Ye Olde Man and Scythe

Ye Olde Man and Scythe in Bolton, established in 1251, is one of the ten oldest pubs in Britain and carries a haunting legacy stretching back centuries. The pub’s most famous ghost is that of James Stanley, the 7th Earl of Derby, who spent his final hours here before being executed outside in 1651 during the English Civil War. The chair he sat in is still displayed in the pub, and his ghost has been seen sitting in it, appearing as a sad, contemplative figure in Cavalier dress.

Witnesses report that the Earl’s apparition manifests most often around the anniversary of his execution on October 15th. Staff and customers have seen him materialize in the chair, sometimes appearing to mouth words as if in prayer or contemplation. Some witnesses describe feeling overwhelming sadness and dread when in the presence of the spirit, as if experiencing the condemned man’s final emotions.

Beyond the Earl, the pub hosts numerous other paranormal phenomena accumulated over nearly eight centuries. Objects move without explanation, footsteps echo from empty upper floors, and cold spots appear throughout the building. Several witnesses have reported seeing a woman in medieval dress, possibly connected to the building’s earliest days. The cellar is particularly active, with staff reporting feelings of being watched and occasional physical contact from unseen entities. The combination of its extreme age, execution connection, and continuous occupation has made Ye Olde Man and Scythe one of northern England’s most intensely haunted locations, with paranormal investigators documenting consistent activity spanning multiple centuries.