Ghost of a Sailor at The Perch, Oxford
23 October 2023 (Updated 25 October 2023)
The Perch at Binsey, claimed by some to be Oxford's oldest tavern, is supposed to be haunted by the ghost of a sailor who drowned in the nearby river.
Ghosts on the Isis
The ghost, who has been seen in the pubs main bar, is dressed in a naval uniform. According to Oxford Pubs Past and Present by Paul J. Marriott (1978), the man was a Royal Navy petty officer who was once a local at the pub but who fell into debt and drowned himself in the river nearby.
The Perch, Binsey, Oxford Credit: The Perch at Binsey by Roger Templeman, CC BY-SA 2.0
In 2011, the landlord of the pub, Johnny Mignon, was interviewed by the Oxford Mail and described his supernatural experiences at The Perch.
When I first took the premises on, the energy was quite dark, and many times we had bad experiences.
Johnny Mignon, landlord of The Perch, 2011
As well as trouble in the bar, others have reported a 'bad energy' in one of the guest bedrooms that keeps occupants from their sleep. Mr Mignon reported that he had gone into the room to investigate, only to have the door slam behind him. "I said a quick prayer and got out" Johnny told the Oxford Mail!
Sources
- 'Oxford Pubs Past and Present' by Paul J. Marriott (Self-published, 1978, ISBN: 0950573027)
- 'Plenty of whines and spirits' Oxford Mail, 8 October 2011.
