York is , according to  the Ghost Research Foundation International (GRFI),  the most haunted city in the world, which is quite an accolade. Not only that, but we have the oldest ghosts in the world too*. It’s unsurprising considering there’s been activity on this site for 6000 years.  The ghosts range from Roman soliders marching through a cellar floor to a man in a polo shirt and shorts hanging around one of the gates.

It’s no wonder, as a lover of ghost stories, I feel at home here! I even work in a building well known for being haunted, though that probably applies to about 50% of York these days. The BBC covers a couple here.

York has multiple ghost walks, all enjoyable, but if you’re looking for something self-led (and a bit more grown up), the History of York website has a Ghost Pub Walk (pdf). Even if you can’t make it to York, it’s a nice summary of several little ghost stories. I’d take any claim by a pub to be the Oldest in York with a pinch of salt; they’re all telling the truth, but by different definitions (oldest building, oldest licence, oldest spot known to have sold alcohol, oldest inn…). But then, if you’re stalking ghoulies, salt might come in handy!

*We’ve got some 2000 year old spooks, but it’s very rare to find ghost sightings of spirits more than 400 years old. It’s one of those little quirks that actually makes me more inclined to believe in them, though there’s probably a more rational explanation.