The Queen's Head, West Chiltington: An Unexpected Haunting
- Dr Iain M Lightfoot
- 2 days ago
- 9 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
In in the picturesque village of West Chiltington, at the foot of the South Downs, The Queen's Head is exactly the sort of building that captures the imagination before a paranormal investigation had even begun.
This Grade II listed inn dates largely from the 18th century but stands upon an earlier 17th-century structure. Its heavy timber beams, traditional pillars, low ceilings and welcoming log fire in the main bar speak of centuries of stories, laughter and community life. The pub itself is named after Anne of Cleves, the fourth wife of Henry VIII, whose nearby Nyetimber estate formed part of her divorce settlement following the annulment of their marriage.
West Chiltington itself is no stranger to history. Mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, the village has evolved over nearly a thousand years whilst retaining much of its rural Sussex character. The ancient parish church of St Mary's, with its remarkable medieval wall paintings and reputedly the oldest church porch in Sussex, stands as a reminder of the generations who have lived, worked, worshipped, and died here.
Alongside its rich history there is a darker thread of folklore because just a few miles away lies the famous Chanctonbury Ring. This is one of the most legendary sites in the South Downs and local tradition claims that running around the ring seven times on a moonless night will summon the Devil himself! Others speak of phantom horsemen, druid spirits and unseen presences moving amongst the ancient trees. Across the whole of West Sussex, old farmhouses and inns often bear apotropaic "witch marks" carved into fireplaces and beams, intended to ward off malevolent spirits.
Unbeknown to me, when the idea of an investigation at the Queen's Head was raised, there are several of the pub's own ghost tales. Visitors and staff have occasionally reported sightings of a mysterious White Lady near the staircase, while stories persist of glasses moving unexpectedly or flying from shelves without explanation. Whether these tales are simply part of the pub's folklore or something more remains an open question.
We arrived at The Queen's Head on the evening of 30th May 2026.
First Impressions
We arrived early, well before our guests and my overwhelming first impression was one of energy. Not huge paranormal activity exactly, but above the expectation was a certain energy. The sensation was difficult to describe as it felt as though the building knew we were coming. Something that our medium for the night, Barry and I all agree on...
Standing outside with Teddy, one of the landlords, I mentioned something that had been on my mind since a previous visit months earlier, something I had mentioned but didn't have feedback on. During that visit I had become aware of two very distinct areas within the pub.
The first was a location near the front window at the right hand side, that felt strangely significant, and I said that I felt that there was a body under.
The second was beside the open fire, where I repeatedly sensed the presence of an older gentleman with a distinctly military bearing.
As I explained these impressions, Teddy's expression changed immediately. He became visibly surprised.
"Do you want to hear the story?" he asked.
What followed would become one of the most intriguing moments of the evening. The military gentleman corresponded closely with stories associated with a former regular who had spent much of his time sitting beside the fire and standing besides the fireplace, alas he had passed there.
The second location proved even more interesting.
According to Teddy, a former landlord named Norman had suffered a heart attack before falling into the cellar and breaking his neck. The location where I had repeatedly felt drawn was directly above the point where that tragic accident reportedly occurred. Whether intuition, coincidence or something else entirely, it was certainly an unusual beginning.
An Evening of Mediumship
The night began with an evening of mediumship led by Nigel Gaff, known to many as "The English Medium." Before the event had properly started, however, I became aware of a strange emotional atmosphere within part of the building.
The feeling was one of oppression. Bullying. Sadness.
It was strong enough that I felt compelled to discuss it with Nigel. As I described what I was sensing, he became visibly emotional and suggested a possible connection to somebody who may have taken their own life, although this could never be verified. Whatever the truth, the atmosphere lingered until we moved into the restaurant area at the rear of the pub.
Nigel's demonstration itself was exceptional. Guests received highly personal messages throughout the evening, many of which resonated deeply. I also received information connected to a tragic event from my own past that was both unexpected and remarkably specific.
By the end of the session, the audience was captivated.
Yet, as our investigation began, this was only just beginning.
The Investigation Begins
After the mediumship event concluded, we gathered in the restaurant to begin our investigation. Almost immediately we experienced something unusual. The heavy table around which we sat began vibrating beneath our hands, and not just once, several times. This was not a lightweight table that could be easily moved, yet multiple people experienced the sensation simultaneously.
From there we moved into the main bar area, where the strongest activity of the evening would occur. Throughout the investigation we experienced cold spots, unusual orb activity, brief EMF spikes, unexplained sounds and repeated sensations of pins and needles and our hackles raised. Several guests reported feeling watched, while others experienced sudden changes in temperature. One participant later received scratches to their arm during the evening, while multiple people reported headaches, chest tightness or coughing in specific areas of the building.
Particularly of interest to myself was the doorway separating two sections of the pub. Earlier in the evening I had developed a strong impression that it acted almost like an energetic boundary, with certain presences reluctant to move beyond it. Later I heard reports of a shadow figure appearing in exactly that doorway, this here say only added to the ongoing mystery.
Spirit Box
One of the first pieces of equipment we used during the investigation was the spirit box. Whilst opinions on spirit boxes vary considerably within the paranormal community, they can sometimes provide intriguing moments that encourage further exploration. As we gathered together and began asking questions, the group began hearing responses that appeared relevant to the conversation taking place. Names such as "James" were mentioned, along with what sounded like a Scottish surname, prompting discussion around whether there may have been a military connection to the pub's past.
