Description of Area

Traditional public house located on Higher Street in Dartmouth and widely regarded as the oldest pub in the town, dating back to the 14th century. The Cherub Inn is a narrow, tall building typical of medieval architecture, with low ceilings, exposed wooden beams and uneven flooring throughout.

During our investigation we were granted full access to all public areas of the pub, including the main bar, upper seating areas and connecting rooms. The building contains several small rooms and alcoves which limit visibility between spaces and create an enclosed atmosphere. The staircase, which connects the levels, is said to have been constructed from timber taken from old ships, adding to the building’s strong maritime character.

Reported Possible Activity

Visual sightings of shadow figures on the staircase and upper levels. Reports of a tall dark figure believed to be a former landlord. Claims of a young child spirit within the building.

There are reports of a particular table and seat within the pub being especially active, with guests experiencing sudden cold spots, feelings of unease, and unexplained sensations when seated there. Staff and visitors have also reported objects moving, glasses being interfered with and feelings of being watched. Unexplained touches have been documented. Reports of a phantom cat and a lady being seen within the premises. Possible EVP (electromagnetic voice phenomenon). It has been suggested that both residual and intelligent hauntings may occur at this location.

Brief Summary of History or Legend

The Cherub Inn dates back to approximately 1380 and was originally built as a medieval merchant’s house before later becoming a public house. It has served as an inn and tavern for over 600 years, making it one of Dartmouth’s oldest surviving buildings. In the 1750's it was listed as a gentlemens residence. Around 1891 it was believed it was known as The Butchers Arms.

Due to its age, the property has witnessed significant periods of English history including the English Civil War. It is believed that the upper floors may once have been used for lodging and possibly by smugglers given Dartmouth’s strong maritime connections and busy port trade.

The building’s medieval structure and long-standing role within the town have firmly established its place in Dartmouth’s rich history.

The Cherub Inn - Private Event - 31/01/2026

Arrival & First Impressions

Upon arrival, the team settled in and enjoyed a drink in the bar area to get acquainted with the staff and absorb the atmosphere of the venue. The Cherub Inn is a small, quaint but homely establishment featuring an open fireplace in the bar area.

After familiarising ourselves with the location, we proceeded to the top floor offices to begin our first vigil.

Vigil One – Top Floor Office Area

K2 meters and cat balls placed around the room. REM Pod positioned on the desk with a second REM Pod on the hallway/landing area.

Human Pendulum – Trish (Manager)

Spirit communication established almost immediately. A male spirit confirmed his presence and expressed happiness at our visit, agreeing to communicate via equipment throughout the evening. He identified as having worked at the venue when it was a private house and was described as "a bit of a joker." He revealed his cause of death: a broken neck after being pushed down the stairs.

Human Pendulum – Sophie

During Trish's session, Sophie was observed moving back and forth within the circle. She took position as the central pendulum.

Initial contact was male—identified as the man of the house. He confirmed he was married and pleased we were communicating. His wife was also present in the room. At this point, Sophie sensed a significant shift in atmosphere. Movements became stronger and more forceful, with emotions of anger and distrust emanating from the spirit. He then went quiet and refused further communication.

During this session, Derry asked spirits to raise our hands. Eden reported tingling and pins and needles sensations in his arm as it began rising involuntarily—as did most arms within the circle.

Human Pendulum – The Mistress

A new spirit came through—a female who had worked at the venue for the previous man of the house. She knew the man and his wife very well. Through questioning, we discovered she experienced happiness in some parts of her life, but not all. Sophie asked if she was the man of the house's mistress—spirit confirmed yes.

The team experienced collective unease at this revelation.

Sophie began experiencing stomach pains and asked if the lady was pregnant. Two other members also felt sickness and stomach pain, leading one to be removed from the circle. Spirit confirmed yes—the child was the result of the affair with the man of the house.

The female spirit's demeanour changed dramatically to intense anger. She directed her fury at Sophie, blaming her for exposing the pregnancy—information previously unknown to both the man of the house and his wife, who were present in the room. The spirit became extremely frustrated and resistant when we attempted to close the session. Despite her protests and continued movement through Sophie, we broke the circle for safety.

