The Jester's Court Pub & Eatery, Port Perry, ON

I very recently took a trip with a friend of mine to the small town of Port Perry, ON which is located in Scugog Township roughly 45 minutes northeast of Toronto. A small, quaint town with a population of approximately 9,500 people Port Perry is a picturesque place of beauty complete with historical buildings and streets lined with beautifully kept Victorian homes.

Nestled on the shores of Lake Scugog, it is also home to the Mississauga First Nations People, this town boasts many shops and outdoor activities for all ages. Port Perry has its share of long time residents, both living and dead. When you enter the small town, you can't help but sense the history there, and Port Perry is no stranger to ghostly phenomena and other paranormal activities.

One place in particular is the famous Jester's Court Pub & Eatery, located on Queen Street just minutes from the Town Hall and just east of the waterfront of Lake Scugog. This historic house has been the victim of three town fires, the first one occuring in 1883, the second in 1884 and the third in 1901. Tragically, the house had burnt down on 2 occassions and rebuilt in the late 1800's on its original foundation and is the existing structure that still stands today. Upon entering The Jester's Court (which was formerly a fine dining establishment called The Murray House until it was sold to the present owners) one can't help but sense something about the place, a certain "character" or "aura" about it. We walked in through the front door and immediately sat down at the bar, ordering a couple of cold pints ~ my friend wanted to go upstairs and sit down but the look on the bartender's face told us that sitting upstairs was perhaps "not recommended". Hmmmmmm.

After spending some time sitting at the bar and chatting with the bartender, my friend finally piped up and decided to ask her about the resident ghosts in the pub. She was very apprehensive at first and told us that she has heard and felt things but has never seen any of the spectres that haunt the local pub and eatery. She was quite adamant about never wanting to see anything and I don't blame her one bit! Who would want to? (aside from people such as myself who are curiously intrigued and fascinated by the paranormal).

She told us of the most famous ghosts that haunt the building such as the little girl who is seen playing on the oak staircase that leads up to the second floor banquet area, and the elderly woman in Victorian Era Dress that will come down the stairs and move across the dining room as a full bodied apparation!! Incredible!! My friend and I decided to venture upstairs (to use the washroom) and as soon as we reached the top landing of the stairs on the second floor, the atmosphere changed! The air became heavy and there was a sense that someone was watching you; I immediately began to feel weak in the knees (which never happens to me!) and felt like I was invading someone else's space. We took a few pictures and then went to the bathroom, keeping an eye out for an apparition in the mirror (which is known to occur to patrons on occasion!).

All in all we had a great time there, and the food and staff are amazing as well! Further research and investigation into The Jester's Court Pub & Eatery is definitely on my list of things to do, but until such time, I will continue to visit this local haunt for a pint and a chill.

Sleep well.