Most haunted Yorkshire
Spooks, spirits, ghouls and ghosts ... Sue Wilkinson spotlights those that stalk some of the county’s most famous places.
Yorkshire is home to fascinatingly historic buildings, a few of them home to all kinds of ghoulish ghosts and sinister spirits.
From macabre monks to the deadly daughter of a vengeful victim, dare you visit the places across God’s Own County they haunt?
Bolton Abbey
Bolton Abbey is one of the only surviving examples of an Augustinian monastery in the UK.
It was ruined after the dissolution of the monasteries but the east end has been well preserved.
The destruction hasn’t stopped it from being one of the most haunted buildings in Yorkshire.
It’s said that the existing structures are haunted by the
ghost of a monk, who died just before the dissolution, and his soul has never been able to rest.
He’s been named the Black Canon, thanks to his dark cassock, cloak and hat.
You can even hear his footsteps wandering around the rectory!
The Black Swan, Helmsley
The Black Swan is a renowned pub, hotel and restaurant that dates back more than 500 years.
Over that time, it’s earned a reputation as one of the most haunted places in Yorkshire.
This is thanks to a few resident ghosts that have been reported by staff and guests alike!
There are tales of an old, well-dressed man wandering the corridors and sightings of a young blonde woman.
Fountains Abbey
Fountains Abbey is a ruined Cistercian monastery,
full of beautiful relics of a bygone era, and it’s also one of the most haunted.
There have been reports of a ghostly choir chanting in Chapel of Nine Altars and an Elizabethan man emerging from panelling in Fountains Hall.
The spirit of the daughter of Sir Stephen Proctor, who
built Fountains Hall in the 16th century, is believed to roam the halls too.
The Fleece Inn, Elland Most Haunted named this inn the most haunted pub in Britain, loads of incredibly chilling tales surrounding this 400 year-old watering hole.
There have been reports of murders, secret tunnels and headless horseman but its current landlords have their own tales of a poltergeist. From glasses falling off shelves to shadowy figures moving between rooms, it’s not for the faint-hearted, whether you’ve had a pint or not!
Burton Agnes Hall
The Elizabethan manor house is home to the ghost of Anne Griffith, daughter of Sir Henry Griffith, who built the hall.
She was attacked in 1620 on the highway and died later at home.
Before she died, she claimed she could never rest unless a part of her could remain in the house so her sisters agreed her head would be severed and stay there forever.
There have been attempts to throw it away over the years, which woke her angry spirit up, and now it’s believed the
skull has been built into the walls of the Great Hall.
Scarborough Castle
The castle has seen many reports of the ghost of a man, beheaded in the 14th century, walking the paths.
One version of the story says he tries to lure visitors to the edge of the cliff edge and then pushes them off.
East Riddlesden Hall
Built in the 1630s, the 17th century hall has a history of spooky sightings, including The Grey Lady.
Also a member of staff noticed a small boy wandering around the building in period clothing.
Believing it was a member of a school group attending the hall in costume – a regular occurrence – she approached the child and asked him if he had become separated from his school group.
After receiving no answer from the boy, the woman went to the office to report the incident, only to be told that no school groups were visiting that day!
Temple Newsam
Of its many spirits, one of the most notorious is that of Mary Ingram. In her early teens, she was held up by a gang of highwaymen when she returned home late one night.
With nobody around to save her, she had no choice but to give up her pearls, which she wore around her neck on all occasions.
The robbery had a severe impact on her mental and physical health, Mary’s health deteriorating until she finally died.
Her ghost is often spotted, likely searching for the pearls. Visitors often report hearing muffled cries, along with rippling carpets and sudden
blasts of cold air!