When Sophie replaced Trisha as pendulum, Eden suddenly became very hot and dizzy. These sensations ceased immediately upon stepping outside. The team took a short break to allow spirit energies to settle.

Glasswork & Estes Method

Ian positioned on the landing between the toilets conducting Estes method with EVP recording. Glasswork commenced in the office.

Estes Method Responses (Ian):

Ship
Life support
Letters
2055 (potentially a future year or time)
I was in action
Shot
Defending
Have a conscience will you
The number 4 (matching four participants at the glasswork table)

The glass moved to "I don't know" though we were uncertain which question this addressed.

Notable Events:

Ian said "part ways"—immediately the cat ball inside the glass began flashing while the glass remained stationary
REM Pod on the desk activated with no one in proximity
George (pub staff) became suddenly and inexplicably emotional at the table, appearing on the verge of hysterical sobbing with no understanding why—upon moving away, she recovered within seconds
Ian reported being touched despite no one being near him
Ian felt vibrations on the floorboards as if someone was pacing around him, though completely alone
Glass moved to indicate a connection to Dominique (DCPI team member)
Ian heard an evil laugh followed by the name Kelly
The name Bob came through—staff explained this is a regular (living) customer with a memorial plaque in the bar
Cat ball inside the glass began spinning in circles without lighting up—occurred multiple times

Further Estes Responses:
Every, coward, feeling, painful, outside, with the person, they go, in time, in justice, subject, horrible, previous, knife point, to go, 52 year, May, to the UK, evil, working, not protected, go, expensive, leave it, ok, the lady, street, search, couple, call this, cold, need to know, keeps coming, Ian, dark

The team suspected multiple spirits were communicating—possibly a conversation between two spirits with us receiving one side.

Videos of Sessions

Spirit Identification:
Through continued questioning, we confirmed we were communicating with the same male "joker" spirit from the pendulum session—the one Trish affectionately calls "her little man." He confirmed he died near where the toilets are now located—originally the staircase location.

When asked if his wife was angry: yes (REM Pod activated).

The name Mason came through—response "maybe" on glass. Unable to confirm if first name or surname. Names Harper and Harvey suggested for surname—no clear confirmation.

Ian's voice changed significantly, becoming robotic and much deeper. He relayed afterwards that much of the time it was a female voice answering. Ian said the names Claire and Andy. Spirit confirmed knowing Claire, Andy, and Ian.

When asked if we should go downstairs: yes. We heeded the request and took a break before relocating.

Vigil Two – First Floor Restaurant Area

K2 meters and cat balls placed around the room. REM Pod on corner table. Estes method setup in the hallway outside the restaurant entrance. Alice box on a separate table.

Initial Activity

Almost immediately upon settling, the REM Pod activated and continued triggering on and off for several minutes with no one in proximity.

Derry and Eden moved to the REM Pod table for glasswork, using a glass with cat ball inside placed within a copper piping square with opposing corners designated for yes/no responses. Proximity tests confirmed they were far enough from the REM Pod to rule out accidental activation.

Upon sitting in the corner near the REM Pod, Eden immediately experienced a strange feeling. The REM Pod activated intensely and continued for approximately five minutes. The glass became extremely active, moving rapidly in all directions inside the copper square.

Alice Box Responses

Candles (Ros placed tealight candles around the room as prompted), 1990, his faster, carrier, monument, static, he, knit, get out, job, woman, Jon, details, explain, Timothy, noise (fridge in kitchen immediately made a noise), truck, written, new moon, stuff

Estes Method – Trish

No words received during her session—she reported finding it "very relaxing."

Estes Method – George

Said the name George
Movement heard from upstairs
Alice box said "woman"
Alice box beeped to indicate incoming word but no word followed—unprecedented behaviour

Estes Method – Toni

Words received: cabbage, croft, off the top of, I like it, Epstein (said with laughter), on stage, rain

Glasswork – The Mistress Returns

Communication established via glass confirmed we had already spoken to this spirit earlier—not Trish's little man, but the angry mistress who now harboured significant animosity towards Sophie.

During the session, Eden developed a sharp pain in the left side of his chest that persisted continuously until he removed his hand from the glass, after which it subsided.

