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According to ghost hunters, a number of legendary spectres choose horse carriage as their mode of transport. One site of horse-drawn phantasmagoria is the Royal Castle Hotel in Dartmouth, Devon. It is said that an invisible coach may be heard pulling up to collect a passenger during the wee hours of the morning.

Horses’ hooves, the crunch of wheels on cobbled streets, the crack of a whip and the sound of someone leaping on board: These make for uncanny sounds when heard at 2 a.m. with no one in sight.

Some have speculated that the carriage contains a notable ghostly personage: William III of Orange, come to pick up his wife, Queen Mary II. The couple is among famous personages who have stayed at the Royal Castle Hotel.

A coach also figures in a haunting in Chester. According to HauntedChester.com, a ghostly coachman may be seen descending the stairs of an old carriage house on Nicholas Street, clad in riding boots, breeches and a tricorn hat.

Perhaps the most famous posthumous carriage passenger is Anne Bolyenn, second wife of King Henry VII. Anne, whom the king eventually had imprisoned and beheaded on charges of treason, is said to pay regular spectral visits to Blickling Hall, the estate where she was born. The spurned queen has been spotted arriving in a phantom carriage drawn by headless horses, wearing a white gown and cradling her severed head in her lap. One she alights, the coach disappears and Anne begins her long nightly haunt of the corridors and rooms.

And at the Royal Crescent Hotel in Bath, reportedly one of the U.K.’s most haunted cities, the ghost of a young woman named named Elizabeth Linley is seen eloping—night after night—with Irish playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan. The couple, whose union ended unhappily (he was untrue and she died of tuberculosis at age 38), ride in an elegant coach pulled by a team of four horses.

Arrange a haunted horse drawn carriage tour

If you are an amateur ghost hunter, you may want to arrange for your own tour of paranormal Bath via horse and carriage. You can hire a horse-drawn carriage and driver through the Bath Carriage Company, at a charge of £40 per hour for up to 4 adults, £50 for 5 adults, and £60 for 6 adults. Which haunts should you haunt on your bespoke itinerary? Your intrepid party might choose from any number of sites, including the Assembly Rooms, The Park, The Theatre Royal, The Garrick’s Head pub, The Grappa Bar and Pizzeria (formerly The Beehive pub) and The Crystal Palace Tavern.

After some suspenseful sightseeing, you may wish to stop for refreshments at one of Bath’s many fine pubs. The Garrick’s Head comes highly recommended, boastsing a selection of four ales and two draught Somerset ciders as well as a number of wines. On Sundays, the pub provides a meal of locally sourced, free-range roast with all the trimmings, starting at just £10.00.

Looking for a lavish Valentine’s Day idea? For £1000, you can have a hamper of goodies from Fortnum & Mason delivered to a loved one via horse-drawn carriage.

The Picadilly-based establishment, specializing in “food, drink, gifts and luxuries,” has a variety of Valentine’s-themed goodies on offer. Winning options range from the £40.00 “Valentino”—a tea set complete with Royal Blend tea, sugar, chocolates and a heart-emblazoned mug—to the £75.00 extravaganza called “Le Boudoir.”

The “Le Boudoir” hamper is chock-full of elegant treats encouraging your sweetheart to pamper themselves. This gift is a feast for the senses, from champagne and candles to bath oil and body cream, from fresh strawberries and champagne to foie gras and biscuits.

The cupid in you can also opt to add more to any pre-packaged hamper. Browse through Fortum & Mason’s extensive online catalogue at www.fortnumandmason.com.

There, you’ll find endless permutations of thoughtfulness on view: a dozen red roses; a basket of island-evoking tropical fruit like pineapple, mango, oranges, papaya and baby bananas; a heart-shaped “Melt Into Me” cheeseboard with a selection of fine cheeses and biscuits; boxes of rich chocolate truffles; perfume and more.

If you’re feeling particularly swashbuckling this year, you could spring for peridot and blue topaz earrings from Kiki McDonough (£875.96), or pop the question with the help of a jar of “Marry Me Quick” Splendid Sweets (£5.00).

The clop-clopping of horses hooves at the curb and an unexpected delivery: With the help of Fortnum & Mason, you’ll be sure to sweep your sweetie off their feet!

Classic dressage: Buying today’s livery

The impeccable livery worn by coach attendants is part of the romance of the horse-drawn carriage. The sight of professional horsemen clad in top hats, stock ties and natty coats and breeches—in somber black or vivid reds and blues enlivened by gold buttons and epaulets—recalls a bygone era of gentility.

Where do today’s grooms and coachmen go for their livery in this age of motorcycles and blue jeans?

One source is G.D. Golding, bespoke tailors known for their hand-cut military uniforms and livery. Established in 1963, the Hertferdshire-based outfitters count royalty among their clientele, as well as more than 50 regiments and corps of the British Army, Royal Marines and Royal Air Force.

Golding’s offers an array of livery options, from bespoke shirts to service dress jackets and trousers to gold shoulder cords. Clients of G.D. Golding may opt to be fitted at the clothiers Hertferdshire offices, at Golding’s shop in Saville Row, or have the tailors come to their home or office.

To learn more about G.D. Golding, visit http://www.goldings.co.uk

Bespoke Mears is another fine place to obtain livery. At the Mears factory in West Midlands, the clothiers make hand-cut equestrian and country wear, fashioned from fabrics from the top British Mills.

Mears Country Jackets has been around for some 100 years. Their bespoke venture is a relatively new one. Bespoke Mears offers an array of clothing suitable for today’s coachmen, from ladies and gentlemen’s frock coats to tailcoats in red or black. To learn more about the Wallsall-based Bespoke Mears, visit http://www.bespokemears.com.

A horse-drawn joke to brighten up your day:

Little Tom, Little Jimmy and Tom’s father were at an art museum. Little Tom came across a picture of someone in a carriage being pulled by a horse.

Little Tom brought his father over to look at the picture and asked him, “What’s this, Daddy?”

His father replied, “That’s a horse-drawn carriage, son.”

Little Tom excitedly ran over to Little Jimmy, brought him back to the picture and said, “Jimmy, a horse drew this picture!”