The Ten Bells pub, located at the corner of Commercial Street and Fournier Street in Spitalfields, stands as one of London’s most notorious and atmospheric public houses. Its reputation as a haunted hotspot is deeply intertwined with the city’s darker history, most notably its association with the Jack the Ripper murders of 1888. Over the centuries, the Ten Bells has become a focal point for both historical intrigue and chilling tales of the supernatural, drawing visitors not just for its Victorian charm but for the stories of those who may never have left.
The pub’s connection to Jack the Ripper is well documented. Several of the Ripper’s victims, including Annie Chapman and Mary Kelly, were known to frequent the Ten Bells. Mary Kelly, the Ripper’s final victim, was seen in the pub on the night before her brutal murder. Her mutilated body was discovered the next morning just across the road from the pub. Annie Chapman, too, was said to have been drinking alone at the Ten Bells only hours before her death. The proximity of these crimes, and the fact that the victims were last seen alive within its walls, has cemented the pub’s place in the folklore surrounding the Ripper case.
Yet the Ten Bells’ haunted reputation extends far beyond its infamous clientele. In the late 1990s, a series of unsettling incidents were reported by staff living in the upper floors of the pub. Multiple individuals described waking in the dead of night with a profound sense of unease. Upon turning over in bed, they would find the ghostly form of an old man dressed in Victorian clothing lying beside them. The apparition would vanish as soon as the startled witness cried out. What makes these reports particularly compelling is the consistency of the descriptions, given by people who had no prior knowledge of each other’s experiences. The identity of this spectral visitor remained a mystery for years, but in 2000, a new landlord discovered a hidden box in the cellar containing personal items belonging to a George Roberts, a former landlord of the pub. Among the items was a press clipping from the early 1900s detailing Roberts’ murder. This discovery led some to speculate that the ghostly figure might be Roberts himself, lingering in the place he once managed.
The uppermost rooms of the Ten Bells have also been the site of particularly disturbing phenomena. After repeated reports of strange activity, a psychic was invited to investigate. She refused to enter one of the top floor rooms, claiming to sense that something terrible had occurred there, specifically the death of a baby in the nineteenth century. This claim was given a chilling corroboration several years later when a researcher, exploring the roof space above the same room, found a sack containing mouldy Victorian-era baby clothes. The garments appeared to have been cut with a knife, suggesting a violent end. The discovery of these clothes, directly above the room the psychic had singled out, added a grim layer to the pub’s haunted reputation.
Other phenomena reported by both staff and visitors include unexplained laughter, footsteps, and crying, often heard when the building is otherwise empty. One tenant described regularly hearing footsteps and laughter in the hallway outside his room, only to find the corridor deserted upon investigation. On several occasions, he reported being pushed by unseen hands while descending the stairs to the bar. These experiences, while unnerving, have become part of the lore that surrounds the Ten Bells, with staff and residents learning to live alongside the pub’s more intangible inhabitants.
Poltergeist activity has also been noted, with objects moving inexplicably and sudden gusts of cold air sweeping through the rooms. In one instance, a psychic medium refused to enter a particular room, reinforcing the sense of dread that seems to pervade the upper floors. The recurring reports of apparitions, physical sensations, and objects being moved or manipulated have attracted the attention of paranormal investigators and enthusiasts, who regard the Ten Bells as one of London’s most active haunted sites.
The stories of the Ten Bells are not confined to the distant past. Even in recent years, both staff and patrons have continued to report strange occurrences, from fleeting shadows to the sensation of being watched. The combination of historical tragedy, particularly the Ripper murders, and ongoing paranormal activity has made the Ten Bells a unique landmark in London’s haunted landscape.