Environmental Activity:

Clear footsteps heard from upper floor, walking in a circular pattern
Atmosphere in the room shifted dramatically
Ian went upstairs alone to investigate
Feeling of anticipation and imminent activity built in the restaurant
Cat ball on chair next to Derry began flashing
Three bangs heard from upstairs in response to copy request—Ian confirmed he was seated and had not moved

Key Discoveries:

Sophie asked again about pregnancy—spirit confirmed yes and being upset about it. George on Estes suddenly said "December"—possibly when the child was due.

Through continued questioning:

Tim is not a child—confirmed via glass
Team deduced reference to a ship carrying goods
Confirmed the ship was called The New Moon
George on Estes: "stripped"
The beams in the pub came from the ship—confirmed via glass
The beams on the staircase were the mast of The New Moon—confirmed

Knock Communication

Sophie attempted knock communication—received response to single knock only. Four distinct footsteps heard from upstairs—Ian had returned downstairs by this point, confirming the upper floor was empty.

Spirit Identification – Two Timothys

Through careful questioning:

Two spirits named Timothy present—one child, one adult (approximately 25 years old)
Child Timothy is under 5 years old
K2 spiked to red at confirmation of age 5
Little Tim was the mistress's baby
The venue was a private house when little Tim was present, not a pub
Little Tim was here during WW2 era (1940s)
Little Tim has never been seen in the pub
A resident spirit cat is present
There is a secret regarding little Tim
K2 flashed to red and remained flickering when asked if little Tim was the result of the affair

Activity suddenly ceased—spirit confirmed needing a break to replenish energy. Team obliged.

Vigil Three – Ground Floor Bar Area

Facebook Live conducted during this vigil

K2 meters and cat balls placed around the bar. Music box on the bar. REM Pod on staircase.

Team Positions:

Louise: solo table with K2 meter
Eden, Toni, and George: glasswork with copper square
Devon: solo table with Estes via headphones
Others on solo tables or in pairs

Initial Activity

The vigil began quietly with minimal activity across all stations—Louise noted the bar area was notably quieter compared to upper floors. Louise's K2 then began spiking to yellow, progressing to red. Glasswork and Estes yielded no responses initially.

Calling Out

Multiple movements heard from the restaurant area above. Ros and Sophie investigated, taking K2 and cat ball equipment. Despite quiet calling out, no responses were received upstairs. Upon asking spirit to indicate if they wanted us to leave by activating equipment, nothing was received. We returned to the bar.

Audible "Shush" Captured

Upon returning downstairs, Derry asked "Did anyone just say shush?" All team members denied making the noise. Sophie heard it but assumed it was Ros behind her—Ros confirmed she had not spoken. The "shush" is clearly audible on the Facebook Live recording—confirmed by a viewer who commented hearing it during the live feed.

Final Glasswork Session

The copper square and glass were moved to the bar surface for easier movement. From this point, communication was constant for approximately 30 minutes.

Multiple spirits communicated, with two primary contacts:

Trish's Little Man – Brief communication before departing.

The Angry Mistress – Arrived and made her feelings towards Sophie abundantly clear:

Firmly stated Sophie was not welcome to communicate with her
Expressed continued displeasure regarding the exposure of the illegitimate pregnancy
Explicitly told Sophie to leave the conversation

Sophie apologised sincerely for any upset caused and withdrew from the session. Strong communication continued for several more minutes before naturally tapering off. At this point, we concluded the investigation.

Communication Experiments

Human Pendulum (Top Floor Office)
Three sessions conducted with Trish, Sophie, and continued contact with the Mistress. Multiple spirits communicated including the Joker, the Man of the House, his wife, and the Mistress. Physical effects experienced by Sophie (stomach pains) and Eden (heat, dizziness). Session ended for safety when the Mistress became hostile.

Glasswork (All Floors)
Highly active throughout. Glass with cat ball inside used within copper square. Cat ball spun inside glass multiple times without illuminating. Intelligent responses received. The Mistress returned via glass on multiple occasions, expressing hostility toward Sophie.

