The Copt Hill Inn
The Copt Hill Inn sits outside of Houghton on Seaham Road, and is one of the oldest pubs in the area. The venue is purportedly haunted by the ghost of a former landlord who hanged himself in the bar. The pub has had its fair share of paranormal investigations including one in 2002 by a local historian.
The King’s Arms, Deptford
Estimated to be over 150 years old, The Kings Arms is one of the oldest pubs in Wearside and is alleged to be haunted by a former landlord who has been said to throw drinks off the bar. There have also been unexplained sounds attributed to a ghostly waiter, a self-ringing bell, and other mysterious occurrences.
Victorian Gardens, Hendon
Another pub where drinks have been mysteriously spilt by what is believed to have been a spirit. In 2020, a medium visited the pub after a video went viral showing a pint being thrown off a table on its own. The medium claimed that a spirit called “Peter” was dwelling in the pub and gets disturbed by the noise, leading him to react by attacking people’s drinks. There is also an apparent spirit of a women living in the cellar.
The Ship ISIS
Perhaps the most famous of Sunderland’s haunted pubs. The Ship ISIS was built in the late 19th century and became associated with the Victorian serial killer Mary Ann Cotton. In September 2023, a team of paranormal investigators explored the pub and claim they encountered some spooky experiences.
The Marsden Grotto
Although not of course in Sunderland, the Marsden Grotto is nonetheless worth a mention as it is arguably up amongst the most haunted and spooky places in the North East. Here, age old stories circulate of tankards that were drunk by themselves, the spirits of vengeful sailors and stories of flying ash trays, making it all a worthwhile Halloween experience.