St. Crux Church, York

The 15th century St Crux Church was demolished in 1887 and some of its stone was then used to build St Crux Parish Hall. Writing in 1939, Elliott O’Donnell (27 February 1872 – 8 May 1965) mentioned the following ghostly traditions associated with St Crux in his ‘Haunted Churches’. ‘All kinds of stories have at various times been circulated regarding ghostly happenings at St. Crux church, York. One told me some years ago by a York police constable was as follows: One of his mates was pacing along The Pavement one night when, on coming to St. Crux, he heard, to his surprise, the sounds of music proceeding from within. He stopped to listen. It was the Funeral March being played on the organ, in crescendo. He was dumbfounded. A funeral service at this hour of the night, and no hearse and carriages! Gradually the sounds became softer, and the door of the church slowly opened. The astounded policeman who watched, his eyes bulging, saw nothing, but he was conscious of something coming out of the church, and not only heard the rustling of dresses but felt them swish against his legs as they swept him. When this ceased, the door of the church gently closed, and darkness and silence once again reigned within. My informant assured me his mate was very matter-of-fact and non-imaginative, a stolid North Countryman.

People passing the church at night have not infrequently declared that a female figure, in a shroud, has come out of it and followed them, either down Fossgate, vanishing as soon as it got to Foss Bridge, or along Collier Gate and St. Andrew Gate, vanishing directly it reached Spen Lane.

It has also been stated that sometimes during service, even in the day-time, the very white face of a man has been seen peering in at one of the windows. This has happened when watch has been kept outside the church, and no one has been seen by the watchers at the window in question.’