The ghost of Tom Otter is said to still haunt the Sun Inn pub in Saxilby, near Lincoln, the place where he was sentenced to death for the murder of his wife.
Tom lived in the county in the early 1800’s. His story begins when he met a young girl called Mary Kirkham. The two got on well and become very close, leading to Mary giving birth to Tom’s child. Laws of the time stated that Tom must either marry Mary or go to jail. Although still married to someone else, Tom wed Mary on the 3rd November 1805.

On this same night while walking home together Tom killed Mary with a hedge stake. Tom was later arrested, charged and found guilty of the murder. He was subsequently sentenced to death at a trial, which took place at the Sun Inn, which is still there today.
Mary Kirkham’s body was found in the lane and was also taken to the Sun Inn. As the body was brought in, blood spills on to the steps of the Inn. This blood was to have stained the steps for many years after the murder took place, although great efforts and attempts were made to clean them.

On the 14th March 1806 Tom Otter was hanged and the body was fastened in irons and hung upon a high post. Even this event was surrounded by tragedy – the body fell from the post twice due to the weight of the irons and on the second occasion, crushed and killed one of the guards.
The stake that killed Mary was kept for many years. Every year on the night, which the murder took place, the stake would be removed from wherever it was being kept. Attempts were repeatedly made to secure it using iron hoops or staples, but nothing was found that could hold it. The following morning, it would be found in the spot where the murder took place and would be, most frighteningly, be ‘wet with gore’.

Nobody knew or found out, whom or what was moving the stake and the Bishop of Lincoln in the yard outside the Cathedral eventually burnt it. To this day regulars in the Sun Inn still hear strange sounds that can’t be explained and still feeling an eerie presence in the building