Every old town has its secrets, and Midhurst is no exception.
Behind the doors of ancient inns, along quiet streets and among the ruins of once-grand houses, strange stories have been whispered for generations. Ghostly figures, unexplained footsteps, mysterious visitors and the occasional rather troublesome spirit all have their place in the town’s folklore.
Some tales are chilling, others curious, and a few are wonderfully absurd. Whether you’re a believer or simply enjoy a good ghost story, come and discover the mysterious side of Midhurst and the surrounding villages.
Hannah the Hat — The Bricks
Some pubs have a resident cat. Others have a regular who never seems to leave. At The Bricks, there is a story about a mysterious lady in a hat.
During a mediumship evening at the pub, the visiting medium reportedly announced that there were too many spirits present for him to make contact with those the audience had come to hear from. One presence in particular apparently needed to be dealt with: the lady with the hat.
According to Alan at The Bricks, the medium addressed her directly and asked her to leave.
Whether Hannah took the hint is another matter entirely.
And she isn’t the only unusual visitor associated with the building. There have also been stories of a small child appearing in one of the bedrooms.
With tales like these, it’s hardly surprising that The Bricks has acquired a reputation for having rather more inhabitants than its licence might suggest.
Visit The Bricks yourself
Fancy visiting the scene of the ghostly goings-on? The Bricks is a real Midhurst pub where you can enjoy a drink and soak up the atmosphere. Search for ‘The Bricks’ in the Food & Drink section of The Midhurst App to find it and plan your visit. Who knows, you might even encounter Hannah the Hat!
The Ghostly Bear of Verdley Castle
Deep in the wooded hills near Midhurst lie what remains of the ruins of Verdley Castle, a place with a rather extraordinary legend. For generations, tales have circulated of a mysterious bear haunting the surrounding countryside.
What lies behind this curious story? Discover one of the area’s strangest local legends.
Read the Ghostly Bear of Verdley Castle story
Explore the landscape of Verdley Castle
Although the remains of the ruins of Verdley Castle aren’t something you can visit as such, you can explore the beautiful wooded hills surrounding the legend. Search for ‘Up Hill, Great Views, Part Woodland: White Horse Easebourne to The Duke in Henley’ in the Walks section of The Midhurst App. Afterwards, why not enjoy a drink or meal at the Duke of Cumberland Arms, which you’ll also find in the app’s Food & Drink section? Just keep an eye out for that ghostly bear!
1. Historic England’s recorded location: Henley Wood, historically known as Fordly Coppice, at OS grid reference SU 9035 2579 (51.02439, -0.71311).
2. Komoot’s marked location: In Verdley Wood, near Henley, at 51.024017, -0.712525, approximately 60 metres from the Historic England location.
Personally – I have never found them – Great walk, and woodland, and views on Route though!
The Angel Hotel — A Ghost Among the Ruins
For centuries, the Angel Hotel stood among Midhurst’s historic buildings, welcoming generations of travellers and guests.
But the old coaching inn had a more mysterious reputation.
Its upstairs drawing room, formerly used as a courtroom until 1848, was said to have an unexplained coldness about it. Visitors spoke of an unsettling atmosphere, as though something from the building’s long history had never quite departed.
Then, in March 2023, a devastating fire gutted the historic hotel.
Today, the Angel stands as a derelict shell, its empty windows and ruined interior adding an unexpected new chapter to its already haunting story.
One wonders what the old courtroom’s ghost would make of the place now.
Explore the story of The Angel
Although the historic Angel Hotel was devastated by fire in 2023 and remains closed, you can still discover its place in Midhurst’s history. Just two doors away is the former Olive & Vine building – now also bured to teh ground, where H. G. Wells once lodged. Find it in the Explore section of The Midhurst App. The Midhurst Bakery, The Lions Den, Fitzcane’s, Coskun’s and Kamaelli’s are all just a stone’s throw away, and can be found under Food & Drink.
