The Wheatsheaf Pub Haunting - West Boldon, UK: The Girl Buried in the Wall

The Wheatsheaf Pub Haunting: Was a Girl Buried in the Wall at West Boldon?

Nestled in the quiet village of West Boldon, Tyne and Wear, the Wheatsheaf Pub became the centre of an unsettling mystery in 2004. During a charity event hosted on the premises, medium Suzanne Hadwin claimed to contact the spirit of a young girl named Jessica Ann Hargreaves, said to be no more than six years old. According to Hadwin, Jessica had been murdered in the pub’s cellar by a man named Joseph Lawrence, also referred to as Armstrong—whom she described as a malevolent figure responsible for multiple child deaths.

Patrons were already familiar with odd occurrences in the pub—strange noises, uneasy feelings, and areas staff avoided—but the medium’s revelations added a terrifying new layer. Hadwin claimed the spirits of 37 individuals remained trapped within the pub, victims of historical violence and cruelty. Her description of the events, particularly the murder of Jessica, disturbed many.

Then came a chilling discovery.

Shortly after the séance, staff decided to investigate part of the building that had long been sealed off. Behind a bricked-up fireplace in the cellar, they uncovered what appeared to be a child’s shoe, a fragment of a dress, and a lock of hair—items eerily consistent with Hadwin’s claims. Whether these were remnants of tragedy or old relics from a forgotten time remains uncertain, but the timing and location sent shivers down the spines of those involved.

The Wheatsheaf quickly drew media attention, earning a spot on the Discovery Channel’s A Haunting series. By the end of the year, it was voted the most haunted pub in the UK.

Though no official records have confirmed the identity of Jessica or the alleged killer, the findings and medium's account continue to raise unnerving questions. Was the Wheatsheaf merely the stage for an overactive imagination—or does something far darker linger beneath its floors?

Even now, visitors speak of a heavy atmosphere in the cellar and refuse to stay down there alone. One thing is certain: the Wheatsheaf is no ordinary pub.

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