Alone and unloved, Juliet Tewsley was buried on unhallowed ground with only a plain stone for a grave. Photo Credit: Undereal. All rights reserved.
Behind the hanging baskets heavy with flowers and inviting white facade is a ghost story of young love and heartbreak.
The Old Ferry Boat Inn in St Ives, Cambridgeshire is known to locals for its fine food, drink, and idyllic view of the River Ouse. It is also one of the most haunted sites in all Cambridgeshire, and possibly in all of England. According to guests and staff, strange things go on in and outside the inn, and it all has to do with a girl named Juliet.
Who is Juliet Tewsley?
Built over the slab grave of Juliet Tewsley, her ghost is said to visit the inn every year on the anniversary of her death, causing guests to have sleepless nights.
In 1050, Juliet Tewlsey was 17 and in love with a young forester named Tom Zaul. Unfortunately, the feeling was not mutual. Distraught, Juliet ended her life. In one story, Juliet drowned in the nearby river. In another version, the heartbroken girl hung herself from a tree.
Juliet was buried on unhallowed ground with only a plain stone for a grave.
Over the years, the The Old Ferry Boat Inn’s grounds have grown to encompass Juliet’s grave, going as far as to be incorporated into the decor of the inn. Guests can see the stone marker for themselves, lodged in the floorboards.
Every March 17, Juliet’s ghost is said to pass through the inn. However, since the pub’s modern expansion, Juliet’s ghost has taken up residence in the bar itself.
St Ives Pub Manager Weighs In
Jamie Toms, a former manager at The Old Ferry Boat Inn, spoke about some of the bizarre things he had seen while working there in 2019.
“It’s like when the lights won’t turn off until you say ‘Goodnight, Juliet.’” Alternatively, Toms says, menus may simply appear on the ground.
“When you’re alone here, you might hear bangs and the sound of doors closing.
“It can make you nervous at times, but I’m not too bothered. We understand that we must respect her property and keep in mind that it is her home.” █
