Ghosts of the pub

The cursed galleon:
In the Rock Lounge is a model galleon hanging from the ceiling, covered by what looks like 50 years of dust and cobwebs. No one will clean the galleon because it is cursed. According to Marilyn, landlady in 1994:


the cursed galleon
"The last three people who have cleaned it are said to have died mysterious and unexpected deaths within 12 months of doing so."

The model is the largest of several hanging from the ceiling. They are said to be parting gifts from sailors who had made them to pass the time at sea, like the scrimshaw of the whalers.

Nottingham was once a busy inland port; the River Trent is navigable for quite large vessels all the way to the Humber and the North Sea.

The maker of this particular model is unknown but it is completely shrouded in dust thickened cobwebs.

No name is visible on the galleon's side, and it would be a foolhardy soul that would wipe away the dust to find one.

Strange happenings:
The Rock Lounge in particular seems to be a focal point for odd happenings. Things such as keys disappear only to turn up later in odd places. Glasses and bottles have been known to fly off the shelves and smash, when no one is near by.


the cursed galleon on top of the bar in the Rock Lounge
Staff have heard the sound of breaking glass coming from the bar, but when they've gone with a dust pan and brush to clear it up, they simply can't find any. Sometimes a waft of perfume fills the air, which Marilyn describes as old fashion scent, like lavender or rose water.


A medium visited the pub and she told us that a clock hanging in the bar was possessed by two evil spirits. A previous landlady had two Dobermans that hated that clock. They would stand and bark at it for no reason.

Marilyn’s Doberman, Moritz, named after Baron Von Richthofen's Deerhound, howled whenever it was put in the office. "He still doesn't like being shut in there. This is an entrance Mortimer's hole and they say animals are very sensitive to atmospheres.

"Previous landlords have both seen and heard two ghosts, a man and woman. We hear people calling when there's no one there. The woman, wearing what appears to be crinoline skirts is seen walking down the stairs into the cellars."

Haunted caves:

tunnels under the pub
Carved out from the soft rock, the cellars of the Trip to Jerusalem are like interconnecting caves.

They have been in use at least since the Norman conquest and probably longer.

A narrow shaft pierces the rock above all the way up to the castle.

It is believed this was a "shouting hole" to allow those in the castle to call for more ale from the cellars bellow.


cockfighting pit hidden under grates
In one chamber in the cellars a horseshoe shaped bench has been cut into the rock around the walls; this was a cockfighting pit.

"Sometimes you can smell tallows burning down there. They used this for candles.

The smell can linger for twenty minutes and then it's suddenly gone."

Left to die:
On the far side of the cellars a rusting iron gate hangs limply from it's hinges before a doorway cut into the rock wall. This is said to be the condemned cell of the castle prison.

A curious green mould grows on the walls and ceiling. A rock bench has been carved out on one wall, offering cold comfort to the unfortunate inmates.


the rusting iron gate
The condemned cell isn't used to store beer as the ceiling is too low, for the most part it is kept empty. There is something more to the cell's oppressive atmosphere than it's natural chill. There is a palpable cloud of doom here.


"Two of the pubs regulars, full of Dutch courage, once decided they would spend the night in the condemned cell. They lasted twenty minutes, and were violently sick afterwards."


People had some eerie experience down there, not long after they had moved in. The mallets for tapping the barrels kept disappearing. These are big rubber ones that are always kept in the same place. Sometimes you go down there and you can't find one anywhere, only to look again to see three mallets lined up on three consecutive barrels, where you've just looked."