The Red Lion: Avebury’s Ancient Spirits

The Red Lion at Avebury holds a unique distinction: it is the only pub in the world located within a prehistoric stone circle. The massive Avebury Henge, older than Stonehenge, surrounds this 17th-century inn with ancient megaliths and layered history. The combination of ancient sacred site and centuries of human drama has created one of England’s most haunted locations.

The History

Ancient Avebury

The Avebury stone circle was built around 2850 BCE, predating Stonehenge. It was a major ceremonial center for prehistoric Britain, and the site has never lost its power.

The Red Lion

The pub was built in the early 1600s, within the stone circle. It has served as farmhouse, inn, and pub, witnessing centuries of village life.

Florrie

The most famous ghost story involves Florrie, a Civil War-era woman whose husband discovered her affair with a Royalist soldier. He murdered her and threw her body down the well, which now sits in the pub.

The Hauntings

Florrie

The murdered woman is the pub’s most active ghost:

• A woman in 17th-century dress
• Seen throughout the pub
• She appears near the well (in the restaurant)
• Cold spots accompany her
• She has touched patrons and staff
• Carriage wheels are heard—her lover arriving

The Cavalier Lover

Florrie’s murdered lover also appears:

• A soldier in Royalist dress
• Seen on horseback outside
• Inside the pub looking for Florrie
• They seem unaware of each other

The Children

Child ghosts play at the Red Lion:

• Running through the building
• Laughter from nowhere
• They appear dressed in various periods
• The stone circle may attract young spirits

The Ancient Priests

Druids or prehistoric priests have been reported:

• White-robed figures near the stones
• Seen from the pub’s windows
• Walking processional routes
• The veil is thin here

The Well

The well that held Florrie’s body is a focal point:

• It is now a glass-covered feature
• Temperature drops around it
• Equipment fails near it
• Florrie seems bound to it

Avebury’s Energy

The stone circle intensifies everything:

• Paranormal activity is constant
• The veil between worlds seems thin
• Ancient and recent ghosts mingle
• Visitors feel the power immediately

Modern Activity

The Red Lion is arguably England’s most haunted pub:

• Staff have extensive experience
• Every room has phenomena
• Ghost hunts are regularly conducted
• Cameras and equipment capture anomalies
• The combination of Avebury and the pub is unique

Visiting

The Red Lion offers accommodation, food, and the unique experience of sleeping within a prehistoric monument. Avebury village is a World Heritage Site, and the stones can be touched—unlike at Stonehenge.

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The Red Lion sits at the intersection of ancient and modern, sacred and secular, living and dead. Florrie was murdered here centuries ago; priests processed here millennia before that. The pub at the heart of the stone circle contains all their ghosts.