Yorkshire Ghosts, Folklore and Forteana
Organ Player
Location: Monk Bretton - Baily Club
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Twentieth century
Further Comments: The sounds of a hymn being played on the club's organ were reported, though there was no one on the instrument at the time. A shadowy figure has also been reported, as have cold spots and strong bursts of wind.
Shadows
Location: Monk Bretton - Mill of the Black Monks
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Twentieth century
Further Comments: The vague shapes of men in long gowns have been seen running around this area.
Old Woman
Location: Moorsome - Nessag Farm
Type: Post-Mortem Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The shade of the former owner of the house returned several times after death, leaving forever once a witness realised that the ghost was pointing to a flag stone; when lifted, a large quantity of money was discovered.
Leering Woman
Location: Mosborough - Former school grounds (no longer present)
Type: Unknown Ghost Type
Date / Time: July 1974, evening
Further Comments: Two people out walking spotted a woman running in the opposite direction. She wore a long flowing dress, had long hair, and took massive strides, as if her legs were too long for her body. As she ran, the woman looked in the direction of the witnesses, revealing a leering expression and no eyes...
Horse & Cart
Location: Mosbrough - The Crofts public house, road leading to
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1980s
Further Comments: Patrons of this pub reported seeing a ghostly cart being pulled by a horse, in turn being led by a farmer. The apparition would disappear at a nearby pond.
Fairy Home
Location: Nafferton Slack - Hill
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The hill was said to be a major home for fairies - they could be heard inside, and several times there have been reports of the little people entering or leaving the place.
Music
Location: Nether Haugh - Private residence
Type: Poltergeist
Date / Time: 1980-2000
Further Comments: It was reported that the poltergeist at this location could be heard playing a piano and a xylophone. Footsteps would also be heard in empty parts of the building and electronic machines were watched as they stopped and started unaided.
Lady Julia Barwick
Location: Nether Yeadon - Low Hall
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: It was said that a large slab of slate was used to cover up a window to prevent the phantom Julia from entering and exiting. After that she took to using the priest hole.
Monk with Long Face
Location: Newby - Newby Church
Type: Unknown Ghost Type
Date / Time: 1963
Further Comments: Another famous photograph of a ghost was taken in this church; Reverend Ken Lord shot an image which showed a tall thin monk with black hollow eyes standing in front of an altar.
Crying
Location: Newmillerdam - Private residence along Barnsley Road
Type: Unknown Ghost Type
Date / Time: 04 / 05 September 2008, around 02:45h
Further Comments: On two consecutive nights, a couple awoke to the sound of a young child crying. The sound lasted four or five minutes before stopping. There were no children in the building at the time.
Wagons
Location: Nidderdale - Clayshaw Level
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: It was said that a ghost in this mine would move the wagons around once everyone had finished their shifts.
Metal Scrapping
Location: Nidderdale - Nidderdale Cottages
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: May 2002
Further Comments: A witness staying at the cottages reported being kept awake at night by the sound of metal rubbing against metal, which seemed to last most of the night. This was preluded the night before by a vivid dream involving a hooded figure with empty eye sockets.
Fordson Tractor
Location: Normanton - RAF Bottesford (aka RAF Normanton) - no longer operational
Type: Environmental Manifestation
Date / Time: 04 October 2009
Further Comments: A visitor to the site heard what he first thought was an old Fordson tractor ticking over, though the sound later changed to an aircraft carrying out pre-flight checks.
Horses & Coach
Location: North Craven - Road outside Brunton House
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A team of four horses pulling a spectral coach reportedly passes the house.
Headless Man
Location: North Frodingham - Road between village and Foston on the Wolds
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Possibly nineteenth century
Further Comments: A headless man who walks this area is said to have only been seen the once, many years ago.
White Lady
Location: North Kilvington - Borrowby Bridge
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1950s
Further Comments: Killed by soldiers when she was discovered in a chapel, the shade of this white lady has been reported many times since.
Flogged Man
Location: North Newbald - Whipping Stone
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Stone still present
Further Comments: A large stone in the village, once the base of a large cross, is said to have been the location where people were once whipped to death. One person has reported that the stone is haunted by a man executed in the twelfth century, who manifests each night to take revenge on the living.
Moved Foundations
Location: North Otterington - Church
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The church here was intended to be built closer to Thornton-le-Moor but the Devil moved the stones to where the church was finally constructed.
Large Hound
Location: Northallerton - A684, between Northallerton and Leeming Bar
Type: Shuck
Date / Time: Summer 2001, between 20:00h - 22:00h
Further Comments: A large black dog ran in front of two women travelling to Leeming Bar by car. The driver closed her eyes and braked hard, expecting to hit the creature. The passenger watched the hound pass through the bonnet, and noticed the creature had no facial features, floppy ears, and was shadow-like. A man who the women spoke to once they reached their destination later killed himself - was the hound a portent?
Large Cat
Location: Northallerton - Hailstone Moor, near Scholla Lane
Type: ABC
Date / Time: December 2011
Further Comments: One man reported two sightings of a big cat on consecutive days in December 2011. The creature was bigger than a domestic cat and stood against a fence which was later used as a reference point to measure it; the creature was estimated to be around five foot (150 centimetres) long.
Young Girl
Location: Northallerton - Northallerton Prison (no longer operational)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Pre-January 2014
Further Comments: The prison was said to be haunted by the ghost of an eleven-year-old girl imprisoned for stealing bread.
Wishing Well
Location: Northallerton - St John's Well, close to the ruins of priory at Mount Grace (may no longer exist)
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Nineteenth century
Further Comments: Wishes were said to be granted if you stuck a pin into an ivy leaf before casting it into this well.
Two Children
Location: Northallerton - The Cleveland Tontine
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Several ghostly presences are reputed to haunt this building, including two children who hide items, and a man who is said to be protective of the kids. Outside, a disembodied pair of legs wander around.
Murdered Woman
Location: Northam? - Northam Tower?
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: In his 'Strange Pages from Family Papers', T F Thiselton Dyer says this tower is haunted by a woman murdered in nearby woodland, whose blood remains stained on the wooden staircase. However, the location name may be false.
Victorian Gentleman
Location: Norwood - Lady le Gros public house
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1998
Further Comments: Samuel Peacock, a former landlord, still maintains a presence in his former bar, and has been seen several times or heard as he walks down the cellar steps.
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