Are you planning a trip to the city of a thousand ghosts? The haunted city of York is the ideal place for a spooky weekend away. Read on for my guide to the best spooky things to do in York.
Did you know that York is known as the city of a thousand ghosts? York is a wonderful place to visit with its rich history, pretty meandering streets, and a magical atmosphere – but it’s also dubbed to be the most haunted city in Europe!
With a history dating back to 7,000 BC, it’s actually one of the most historic cities in the UK too. The city of York was founded as the Roman city of Eboracum but later became known as Jorvik due to its Viking invaders. An important era in York’s history is its Medieval period too, when the city walls were strengthened and landmark buildings were built.
Naturally, York has a dark history too. From plague houses and witchcraft to the Black Death and torture, the city is filled with dark history and hauntings.
Without a doubt, it’s one of the best places to go to get your spook on in England.
If you’re planning a trip to the haunted city of York, look no further. Here’s your ultimate guide to spooky things to do in York.
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York Ghost Bus Tour
Much like The York Dungeon, the York Ghost Bus Tour mixes horror with humour. The bus takes you on a tour around some of York’s spookiest sites, such as Clifford’s Tower and Dick Turpin’s grave. The tour takes place on an atmospheric and classic 1960s Routemaster bus, decked out in midnight-black paint and antique lamps inside.
The Hole In Wand Crazy Golf
The Hole In Wand is just a little spooky, but it’s really fun and magical so it’s still worth mentioning. From a giant picture frame hole to magical portals, this fun course takes crazy golf to the next level. Before you even begin to play, you are first tested on your witch or wizard magic powers. Plus every player receives a free magic potion upon completing the nine-hole course. The attention to detail for each hole is absolutely amazing. We really felt like we’d entered the magical world of Harry Potter when we played. A standard ticket costs just £8.29 also, making it a total bargain.
![A billboard outlining some of the shows you can watch at The York Dungeon, one of the spookiest things to do in York. Shows include York Minster, Curse of the witch and Vengeance of the Vikings.](https://themorbidtourist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Pinterest-6-1024x576.jpg)
The York Dungeon
For the perfect way to discover York’s gruesome history, visit The York Dungeon. A 75-minute tour includes ten live actor shows such as Curse of the Witch and Dick Turpin. Each set offers an immersive atmosphere with gripping storytelling to help 2000 years of York’s history come to life – with humour and spooky fun.
Evil Eye Lounge
So Evil Eye Lounge isn’t spooky as such, but this hidden gem is worth visiting for its weird decor, tasty drinks and scary name. The unique bar and lounge is filled with hidden nooks and chill-out areas where you can kick back and relax with tasty cocktails and drinks. From open mic nights to sessions all about the history of cocktails, there are always plenty of events on too.
You can find it on Stonegate, across and under the watching eye of the Stonegate Devil…
I’m unsure whether it’s still open or not, but the bar is situated behind what was once a world record-holding gin shop too!
![The grave of infamous highway man, Dick Turpin, in York](https://themorbidtourist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Pinterest-7-1024x576.jpg)
Dick Turpin’s Grave
The infamous highwayman Dick Turpin had a rich history in York when he spent his final days in York Castle Prison. He was tried and executed in the city and buried in a small cemetery/public park. You can visit his grave today, which is marked with a gravestone that refers to him as both his alias John Palmer and Richard Turpin. In recent years, a storyboard from the York Dungeon has been added to the park, sharing more of his story. It’s said that a ghostly figure on horseback is sometimes spotted in the area too..!
Speaking of Dick Turpin…
Drink on Dick Turpin’s Coffin
If you visit The Blue Boar – a haunted pub in York – you can enjoy a drink on a replica of Dick Turpin’s coffin. The coffin is in the cellar, where his ghost is said to haunt. Once he was hanged in 1739, people would pay one penny to see his body laid out here on display.
![The Victorian-themed storefront of The York Ghost Merchants](https://i2.wp.com/themorbidtourist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Pinterest-3-576x1024.jpg?ssl=1)
![A selection of ghosts from The York Ghost Merchants, showcased in plush red velvet displays](https://i0.wp.com/themorbidtourist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Pinterest-9-576x1024.jpg?ssl=1)
The York Ghost Merchants
Getting your very own ghost from The York Ghost Merchants is a must-do in York. After all, who doesn’t want a little ghost as a souvenir from the city of a thousand ghosts? This charming shop in the heart of the Shambles has around 600 small ceramic ghosts on display, each entirely unique. But choosing your own ghost is only half the fun. Much of the magic of your visit will come from the experience of visiting the Georgian-inspired shop, finding hidden ghosts and chatting with the charismatic ghost merchants. Please note, the queues to enter the shop can be very long sometimes. You can also try their less-busy shop, The Guild Room, just around the corner.
