: Midnight - 5:00am (Saturday Night until Sunday Morning. Arrive 15 minutes early. Please wait patiently outside until a member of our team greets you at the door)

 

LOCATION: Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem, 1 Brewhouse Yard, Castle Road, Nottingham NG1 6AD

 

PARKING AT EVENT: Parking on Castle Road, NCP Nottingham Maid Marian Way Car Park and other local street parking. Please note parking charges may apply.

 

REMAINING BALANCE: Needs to be paid FOUR WEEKS prior to the event date. Failure to pay your remaining balance before this deadline will result in you forfeiting your places and your places will be sold on.

 

WHAT TO BRING: A torch, a warm coat/jacket, sensible footwear, any equipment you wish to bring along (your responsibility), your positive and open-minded energies.

 

PLEASE NOTE: Bringing alcohol or illegal drugs to this event is strictly prohibited. If anyone arrives at the event under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs, they will not be allowed to stay for the night and will be asked to leave immediately.