The Mug House, Claines

Dating from the 15th century, The Mug House is one of only a few public houses standing on consecrated ground and was originally the ale house for Claines parish church.

According to a Birmingham Mail article by Helen Harper (19 May 2020) entitled ‘The most haunted places in Worcestershire: Chilling stories of underground cells and witches’, ‘the Mug sits among the final resting places of the thousands of people buried at Claines over the centuries. Legend has it that the graveyard and the pub are haunted by some of those unfortunate souls.

There are reports of people hearing someone walking around the building, when no one was in those rooms, things moving about in the cellar and doors opening and closing. In fact there have been a few cases of things going bump in the night linked to the cellar.

It’s said people who stayed overnight in the cellar to raise money for charity heard children singing Pop Goes the Weasel, a nursery rhyme which dates back to the 18th century. Previous landlords have claimed there were strange goings-on and would hear knocking noises coming from the cellar at night.

And in another room, dogs raise their hackles and stare at the fireplace.’