Read my guide Everything You Need to Know About the York Ghost Merchants for more information.
York Ghost Tours
York is known as the city of 1,000 ghosts, so of course there are plenty of ghost tours to choose from! I loved Mad Alice’s Bloody Tales of York tour, which was about gruesome stories and historic events. Mad Alice was so knowledgeable and charismatic. But I think The Original Ghost Tour of York sounds amazing too.
The Stonegate Devil
If you take a wander down Stonegate, you’ll eventually spot a mischievous-looking little red devil perched above a shop.
A print shop was once based at 33 Stonegate and, like many businesses at the time, they displayed a wooden effigy to indicate the type of business they offered. According to folklore, misspelt words or errors made in print would be blamed on demons haunting the shops. Over time, the blame for such mistakes was transferred to the printer’s assistant, who gained the nickname printer’s devil.
Therefore, a little wooden devil was placed above the shop to indicate the business inside! The shop has long closed but the devil remains – although it’s said that looking directly into its eyes would cause misfortune to the observer…
The Plague House
Just outside of York Minster, at number 5 College Street, you’ll find what is known as The Plague House. Back in the Middle Ages, the Black Death plague hit the city hard. The story goes that the family inside contracted the plague and the townspeople bricked them up inside the home to avoid the Black Death spreading further. One by one, the family all died apart from their youngest daughter who was free from the disease. Despite this, the people of York refused to let her out and abandoned her to die of starvation, as she cried out the window.
An alternative version of the story claims it was actually the daughter who contracted the disease and the family left her to die, locking her in her room and marking the front door with a red X.
Either way, a ghostly child has been seen staring out of the window and crying at 5 College Street.
![One of the magical shops found along The Shambles in York. A display states 'Park Your Broom' with broomsticks hung below, outside a Harry Potter themed shop.](https://i1.wp.com/themorbidtourist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/The-Shambles-1-576x1024.jpg?ssl=1)
![A sign depicting Little Shambles](https://i2.wp.com/themorbidtourist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Pinterest-576x1024.jpg?ssl=1)
Wander Down The Shambles
The Shambles isn’t just one of the prettiest streets in England – it’s also one of the oldest! This medieval street dates back to the late fourteenth and fifteenth century, when it once belonged to butcher shops. Even today, you can still spot some of the original butcher’s meat hooks attached to shop fronts. Though the street is pretty with its crooked buildings that almost touch overhead, there is a reason for this – to help protect meat from the sun. The raised pavements on either side of the cobbled street also helped to wash away the blood and innards from the animal’s carcasses…
Nowadays, the street is a magical one to visit. You’ll find Harry Potter-themed shops, potion-making establishments, and The York Ghost Merchants nestled between food and gift shops.
York Cold War Bunker
The eerie York Cold War Bunker was constructed in 1961 as part of Britain’s defence against the impact of a nuclear strike. The fully restored building contains a generating plant, kitchen and canteen, dormitories, radio and landline communication equipment, and specialist 1980s computers which can be visited on a pre-booked guided tour only. This unique underground experience is fascinating but can also be quite unnerving to visit when you consider what life would have been like if the bunker was actually needed!
York Cat Trail
If you’re looking for something more pocket-friendly, the York Cat Trail is a great way to explore the city. Up to 26 cat statues can be spotted around York (most of which are black), but this number is continually changing as more pop up! You can download a copy of the York Cat Trail here. No one knows the true story of why they are there, but we do know that some date back to as early as the 19th century.
Hocus Pocus Tiny Hotel
If you’re looking for somewhere to stay in York, I’d recommend the magical Hocus Pocus Tiny Hotel. This stunning hotel is just a stone’s throw away from The Shambles. It’s beautiful, characteristic and just a little bit spooky. Based in an old medieval building, it offers four higgledy-piggledy rooms, each with a different magical theme from a Victorian sleeping wagon to an old alchemist’s shop. The hotel also offers sweet ad-ons, such as full moon packages and spell boxes! When you stay at the Hocus Pocus Tiny Hotel, it’s much more like a magical experience rather than just somewhere to sleep for the night.