The Poltergeist of Knockhundred Row
In one of Midhurst’s oldest streets, the Verrall family lived for years with a decidedly unusual housemate.
Residents described footsteps crossing an upstairs room, doors slamming despite being locked, and ornamental ducks mysteriously turning upside down.
Her daughter remembered heavy footsteps travelling through rooms and even apparently passing through a wall.
Perhaps the strangest incident involved a vase of flowers. The flowers in the middle began shaking while those around them remained perfectly still. Their petals then scattered across the floor.
Rather than fleeing in terror, Mrs Verrall took a more sympathetic approach.
She asked the unseen presence whether the family could help.
According to her account, the disturbances stopped.
It’s a rather touching ending to a poltergeist story. Perhaps all this particular ghost wanted was someone to listen.
Explore Knockhundred yourself
Fancy discovering the setting of the mystery? Knockhundred is in the heart of historic Midhurst, opposite Midhurst Museum, which you’ll find in the Explore section of The Midhurst App. Just moments away are Kamaelli’s, Coskun’s, Comestibles, Gartons and The Swan, all listed under Food & Drink. Perfect for a little history followed by a coffee or something to eat!
The Ghostly Monk of Cowdray
One warm afternoon, Mr and Mrs Wharton stopped to rest beside the old granary near Cowdray ruins.
While her husband dozed, Mrs Wharton saw something extraordinary: a monk walking past.
Later, she asked a local shopkeeper where the nearby monastery was. There wasn’t one, she was told, but there was a well-known story about a ghost at Cowdray. The following day, the couple returned to the same spot. This time Mrs Wharton made certain her husband stayed awake. At around half past two, she saw the monk again, following the route past the granary and towards the town.
Her husband, saw nothing!
The story raises a rather awkward question: if a ghost appears twice, at almost the same time and place, but only one person can see it, what exactly is going on?
Visit Cowdray Ruins yourself
Fancy exploring the scene of the mystery? The atmospheric Cowdray Ruins sit beneath St Ann’s Hill, just five minutes’ walk from the cafés and bars of North Street. There’s a coffee shop beside the ruins at weekends, or enjoy a pleasant stroll to Cowdray Café. Find ‘Cowdray Ruins’ in the Explore section of The Midhurst App, and Cowdray Café under Food & Drink, to plan your visit.
The Haunted Spread Eagle
The Spread Eagle is one of Midhurst’s most historic inns, and its ghostly reputation is almost as rich as its architectural heritage.
Among the figures associated with the building is an elderly judge, sometimes linked in local storytelling with the inn’s remarkable fifteenth-century wig closet.
Then there is the mysterious golden lady, dressed in Tudor clothing, and a ghostly coachman.
With several centuries of guests, travellers and local history behind it, perhaps it’s unsurprising that the Spread Eagle has collected a few stories about visitors who seem reluctant to check out.
Visit the Spread Eagle yourself
Fancy exploring the scene of the mystery? The historic Spread Eagle Hotel is right in the heart of Midhurst, just a stone’s throw from the Market Square. Nearby you’ll find Gartons, The Swan and Comestibles Café & Deli, all perfect for a drink or something to eat. Find them all in the Food & Drink section of The Midhurst App and make a visit of it.
The Tricorne-Hatted Stranger
One early morning in October 1999, a motorist approaching Midhurst along the A286 slowed down to allow a pedestrian to cross the road.
The man was wearing a tricorne hat of the kind fashionable in the eighteenth century.
Unusual, certainly, but not impossible to explain. Perhaps he was attending a historical event or simply had eccentric taste in headwear.
Then the driver noticed something considerably more troubling. He could see straight through the pedestrian. When the strange figure reached the opposite side of the road, he vanished completely.
There are plenty of reasons to drive carefully on Sussex roads. Encountering an apparently transparent eighteenth-century gentleman is not usually among them.
