Paranormal Distribution Entry 113: The Nag's Head

by G. Host

 

We invite you into the world of The Nag's Head, with this guest blog entry from Dr Geoffrey Host as he investigates the spookiest pub in Shireshire.

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’Tis I, your harbinger of gloom Dr Geoffrey Host and I’m back again with another installment of Paranormal  Distribution, my weekly blog investigating the spooky goings-on in Shireshire. Last week we delved into the gruesome tale of the Grey Lady and her doom-bringing presence, seen most frequently around the local Greggs. Regular readers will remember that, historically, whenever the Grey Lady is spotted, death will most certainly follow. The Grey Lady’s guilt over the death of a child she caused, whilst working as a nurse in the 20s, had lead her to seek repentance by presenting herself, calmly, to those who are about to die. Interestingly enough, the number of Grey Lady sightings have indeed been on the rise in Shireshire... so keep your wits about you my dear, dear ghost-lovers.

Today’s blog is centred on the near derelict pub The Nag’s Head, ten minutes out of town. Currently run (if the definition of the word run stretches to.. ‘stands behind the bar and grunts’) by Nigel Smith. Nigel is a Shireshire local and indeed the pub has been in the Smith family for generations. This may be the last though, as Nigel’s three children have mostly moved away from Shireshire to the ‘big city’. One (Connor) being a self-proclaimed ‘artist' and the other (Sarah), now working in some line of business. Only his youngest, Jack, has stayed local and works at the outdoor education centre, but he seems content in the wilderness. 

The Nag’s Head has a fascinating history and is consistently present in local historical tragedies, these will all be discussed on my podcast My Dad Wrote A Ghost Story, hosted by my spooky self and Ed Miliband. I do recommend readers look into the pubs' rather checkered past, as I truly believe there seems to be something trouser-soakingly evil lurking in its history, though what it is I can’t quite unpick. I tried to speak to Nigel, but he wouldn’t co-operate and in fact got rather agitated when I pressed him for details on the pubs decline and his reclusiveness.. plus, he ruffled my trench coat when he forced me to leave. 

I used to be a Nag’s Head regular, but the pub has fallen into a state of disrepair under Nigel, particularly over the past year. There have been some claims his health has been on the decline, but again no-one knows any details. Whatever the reason, I do wish him well... but something about that pub seems off... as if something is hiding in there... something I don’t like… something tangibly evil... hang on there’s someone at the door. Better pop off... next week we’ll be looking at the massacre at Wenstock Manor and how that directly affects the loos at Popworld.  

Dr Geoffrey Host

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The Nag's Head plays in Park90 from Tue 17 - Sat 28 Oct. Featuring original music, and real paranormal accounts, this new dark comedy is an ode to rural England and the independent pub. Find out more here.