Estes Method (Top Floor & Restaurant)
Multiple sessions conducted by Ian, Trish, George, and Toni. Ian's session particularly active with voice change noted. George received the name "George" and "December." Possible dual spirit communication detected.

Alice Box (Restaurant)
Relevant contextual responses including "candles" (acted upon), "Timothy," "new moon," and "noise" (immediately followed by fridge sound). Unprecedented behaviour noted when box beeped but produced no word.

Knock Communication (Restaurant)
Response received to single knock. Four distinct footsteps heard from confirmed empty upper floor.

Auditory Phenomena

Clear audible "shush" captured on Facebook Live—confirmed by live viewer
Footsteps heard from empty upper floor walking in circular pattern
Four distinct footsteps from upper floor when confirmed empty
Three bangs from upstairs in response to copy request—investigator upstairs confirmed stationary
Multiple movements heard from restaurant area during bar vigil
Movement heard from upstairs during George's Estes session
Evil laugh heard by Ian during Estes
Kitchen fridge made noise immediately after Alice box said "noise"

Environmental & Physical Effects

Sophie: Stomach pains when communicating with the Mistress about pregnancy
Eden: Sudden heat and dizziness during pendulum—ceased immediately upon leaving building. Persistent slight headache throughout entire evening. Dramatic temperature fluctuations—very warm then very cold repeatedly. Tingling and pins and needles with involuntary arm rising during pendulum. Sharp persistent pain in left side of chest during glasswork—subsided when hand removed from glass
George: Sudden inexplicable emotional state approaching hysterical sobbing—recovered within seconds of leaving table.
Ian: Touched by unseen presence while alone on landing. Felt vibrations on floorboards as if someone pacing around him—no one present. Voice changed to robotic and much deeper during Estes.
Two Additional Team Members: Sickness and stomach pain during Mistress communication—one removed from circle.

Equipment & Atmosphere

K2 activations to red levels—particularly at confirmation of Little Tim's age
REM Pod activations with no natural explanation—including extended 5-minute activation
Cat ball responses throughout venue
Cat ball spinning inside glass without illuminating—multiple occurrences
Atmosphere shifts noted, particularly during Mistress communication

Conclusion

A highly active investigation at The Cherub Inn yielding extensive spirit communication and multiple corroborated phenomena across all three floors.

Notable Spirit Contacts:

- The Joker / Trish's Little Man – Male spirit, former worker when the building was a private house. Died from a broken neck after being pushed down the stairs. Friendly and communicative.

- The Man of the House – Male spirit, married, initially welcoming but became angry and distrustful when the affair was revealed.

- The Mistress – Female spirit, former worker who had an affair with the man of the house. Became intensely angry when her pregnancy was exposed, particularly hostile towards Sophie. The secret of her illegitimate child appears central to the haunting.

- Little Tim – Child spirit under 5 years old, the illegitimate child of the mistress and the man of the house. Present during WW2 era. A secret surrounds this spirit.

- Adult Timothy – Approximately 25 years old, separate spirit from child Tim.

- Resident Spirit Cat – Presence confirmed via glass communication.

Historical Discovery

Through spirit communication, we confirmed that the beams within the pub—including those on the staircase—came from a ship called The New Moon. The staircase beams were specifically identified as the ship's mast. This aligns with historical accounts of the building's maritime connections and the use of ship timber in its construction.

Key Evidence

Multiple K2 activations to red levels
REM Pod activations with no natural explanation
Cat ball responses and unexplained spinning inside glass
Clear audible "shush" captured on Facebook Live and confirmed by viewer
Footsteps heard on empty upper floor
Physical sensations experienced by multiple team members
Extensive intelligent responses via pendulum, glasswork, and Estes method
Alice box providing relevant and contextual responses

Overall: An exceptional investigation at a genuinely haunted venue with a rich tapestry of resident spirits spanning different eras. The Cherub Inn houses friendly entities alongside those harbouring unresolved emotions—particularly surrounding the secret of an illegitimate pregnancy and child from the WW2 period. The willingness of spirits to communicate, combined with the historical revelation about The New Moon ship, makes this location highly recommended for future investigation.

The team extends sincere thanks to Trish and all the staff at The Cherub Inn for their hospitality and enthusiastic participation throughout the evening.