The Golden Fleece - York Haunting
Sightings suggest that the building is home to at least 5, possibly 7, clearly identifiable ghosts who appear in almost all of the rooms; the cellar, both bars, the function room on the first floor and all 4 letting bedrooms – the Shambles Room, Lady Peckett’s Room, St Catherine’s Room and the Minster Suite.
The yard to the rear of the inn is named after Lady Alice Peckett whose husband John was Lord Mayor of York and also owned the Golden Fleece around 1700. Legend has it that Lady Alice is the “resident spirit”- the ghost of an old lady that has been seen on many occasions in both the Shambles Room and Lady Peckett’s Room. She could also be the spectral figure seen disappearing through a Function Room wall. Whenever the lady appears witnesses have remarked on a sweet smell of perfume that seems to accompany her.
A younger woman dressed in black has been seen walking past a window in St Catherine’s Room. A guest has caught her appearance on video at a time when there was not another living soul in that part of the building. Guests in this room have spoken of an “unnaturally oppressive” feeling and several have described the sensation of invisible weights being pressed down on their shoulders.
On a number of occasions patrons in the bottom bar have reported the presence of a ghost dressed in the red coat, wig and breeches characteristic of the 17th century. “One Eyed Jack” as he is known carries an old flintlock pistol and paces fretfully up and down the bar. Mediums believe that Jack met his end there although there are no records of who he was or what happened to him.
Also in the bottom bar many sightings have been made of a ghost described as “a grumpy old man” crouched in a small alcove. Contrary to the suggestion in the verse, this apparition has never been known to speak. He simply looks grumpy.
Towards the front of the pub in the top bar, which is immediately behind the entrance from the main street, patrons have seen the ghost of a young boy in Victorian attire. This poor child is supposed to have been killed accidentally by one of the horses that pulled the delivery cart in those days – the brewer’s dray.
Without doubt the most recent phantom to haunt the Golden Fleece is a WW11 airman, probably Canadian, who died here during the war. There is some confusion over whether he committed suicide by hanging himself or plunged 3 stories to the ground after a drinking session. A number of visitors have reported sightings of this spectral airman standing over them in bed or touching them with an icy hand!
Records show that, in times gone by, the bodies of convicted felons hanged at nearby Bale Hill would be stored in the pub cellar until such times as their families came to claim them.
It is likely that some were never claimed and who knows what may have happened to the bodies! Only the brave would spend a night in this cellar.
It is no surprise that people who live and work in the Golden Fleece have some hair-raising tales to tell. In fact several of them have described how their hair was pulled as if by invisible hands. There are a number of accounts of staff who have felt a sudden tightening around their neck while standing at the bar – the very bar where, it is said, an earlier landlord hanged himself.
In addition to these sightings there have been numerous other disturbing occurrences reported over the years. Doors banging, mysterious footsteps on the stairs, strange lights, cold spots and temperature changes, candles that light themselves, beds that move and doors that slam.
