Devon is rich in history, and with that history comes a shelf-full of ghost stories… When the nights grow darker and the mists roll across the moors, Devon takes on a mysterious, otherworldly atmosphere.
From ghostly inns to eerie castles, this county is brimming with tales of restless spirits and unexplained happenings. If you’re looking for a Halloween adventure with a supernatural twist, here are some of Devon’s most haunted places to explore.
Attribution: Berry Pomeroy Castle by Derek Harper under CC BY-SA 2.0
Berry Pomeroy Castle, near Totnes
Berry Pomeroy is one of Devon’s best-known ruins: an imposing medieval castle with an Elizabethan manor house inside its walls. It’s said to be one of the most haunted places in the entire country!
Two female spectres are most often mentioned at Berry Pomeroy. The “White Lady”, rumoured to be the restless soul of Margaret Pomeroy, haunts the dungeons of St. Margaret’s Tower, where she was held captive by her jealous sister.
The “Blue Lady” is said to be more malevolent, luring unsuspecting visitors to parts of the castle to get them lost. It is believed she is the ghost of the daughter of a Norman castle Lord.
Visitors to Berry Pomeroy have witnessed strange lights, reported sudden cold patches and heard unexplained noises, as well as seeing fleeting shapes in photographs.
The Devil’s Stone Inn, Shebbear
With over 300 years of history, the Devil’s Stone Inn in Shebbear is reportedly one of the UK’s most haunted pubs.
Regulars and visitors alike have spotted the ghosts of a coachman, a young girl, and a particularly grumpy old man. Whether you go for the ale or the atmosphere, don’t be surprised if someone, or something, joins you for a pint.
A secret tunnel is rumoured to run from the inn to the nearby church, though the entrance has long been lost to time. Some say if it were ever rediscovered, it might reveal a few eerie secrets best left buried…
Attribution: B3212 crossing Dartmoor by N Chadwick under CC BY-SA 2.0
B3212, Dartmoor National Park
Drive the lonely stretch of the B3212 across Dartmoor and you might just meet one of Devon’s strangest ghosts. Since the early 1900s, motorists and cyclists have claimed that a pair of disembodied, hairy hands grab their steering wheels or handlebars, trying to force them off the road.
The legend of the “Hairy Hands” has become Dartmoor folklore, and whether you chalk it up to fog, fatigue, or something more sinister, the moor’s eerie silence makes it easy to believe you’re not entirely alone out there.
The misty moors of Dartmoor have contributed plenty of other spooky Dartmoor ghost stories to enjoy!
Coach & Horses Inn, Buckland Brewer
This 13th-century inn looks charming enough from the outside, but its history is anything but cosy. It once served as a courtroom, complete with a hook used to hang guilty criminals right inside the building.
Guests and staff have long reported seeing the ghosts of those criminals, sometimes still swinging from their nooses! Other sightings include cavaliers in old uniforms, silently standing in corners, and a woman in black wandering the corridors.
After 600 years of ghostly guests coming and going, it’s safe to say not everyone checks out of the Coach & Horses!
Attribution: David Seale under CC BY-SA 2.0
Chambercombe Manor, Ilfracombe
This Norman manor house dates all the way back to the 11th century, and its haunting story is pure Gothic tragedy. According to legend, a shipwrecked woman was brought here after being found injured on the coast. Sadly, she didn’t survive, and years later, her skeleton was discovered in a hidden room. Since then, the manor has been said to echo with her restless spirit.
Visitors have also reported spotting the ghost of a six-year-old girl named Ellie, who died of consumption. The Manor was featured in an episode of Most Haunted.
Farmers Arms, Woolsery
This 13th-century pub has a proper poltergeist problem! Staff and guests have witnessed clocks hurled across rooms, glass bowls flying through the air, and strange bangs with no obvious cause.
Locals say an angry spirit haunts the building, and some claim to have seen a man in layers of clothes hovering near an ancient Anglo-Saxon well in the grounds.
Barnstaple Cinema
Not every haunting happens in a castle; some prefer the silver screen. Back in 1931, a man tragically fell to his death while repairing the cinema roof in Barnstaple. Decades later, after the 2000s, movie-goers began reporting sightings of a male ghostly figure during screenings, and he is believed to be this man.
Attribution: Ruins of Okehampton Castle by Roger Cornfoot under CC BY-SA 2.0
Okehampton Castle
This nearly thousand-year-old castle has seen its share of dark history and a particularly gruesome ghost story. The spirit said to haunt these ruins is that of a murderous lady who married men only to poison them soon after.