The Roman Soldiers of Stedham
A farmer at Crowshole Farm near Stedham once spoke of seeing Roman soldiers in his yard. The farmer, Mr Collins, died in 1948. His story was later recalled by George Gilder, who described hearing it years earlier. Then, in 1949, aerial photographs helped identify the course of a Roman road through the farm. It is a remarkable coincidence, and one that has helped keep the story alive. Was the farmer recalling some strange vision, or had the ancient landscape inspired a tale that grew in the telling?
Either way, the story offers an intriguing reminder that the past sometimes feels surprisingly close beneath our feet.
Walk in the footsteps of the Romans
Fancy exploring the landscape behind the legend? The remains of a Roman road can still be found crossing nearby Iping Common, where ancient earthworks survive among the heathland. Search for ‘Roman Road – Iping Common’ in the Explore section of The Midhurst App to discover more. And if exploring ancient history leaves you in need of refreshment, why not stop for coffee at The Stables on Severals Road?
The Ghostly Nun of Easebourne Priory
Even the celebrated adventure novelist H. Rider Haggard, author of King Solomon’s Mines, reportedly had an encounter with the unexplained while staying at Easebourne Priory.
According to a local account, Haggard was awakened during the night by the apparition of a nun walking through his room.
The story has an especially atmospheric setting.
Easebourne Priory’s religious community was displaced during the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the sixteenth century, and the building became associated with the wider legends surrounding Cowdray.
Perhaps a writer famous for extraordinary adventures was unusually well prepared for such a visitor.
Or perhaps the priory had a story of its own to tell.
Visit Easebourne Priory yourself
Fancy exploring the setting of the mystery? Historic Easebourne Priory stands beside St Mary’s Church, right next to Cowdray Farm Shop & Café. With convenient parking and tarmac paths, it’s an easy place to explore, including with pushchairs and wheelchairs. Afterwards, enjoy a coffee or browse the farm shop, which you’ll find under Food & Drink in The Midhurst App.
Footsteps in Chichester Road
At a house near South Pond, the Percy family sometimes heard a familiar sequence of sounds in the evening:
First came the squeak of the garden gate….
Then footsteps along the path and up the steps towards the front door….
The family dog would growl….
Everyone waited for the knock….
But it never came.
When someone looked outside, there was nobody there. Nor did they hear the footsteps retreat or the gate close.
During the Second World War, the iron gate was removed for the war effort. Yet the family continued to hear it opening, followed by those same approaching footsteps. Whatever was coming to call apparently hadn’t noticed that the gate was gone.
Visit South Pond yourself
Fancy exploring the scene of the mystery? South Pond is wheelchair and pushchair friendly, with other interesting places to discover nearby, including the café at The Grange Centre. Search for ‘South Pond’ in the Explore section of The Midhurst App to plan your visit.
Local Knowledge – Just Ask!
Not all of Midhurst’s stories are written down, and some of the best ones aren’t on the internet at all.
While you’re exploring, pop into a local shop, café or pub and strike up a conversation. Ask about the old buildings, the strange happenings, the characters who once lived here or the stories passed down through generations.
You might hear a different version of a familiar legend, discover something we’ve missed, or stumble upon a story nobody’s thought to write down.
Midhurst’s history isn’t just in its buildings and books. It’s in the memories and conversations of the community of people who live here.
So don’t just explore Midhurst. Talk to it 🙂
Sources and acknowledgements
This collection of Midhurst’s ghost stories and local legends draws extensively on the research of Dawn West Cansfield, whose articles Ghosts of Midhurst Past (2023) and Ghosts of Midhurst Past II (2024), published by The Midhurst Society, brought together many of these fascinating tales.
Visit Midhurst gratefully acknowledges Dr West Cansfield and the Midhurst Society for their work in researching and preserving the town’s ghostly heritage. The stories have been retold and expanded for this collection, with additional local accounts and historical research.