York is a serious contender for most haunted city in England. Certainly every pub seems to have a ghost, legend or piece of folklore associated with it. And during the busy tourist season, there are no end of ghost tours across the city – easily identified by the histrionic gents in Victorian dress herding unsuspecting groups of visitors down lonely back-streets…
Yet the stories tell us much about York – and England’s – troubled history. The restless dead are often plague victims, Catholics, traitors, deviants, madmen and outlaws or their victims; men and women at the boundaries of society who represented ‘otherness’.
The ghosts stretch back as far as York’s history: the spectres of Roman legionnaires have been seen across a number of sites. Modern York has its own folk-tradition in the form of black cats – 23 little statues on walls and rooftops across the city. No-one has ever seen all of them however, and it’s rumoured that if anyone did, they’d become cursed for the rest of their days…
To find out more, pick a marker from the map above, or an item below, or just browse the list.
- York’s black catsThere are at least 23 statuettes of black cats in York, many to be found ...
- York MinsterYork Minster is one of the greatest cathedrals in northern Europe, and part of a ...
- York CastleYork Castle was originally a large fortified complex, comprising the keep of Clifford’s Tower, prisons ...
- York Arms, High PetergateA grey lady haunts this city centre pub, possibly a medieval nun, and perhaps the ...
- Ye Olde Starre Inne, StonegateBelieved to be the oldest licensed premises in the York, it consists of a 17th ...
- The Windmill, Blossom StreetThis pub is supposedly haunted by a young girl, run over by a cart, and ...
- The Treasurer’s HouseBuilt to house the treasurers of York Minster, the original medieval structure has been largely ...
- The Theatre RoyalThe ghost of a medieval nun has been spotted here. According to legend, she claimed ...
- The Stonegate DevilIn the 16th Century, Stonegate was well known for its book shops and printers. A ...
- The Snickelway Inn, GoodramgateThis pub is a 15th century galleried inn, used as a brothel and a gunpowder ...
- The ShamblesThe Shambles is known for the number of butchers that used to trade from it. ...
- The Royal Oak, GoodramgateDating back to the 15th Century, there has probably been a structure on the site ...
- The Roman Bath, St Sampsons SquareWhile the pub itself is relatively modern, it sits on the site of a Roman ...
- The Punchbowl, StonegateThe Punch Bowl has been a pub for over four centuries. It carries an historical ...
- The Old White Swan, GoodramgateThis pub is a collection of around nine buildings, some dating back to the 16th ...
- The Hole in the Wall, High PetergateA hidden dungeon was discovered in this pub in 1816, including chains and manacles. White ...
- The Golden Fleece, PavementMentioned in York archives as far back as 1503, the pub was at one point ...
- The Cock and Bottle, SkeldergateAlthough the pub is relatively modern, it is haunted. A landlady was disturbed by a ...
- The Blue Boar, CastlegateAccording to legend, the corpse of the notorious highwayman Dick Turpin was laid out in ...
- The Black Swan, Peasholme GreenThe pub dates back to the 15th century, when it was a private house. It ...
- St William’s CollegeA unique non-monastic religious building, St William’s College was named after Archbishop William Fitzherbert, who ...
- St Saviour, St SaviourgateA church has stood on this site since the 11th century, although the present building ...
- St Mary’s AbbeyOriginally dedicated to St Olave in 1055, this Benedictine abbey was re-established shortly after William ...
- St Mary, Bishophill SeniorAll that remains of this church, demolished in the 1960s, is a community garden, which ...
- St Leonard’s hospitalSt Leonard’s was the largest medieval hospital in England and cared for the ill and ...
- St Crux, PavementOriginally the largest medieval parish church in York after its rebuilding in 1424, it was demolished ...
- Minster undercroft and cryptThe Minster’s undercroft and crypt reveal much about its Norman legacy. The crypt, in particular, ...
- Micklegate BarThis gatehouse was the traditional ceremonial entrance for royalty, who would typically approach the city ...
- Lund’s Court (formerly Mad Alice Lane)Mad Alice haunts this snickelway. Beaten remorselessly by her husband, she finally attacked and killed ...
- King’s ManorCurrently leased to the University of York, King’s Manor was built in 1270 as a ...
- Judge’s CourtThis alleyway off Coney Street leads into a courtyard and, beyond, a four-storey Georgian building. ...
- Holy Trinity, MicklegateOn the site of a pre-conquest building, it includes remnants of a Benedictine priory church. ...
- Holy Trinity, GoodramgateThis lovely, small church, hidden away in a secluded churchyard, dates from the 11th century, ...
- Foss BridgeA lady in a shroud, possibly the same woman who stalks St Crux, has been ...
- Dick Turpin’s graveBeyond the city centre, opposite St. George’s Church not far from Walmgate Bar, lies a ...
- Dean Court HotelThis prestigious hotel, on the site of the original Roman fortress, is haunted by a ...
- Clifford’s TowerClifford’s Tower is a keep within the larger complex of York Castle. It is situated ...
- Bootham BarBootham is a continuation of Petergate outside the city walls. There has been a gateway ...
- BedernAn ancient lane, off Goodramgate, leading to Bedern Chapel and Hall and, via Bartle Garth, ...
- All Saints, PavementA church has been located here since before the Norman Conquest. The minster church, according ...
- 5 College StreetA ghostly child has been seen staring out of the window in the upper floor ...
- 41 StonegateThis innocuous shop is host to a ghostly child. The girl toppled over a bannister ...