Local legend has it that as punishment for her crimes, the widow is forced to travel from Dartmoor to Okehampton Castle each night to pluck a single blade of grass. Her penance will only be completed when the hillside is stripped bare of grass.
Locals claim to have seen her riding between Dartmoor and Okehampton in a carriage made from her dead husband’s bones, driven by a headless chauffeur and accompanied by a demonic hound. As if that wasn’t enough to make your skin crawl, visitors often report cold spots and sudden drops in temperature around the castle ruins.
The Fisherman’s Cot, Tiverton
Built in 1933 as a private fishing lodge, The Fisherman’s Cot isn’t ancient, but that hasn’t stopped it from becoming one of Devon’s most haunted inns.
Staff say the building is haunted by a young woman whose identity remains a mystery. Luckily, she’s a friendly ghost and her laughter can often be heard near the bar, mingling with the chatter of guests.
But not all the spirits here are so playful. Many visitors have reported seeing a headless horseman riding across Bickleigh Bridge just outside the inn. Some hear the thunder of hooves in the night, even when the bridge is empty. Friendly or frightening, The Fisherman’s Cot is certainly never quiet after dark.
Attribution: Lidwell Chapel by Derek Harper under CC BY-SA 2.0
Lidwell Chapel and The Monk of Haldon
Lidwell Chapel is a ruined medieval chapel at the foot of Little Haldon and is home to one of Devon’s oldest and darkest legends. According to an 1850 story in the Western Miscellany, a monk named Simon lived there around 1560, but he was no saint!
Simon was said to rob and murder travellers, dumping their bodies in the chapel’s well and hiding their belongings in secret tunnels. Eventually, he met his end when one intended victim fought back and killed him.
Locals said that on stormy nights, “Saint” Simon’s ghost still sits by the well, mourning his lost treasure. For generations, parents in nearby villages would warn naughty children: “Behave, or Saint Simon will come for you from the chapel!”
Churston Court Inn, Brixham
Dating all the way back to the 12th century, Churston Court Inn is bursting with history… and ghosts.
The most common apparitions here are phantom monks, gliding silently through the inn as though it were still a monastery. Staff say they’ve seen them appear in groups, and sometimes a lone monk turns up in the kitchen, as if checking what’s for supper.
Creepiest of all are the candles that extinguish themselves, only to relight moments later, repeating the eerie dance until the spirit gets bored and moves on.
The inn’s ghostly reputation is so strong that the Torbay Investigators of the Paranormal meet here regularly! Perhaps the monks enjoy the company.
Attribution: Partonez under CC BY-SA 4.0
Powderham Castle, near Exeter
The grand Powderham Castle, built by Sir Philip Courtenay, has stood proudly since the 14th century, but not all of its residents have moved on.
One of its most feared ghosts is The Grey Lady, believed to be Lady Frances Courtenay, who drifts silently through the castle’s vast library. Though she’s not aggressive, her appearance is said to foretell the death of the head of the household.
Another ghostly presence is that of a young mother holding her infant child, seen wandering the corridors in despair. During renovations 200 years ago, builders broke through a wall and found the skeletons of a woman and baby, confirming that some of Powderham’s legends were all too real.
Buckfastleigh Church
Holy Trinity Church is the resting place of Squire Richard Cabell, a man with a reputation as dark as the night itself. When Cabell died in 1677, locals believed he’d made a pact with the devil. They built him a special tomb, sealing his coffin under a heavy stone and surrounding it with iron bars to stop his spirit escaping.
It didn’t work. On stormy nights, villagers say Cabell’s ghost bursts from his tomb, leading a pack of hellish hounds on a phantom hunt across Dartmoor. The legend of his ghost even inspired parts of Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles.
If you visit the churchyard after dark, you might just hear the hounds barking in the distance; best not to stick around to check.
Dare to Explore Devon’s Dark Side?
From haunted pubs to spectral monks and headless horsemen, Devon’s ghost stories are as rich and chilling as its history. Whether you’re ghost-hunting, storytelling, or just love a good scare, these spots are guaranteed to raise a few goosebumps.
Mill End is a hotel in Chagford on Dartmoor, and would be the perfect base for your spooky adventures, as Dartmoor alone has over 76 reported paranormal experiences! But don’t worry, we don’t have ghosts here, so you’ll be perfectly safe and cosy after a day of exploring some of the most haunted places in Devon!