North Walsham Guide

The White Lady

Worstead’s New Inn will now be known as The White Lady, celebrating a chilling legend about a ghost said to haunt the neighbouring church on Christmas Eve.

The White Lady with Diane. St Mary's Church, Worstead. August 1975

The name change is part of a major refurbishment of the 19th-century Grade II-listed building, Worstead’s only pub, by its new owner, Dennis Gilligan, who has bought it from Punch Taverns in 2011. He employed village craftsmen to revamp the kitchen and carry out other work, and has taken on staff from the village & local area including chefs Antony Eagleton, son Henry Gilligan and Brandon Cole-Jewell who pride themselves on cooking dishes using seasonal local ingredients and suppliers. The pub also sells Norfolk beer such as Woodforde’s.


Mr Gilligan decided  on the name change because he felt New Inn sounded “very 1960s” and found inspiration in his own home, which had once been another Worstead pub, the King’s Head.
An old newspaper cutting left there told of the White Lady legend and said that a man staying in the King’s Head with friends one Christmas Eve had decided to test the legend of the ghost’s appearance and went to the church. His friends later found him “gibbering with fright,” repeatedly saying: “I have seen her,” before dropping dead.

A beautiful conservatory restaurant is located at the back of the bar area leading to an outside decking area. Five bed and breakfast rooms are located upstairs with five beautiful self catering cottages outside, a sixth is currently under construction (2020).

The importance of the White Lady  to its community is officially recognised by Worstead Parish Council as a community asset.




1697 page views.

< Back

Contact Name:
Dennis Gilligan

Telephone:
01692 535391

Mobile Number:
07836237085

Address:
Front Street
Worstead
Norfolk
NR29 9RW

For the people of North Walsham by the people of North Walsham.
The North Walsham Guide is maintained by North Walsham residents who 'know their stuff' and every endeavour is made to keep information up to date. Unfortunately things do change without us knowing. If you know any reason why this entry for The White Lady is not suitable or no longer current then please do let us know. If you know of any business or organisation who we have missed please either let us know so we can add them or let them know as it's easy and free to register.

Support The White Lady

Please help us to help you and the North Walsham organisations and businesses in the guide. Let The White Lady know you found them in The North Walsham Guide.

The North Walsham Guide aims to support local businesses or organisations like The White Lady by providing this free service because at the end of the day we live and work here too and shopping locally and using North Walsham services helps us all, not just The White Lady.