Ghosts at The Bugle: Paranormal Investigation in Titchfield
- Dr Iain M Lightfoot
- Jun 24
- 4 min read
I would like to start with a wonderful quote by one of the team at The Bugle...
"The fun starts when it gets dark..." how right they were!
Nestled in the historic heart of Titchfield village, the Bugle Hotel is a place where time feels stretched thin. Just metres from the ruins of Titchfield Abbey, the canal and River Meon, and opposite the medieval St Peter’s Church, this 400-year-old coaching inn stands proudly as a relic of Hampshire’s past. Yet behind its welcoming bar and cosy rooms lies something else, something mostly unseen but often heard.
We were invited to investigate following staff reports of paranormal activity. Pint glasses tipping over, disembodied footsteps, whispered voices, shadows in empty rooms, classic signs of a haunting. What we found confirmed what many already believe: the Bugle Hotel is very much alive with its past.
Layers of History
Titchfield itself dates back to the 6th century, once home to the Meonwara, a Jutish tribe from Denmark. The name ‘Titchfield’ translates to “open land where kids (young goats) are kept,” though its history is anything but pastoral.
The village was once a thriving medieval port and market town. Titchfield Abbey, founded in 1222 and later transformed into Place House by Thomas Wriothesley, Henry VIII’s Lord Chancellor, looms nearby, soaked in stories of religious upheaval and aristocratic intrigue. Some even suggest Shakespeare himself visited under the patronage of the Earl of Southampton.
The Bugle has long been part of this tapestry. Over the years, it has hosted weary travellers, locals, and, if the stories are true, residents or guests who never left.
The Investigation Begins at The Bugle
We focused our efforts on Rooms 1, 5, and 6, the function room, the bar, and, albeit briefly, in the cellar. From the moment we arrived, the welcome from staff was warm, yet the air around us held a quiet charge. A quick walkaround and baseline EMF checks helped us identify key hotspots. We placed cameras, spirit balls, REM pods, and trigger objects across the property.
It didn’t take long for the activity to start.
The kitchen door opened and closed on its own. Suspecting a draft, we positioned a camera, but the motion remained odd even when the doors were closed, I suspected the breeze was responsible however. The function room became our base, and from there, we observed numerous orbs and heard bangs, whispers, and even whistles and what sounded like a growl.
Rooms of Energy and Memory
Room 1 delivered our first jolt. A previously upright lampshade had twisted to one side, repositioning itself... When I lifted it back in place it proved difficult; it had to be lifted and angled to recreate the effect. I also sensed strong emotional energy, what I described as a wedding night gone wrong. This feeling aligned eerily with staff stories of a maid, a pregnancy, and a man in authority, previously suggested by two independent investigations.
Room 6 brought a wave of unease. Barry experienced dizziness, while I developed a sharp headache. Orbs flashed by, and EMF spikes increased. A strange intuition gripped me, a vision of fire, people huddled together. Later, we confirmed there had been a real fire in that part of the building in 1986, and another chip fire in 2018.
In Room 5, we witnessed a shadow moving across the corridor.
No one else was there.
Voices and Words from the Unknown
We used multiple spirit communication devices and received intelligent responses. In the function room, phrases such as “Shop,” “He’s hiding,” “Move,” and “You shouldn’t be here” were heard. Upstairs, words like “Justice,” “Why did you come?” and “Always” were recorded, along with repeated answers of “Five” when asked how many spirits were present.
What’s compelling is how often these words matched stories, history, or location. For example, “Shop” was said when asking about a sealed wall, confirmed to be part of an old store area with a shop on the other side of the wall.
Caught on Camera
Three prior incidents were captured on the hotel’s CCTV: a cleaning bottle toppling in the bar, a pint glass sliding off a table, and another pint falling without contact. I felt that two could be explained. However, one could not.
When viewed alongside staff interviews and our own findings, it paints a picture of a spirit intent on being noticed.
The Calm After Midnight
Around 12:15 AM, the building fell completely still and silent. A sudden hush. The activity of footsteps and banging suddenly stopped as if someone had blown out a candle. After an interview, one of the staff said it was often the most active at 1100-1130.
Tuning forks used earlier in the night had seemingly attracted faster, more frequent orbs, another curious finding. While the cellar yielded very little, every other space suggested a building still occupied by something... or someone or many.
Conclusion: Haunted and Worthy of Respect
The Bugle Hotel is, both Barry and I agreed, undoubtedly haunted. The spirits we encountered don’t seem malicious, but they are active, intelligent, and occasionally emotional. This is not a location with a single “ghost story,” but rather a complex haunting shaped by centuries of history, trauma, and human presence.
We’ll absolutely be returning. There’s so much more to uncover.
If you’re brave enough, book a room. However, don’t be surprised if you hear footsteps in the night, a voice from nowhere or find your pint tipped over by unseen hands.
Comments