Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Country and County: Yorkshire

Apparitions / Hauntings

St. Mary’s Church, Scarborough

St Mary’s Church is a Grade I listed building dating from the 12th century, though much of it was rebuilt in the 17th century after it was damaged during the siege ofScarborough Castle during the English Civil War in 1644. In ‘Haunted Churches’ (1939), Elliott O’Donnell (27 February 1872 – 8 May 1965) refers to a woman keeping vigil at St Mary’s on St Mark’s Eve.

Apparitions / Hauntings

All Saints Church, York

The 14th century All Saints’ Church is a Grade I listed building. According to ‘Haunted Churches’ (1939) by Elliott O’Donnell (27 February 1872 – 8 May 1965) ‘All sorts of queer stories are told, too, of the other Pavement church, All Saints.

Apparitions / Hauntings

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.

Hauntings

St. George’s Church, York

On George Street stands the Roman Catholic Church of St George, across from the site of an earlier 16th century St George’s Church which fell into ruin. With the graveyard (which still survives) of this original St George’s was thought to be buried Richard "Dick" Turpin (Died 7 April 1739).

Apparitions / Buried Treasure / English Folktales / Folklore / Folktales / Hauntings / Legends

Sexhow Ghost

According to ‘Notes on the Folk-lore of the Northern Counties of England and the Borders by William Henderson’ (1879). ‘Mr. G. M. Tweddell thus relates the history of an apparition which with fitting retributive justice haunted a certain Yorkshire farmer.

Hauntings

Awd Simmon Beeather

A Glossary of Words used in Holderness (1877) gives the following description for the word Simmon and mentions an associated ghost. ‘Simmon, pounded brick or tiles, used by brick-layers for colouring the mortar. Beating simmon was formerly the hard labour punishment in Beverley Borough Gaol.

Apparitions / Folklore / Hauntings

Fimber Crossroads

The following extract is taken from ‘History of Fimber. A treatise on Agricultural Improvements, Memories of Remarkable Events and Village Tales’ by T. Edmondson (1857), in which he describes local folklore concerning the haunting of the crossroads at Fimber.

Ancient Sites / Burial Mounds

Ba’l Hill, Neolithic Round Barrow

The Neolithic round barrow at Wold Newton stands nearly three meters and has a diameter of around 40 meters. It stands beside an intermittently flowing stream known as the Gypsey Race. It was excavated in 1894 by JR Mortimer.