The Cambs town with a pub 'haunted' by a ghost dog

Pubs up and down the country are frequented by four-legged locals, but there's one Cambridgeshire town where the dog does more than pester the punters for treats - it chills them to their bones. The Cross Keys Hotel on Chatteris' Market Hill is infamous locally for its brown-furred ghost dog.

A trip to the Fenland town will bring you more than phantom pooches, however. The Cross Keys itself is set in a Grade-Two listed building; holds an impressive collection of medieval weaponry, paintings and china; and is thought to have once welcomed the famous diarist Samuel Pepys.

Chatteris has four more options for those who are thirsty for a pint: The Sportsman, The Ship, The Bramley House and The George Hotel. Food is served at The Cross Keys, The Bramley House and The George Hotel.

Read more: Claims 'too much housing' being built in Cambs town as 20 new homes planned

Read more: The Cambridgeshire village known for its 300-year-old pub and reference to Alan Partridge

For people looking to branch out from a pub meal, the town has Indian and Chinese restaurants, as well as fish and chip shops. One customer of Indian restaurant Spice Lounge, on High Street, commented in a Google review: "The food is always awesome, and staff and managers can't do enough for you. They are always friendly and welcoming."

Moving from Indian food to bands with food-inspired names, Chatteris is the subject of a song by rock group Half Man Half Biscuit. 'For What is Chatteris' begins with the lines: "One way system, smooth and commendable / Go by bus, they're highly dependable / The swings in the park, for the kids, have won awards/ Clean streets acknowledged in The Lords."

The conclusion to the song that paints a respectable, if boring, picture of Chatteris is: "But what's Chatteris if you're not there?" One important person who does happen to be there, however, is ex-world champion snooker player Joe Perry.

In March 2024, the snooker icon opened Joe Perry's Pool and Snooker Palace in Chatteris, the town in which he grew up and first picked up a cue. Neil Robertson, also a former world champion, plans to practise at the site.

Chatteris has inspired a rock band and a world-champion snooker player. Perhaps it has some inspiration to provide for you, or maybe you'll just leave with a newfound fear of ghost dogs.