The Old Queen's Head
Historic Tudor pub haunted by the ghost of a serving girl who fell to her death from an upper floor.
The Old Queen’s Head in Islington is one of London’s most historic pubs, with parts of the building dating back to 1475. The pub is named after Queen Elizabeth I, who is said to have visited the establishment. However, it’s not the Virgin Queen who haunts these ancient walls, but rather a tragic serving girl from the Tudor period.
Staff and patrons have reported seeing the apparition of a young woman in period dress on the upper floors and stairways of the pub. According to local legend, she was a serving girl who either fell or was pushed from one of the upper windows, dying instantly. Witnesses describe her as appearing sorrowful and confused, often seen near the windows and on the stairs where her fatal fall began. Some have reported feeling sudden cold spots and an overwhelming sense of sadness in certain areas of the building.
The haunting intensified after renovations in the 20th century, with reports of objects moving on their own, unexplained footsteps on the upper floors when the building is empty, and the sound of a woman crying late at night. Several staff members have refused to work alone in certain parts of the building, particularly in the early morning hours. The pub’s Tudor architecture, with its exposed beams and ancient oak panels, provides an appropriately atmospheric setting for these paranormal encounters.