Security footage has captured what appears to be a ghostly spirit in Bolton’s oldest pub (and fourth oldest in Britain). The CCTV video was captured at the Ye Olde Man and Scythe pub in Churchgate, Britain, a bar that has long been rumored to be haunted and shows a ghostly figure flickering into view before quickly disappearing.
Manager Tony Dooley was awoken on Friday by the sound of breaking glass. He got up to investigate and noticed that the pub’s security cameras had stopped working so he checked the footage to see what was up.
“At first I thought someone had broken in, but I thought it was weird that the cameras stopped working, and then I watched it back and saw the figure.”
Early frames of the video clearly show the ghostly prescience moving into view (right side of frame) before flashing off-screen towards the left. Seconds later, the figure appears suddenly before once again quickly disappearing from view. Dooley says the incident has left him and patrons scratching their heads.
“It has really shaken me up, look at my hand, it is shaking just talking about it – this is where I live. I have never really believed in ghosts or anything like that before, but I think I am starting to now.”
Many believe the ghostly presence to be that of James Stanley, the seventh Earl of Derby. Stanly was executed just outside the old pub building for his part in the Bolton Massacre and spent his last few hours on earth sitting, waiting, in a chair inside the pub.
Check out the video below (includes slow-motion and zoom segments).