A tragic tale has left a very visible imprint on the Royal Stag at Datchet. According to the story, sometime during the Victorian era, a labourer and his son stopped at the inn on a particularly bleak winter's day. Whilst the father went inside the pub to partake in some liquid refreshment, his son played outside. Gradually the cold began to take its toll on the youngster, so he went to the window in an attempt to attract his fathers attention. Unfortunately, the man was having too good a time with his beer and the company to notice his son. The desperate child pressed his hand against the window in an attempt to draw notice to his plight, but the cold had already dealt its cruel hand - the boy collapsed in the snow and perished, leaving a solitary handprint on the glass.

 

From time to time, a small handprint is said to appear on a window. Other phenomena reported include disembodied footsteps being heard, objects being moved and bottles smashed.