Haunted York: The Most Haunted Places in York
If you really want to get your spook on, I’d suggest visiting haunted spots in York. Many of them are pubs! Here’s a brief look at some of the most haunted, but I’ll also be curating a blog post listing them all pretty soon.
National Trust – Treasurer’s House
This stunning house is more than 2,000 years old, so it’s no surprise some hauntings take place here. Commonly reported experiences include a cat that explores the cafe in the basement, a grey lady spotted on various chairs around the house and mysterious dog sightings.
The most interesting instances are related to the previous owner, Mr Green. He threatened to haunt the house if any furniture was moved or anything not to his liking occurred. Today people often smell his strong cigar smoke as if he is checking up on the house.
![Spooky Things to Do in York: The haunted Treasurer's House in York](https://themorbidtourist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Pinterest-5-1024x576.jpg)
Other great reports relate to Roman soldiers walking through the walls within the house. The most well-known instance took place in 1953 when an engineer repeatedly heard trumpets blasting. He then saw a group of soldiers walk through the cellar and disappear into the opposite wall – but each one was only visible from the knees up. This is because they were walking on the original Roman ground level which was further below the cellar floor!
The Snickleway Inn
The Snickeleway Inn is another one of the oldest – and most haunted – pubs in York. This 15th-century inn was once a brothel and gunpowder storehouse. Today it’s rumoured to be haunted by up to five different ghosts. Spirits include Mrs Tulliver and her cat and Marmaduke Buckle. The story of Marmaduke Buckle is a sad one. He was a disabled man who committed suicide while living in the property next door (now La Piazza). He now roams between both buildings.
![The Golden Fleece, one of York's most haunted pubs](https://i0.wp.com/themorbidtourist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Pinterest-10-576x1024.jpg?ssl=1)
![A plaque outside The Golden Fleece, listing the five famous ghosts that reside inside: Lady Alice Peckett, Geoff Monroe, One Eyed Jack, Grumpy Old Man and Small Child.](https://i1.wp.com/themorbidtourist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Pinterest-11-576x1024.jpg?ssl=1)
The Golden Fleece
Built in 1503, The Golden Fleece is said to be haunted by up to 15 different spirits. The most well-known are Lady Alice Peckett, Geoff Monroe, One Eyed Jack, a grumpy old man and a small child. Many visitors claim to spot the ghost of Alice Peckett – wife of previous owner John Peckett – wandering around the pub and hotel late at night. One Eyed Jack is usually spotted in the bar downstairs, wearing a 16th-17th century red coat and carrying a pistol.
Yes, the pub is also a hotel. Guests brave enough can spend the night in one of four guest rooms that reside above the bar.
Would you spend the night here? There are so many haunted pubs in York that you could easily do a Haunted York pub crawl!
35 Stonegate
35 Stonegate is a story close to home for me, even though it no longer exists! I first visited York back in 2011 and stumbled across this genuine haunted house called Haunted. Situated at 35 Stonegate, it was a house that you could enter and tour in your own time, with an audio tour explaining the history of the house. I loved it because it was so authentic with no gimmicks or anything like that. Unfortunately, it has since closed down and the building is now an Oliver & Bonas – but you can still visit the shop.
Here are some really old (bad quality) photos I managed to find from that trip!
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I can’t for the life of me remember all the stories and history surrounding the house. But the York Dungeon includes a show about it to my delight! Up to 14 ghosts haunted the premises at the time. I wonder if they still reside in the historic rooms above the shop…
York Minster
And finally, last but certainly not least, York Minster. One of the most iconic buildings in York, this stunning and magnificent cathedral has its fair share of ghost stories. York Minster is believed to be haunted by a young man named Dean Gale, who can be seen sitting in the pews, and arsonist Jonathan Martin, who set fire to the cathedral in 1829! There’s also the 1820s story of two women who were exploring the building alone. A man in naval uniform approached them and whispered in one of their ears. The woman then realised it was her deceased brother. He had kept his promise to return after death to tell her what the afterlife was like.
Spooky Things to Do in York: Map of York’s Spookiest Spots
From spooky ghost tours to infamous highwaymen’s graves, there’s so much spooky and haunted stuff to do in the historic city of York.
Make sure you save this guide for your next visit – and feel free to comment with any suggestions for other spooky things to do! This guide will be updated often.
Last Update: January 2024
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