At one point, the word "attack" was heard in response to questions about a soldier, while another response that caught the group's attention was the phrase, "Friends and don't break the circle." What made the session particularly interesting was that several people independently interpreted the same words at the same time. Whilst sceptics may rightly point towards coincidence, suggestion, or fragments of radio broadcasts, the spirit box session certainly helped establish the feeling that we were not simply sitting in an empty room asking questions. Whether genuine communication or not, it set the tone for the experience.
Loud Bang
Perhaps the most startling moment of the evening came when we were gathered in the restaurant area. Throughout the investigation I had become increasingly aware of what felt like an invisible boundary within the building, almost as though certain energies were reluctant to move from one part of the pub into another, simply noting it as one of those subjective impressions that investigators occasionally experience. As three of us sat in vigil, asking for signs and communication, without warning, a tremendous bang erupted directly behind us. I mean this noise was loud enough to make everyone jump. Had I been alone, I suspect I would simply have turned around to investigate the source, but what caught me off guard was the reaction of one of the other investigators. Her response was immediate and completely genuine; a cry out followed by an instinctive desire to move away from the table altogether. The suddenness of her reaction momentarily raised the tension in the room and, I must admit, unsettled me more than the noise itself. There is something uniquely disarming about witnessing another person's authentic shock. I did laugh about it though...
"What unsettled me more than the noise itself was witnessing another person's authentic shock."
What made the incident particularly interesting was that nobody could immediately identify the source of the bang because there were no obvious signs of anything having fallen, no movement from neighbouring rooms, and no straightforward explanation which presented itself at the time. Of course, old buildings are capable of producing all manner of unexpected noises, from shifting timbers to expanding floorboards, BUT, nevertheless, occurring as it did in the middle of an active investigation, and the loudness and closeness of the noise became one of those moments that stayed with the group long after the evening had ended.
Scratches
One aspect of the evening that generated considerable discussion was the appearance of scratches on three different individuals. As always, it is important to approach such claims with caution and consider all possible natural explanations first. However, what made these incidents interesting was the apparent connection between the locations where they occurred and areas of the pub that had already attracted attention during the investigation.
The first scratch appeared on one of our guests whilst standing near the area by the window that I had previously identified as feeling uncomfortable and significant. This was the same location later associated with the story of tragic accident involving the cellar. Later in the evening, one of the landlords received a scratch whilst spending time in the cellar itself, an area several people described as feeling heavier and more oppressive than the rest of the building.
Although, I will admit, I wasn't sure on the authenticity of the scratches, I, finally experienced a sharp pain and then feeling a burning sensation and then a mark on my neck appeared in the cellar in the location where I had repeatedly felt uncomfortable throughout the night. Mine was less a scratch and more akin to mild sunburn, producing a warm, irritated sensation that seemed to appear without any obvious cause.
Taken individually, each incident could perhaps be dismissed as coincidence or explained through entirely natural means. Yet when viewed collectively, involving three different people in three separate locations connected to the strongest areas of activity reported throughout the evening, they became difficult to ignore. Whether the marks had any paranormal significance is impossible to say with certainty, but they undoubtedly added to the growing sense that certain parts of the Queen's Head carried a very different atmosphere from others.
"Taken individually, each incident could perhaps be dismissed. Viewed collectively, they became difficult to ignore."
The Cork
For me, perhaps the most curious incident occurred right at the end of the evening. With the lights now on, I discovered a wine cork lying on the floor beneath a table and I picked it up and said to everyone what I had found. At first it seemed insignificant, however, then the questions started.
One investigator claimed to have previously picked it up and placed it on a nearby table. The landlord then informed us that the cork should not have been upstairs at all because it belonged inside a sealed bag stored beneath a cellar chiller unit, hidden behind barrels and equipment. Nobody present could explain how it had travelled from the cellar to the public bar area.
Earlier, members of the group investigating downstairs had reported something being thrown from a dark corner of the cellar. Could the two events be connected? How did the cork get upstairs? How did it move from the cellar to the floor, and then from the table to the floor at the window? Again, we simply do not know!
Final Thoughts of The Queen's Head Haunting
The Queen's Head delivered exactly the sort of investigation that keeps paranormal investigators returning to historic locations. It offered an experience and glimpses of what could be happening. We have so many more questions for this beautiful centuries-old inn. So now, the Queen's Head, surrounded by folklore, history and local legend have now documented evidence from an investigation... Were the experiences we encountered evidence of genuine paranormal activity? Were they products of suggestion, expectation and coincidence? As always, I am leaving that decision to the reader.
Based upon our own experiences during the investigation, we believe there may be three distinct spirits associated with The Queen's Head: an older military gentleman who appears drawn to the fireplace, a former landlord believed to have died following a fall into the cellar, and perhaps a female presence consistent with reports of the White Lady. Whilst none of these conclusions can be proven, the consistency of the experiences reported throughout the evening leaves us with more questions than answers and a strong desire to return. Be careful of the rather powerful older agitated energy... Whilst not evil, he likes to think of himself as the dominant presence within the building. On one memorable evening in May 2026, what cannot be denied is that The Queen's Head presented itself as a remarkable building filled with stories. And it certainly gave us plenty to think about in the Queen's Head Haunting.
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This was amazing Experience at the queen's head can't wait to do again, I would recommend it.