The Gatehouse

The Gatehouse pub in Highgate Village has stood near the entrance to the historic Highgate Cemetery since the 1670s, and with it comes the ghost of a highwayman who reportedly terrorized travelers on the nearby heath. The phantom rider is said to have been captured and hanged near the spot where the pub now stands, and his restless spirit continues to make its presence known.

Witnesses have reported seeing a dark figure in 18th-century clothing, complete with a tricorn hat and cape, appearing both inside the pub and in the vicinity outside. Some describe hearing the sound of hoofbeats approaching the building late at night when no horses are present. The apparition is most often seen near the windows facing the old road, as if still watching for potential victims or perhaps looking for his executioners.

Staff members have reported objects moving on their own, particularly in the upper floors where the highwayman is said to have been held before his execution. Glasses have been known to slide off tables, doors open and close by themselves, and an oppressive atmosphere occasionally descends upon certain rooms. Some patrons have reported feeling as though they were being watched by unseen eyes, and a few have claimed to have been tapped on the shoulder by invisible hands. The pub’s proximity to Highgate Cemetery, one of London’s most notoriously haunted locations, only adds to its eerie reputation.