![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-1255883930.jpg\")
\n\t\tThis impossibly ancient structure was a strange place to bed down for the night (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
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\n\t\tThis impossibly ancient structure was a strange place to bed down for the night (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Whether you\u2019re a believer or not, if presented with an opportunity to spend a night in what is reputedly the \u2018most haunted\u2019 pub in the UK, would you do it?<\/p>\n
Well, I did.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s located in York<\/a>, in England<\/a>\u2019s northeast. Founded more than two millennia ago, this is a city soaked in history \u2014 from ancient Romans and Vikings<\/a>, to Guy Fawkes and marauding Scots.<\/p>\n These days, its 13th-century walls enclose a labyrinth of narrow medieval streets, and precariously balanced Tudor and Elizabethan houses. <\/p>\n And one of these impossibly ancient structures is the Golden Fleece pub.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t \t\t\t\tSign up to The Getaway newsletter\t\t\t<\/p>\n Fuel your wanderlust with our curated newsletter of travel deals, guides and inspiration.\u00a0Sign up here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Smack bang in the heart of the city centre, the watering hole dates back to at least 1503. And given that York was hailed as the \u2018most haunted city in Europe<\/a>\u2019 by the International Ghost Research Foundation, the Fleece is, by proxy, the most haunted pub <\/a>in the country.\u00a0<\/p>\n Yes, according to countless reports, the spirits present in this bar aren\u2019t only of the alcoholic variety.\u00a0<\/p>\n Regular hauntings have led ghost hunters to conclude that there are 15 different restless spectres here, including \u2018One Eyed Jack\u2019 \u2014 a 17th century red coat seen carrying a pistol; a young Victorian boy who was trampled to death by horses in the yard; former landlady, Alice Peckett, who stalks the corridors late at night; and a Canadian airman who fell to his death from one of the upper windows during World War II.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t The wealth of paranormal activity even led to an investigation by hit TV show, Most Haunted, back in 2005, which brings us nicely to my pre-check in preparation.<\/p>\n Coercing an old mate, Becky, into being my companion for the night, I \u2018warm us up\u2019 by watching said episode on YouTube ahead of our arrival.\u00a0<\/p>\n Chuckling in the daylight in the knowledge that, whatever happens, we\u2019d be sharing a room, our bravado quickly falters upon check-in when we discover that, due to the four other guest rooms being unoccupied, we\u2019ve been \u2018upgraded\u2019 from a shared room to a bedchamber each. Gulp.<\/p>\n \t\t Returning in the evening from an afternoon exploring, I reluctantly bid goodnight to my friend and bed down for the night. <\/p>\n Closing the door behind me, every step I make on the uneven floor prompts an eerie \u2018creak\u2019 that sends shivers down my spine.<\/p>\n Brushing my teeth, I feel like someone \u2013 or something \u2013 is looking at me, and the hairs on my neck stand to attention.<\/p>\n Midnight, the witching hour, and I sit bolt upright, awoken from a troubled sleep. The dark, doorless corridor opposite the bed gives me the creeps. Perhaps due to fatigue, I see shadows that appear to move. <\/p>\n Pondering whether to release my inner ghost hunter and ask: \u2018Is anybody there?\u2019 I instead firmly shut my eyes and cover my head with the duvet.\u00a0<\/p>\n Later, I\u2019m woken again by the sound of something heavy being dragged across the floor below. <\/p>\n \t\t Looking at the clock on my phone, it\u2019s around 5am.\u00a0 \u2018Ah,\u2019 I think to myself, \u2018it\u2019s the cleaners moving the bar furniture,\u2019 and once again nod off.\u00a0<\/p>\n Emerging in the morning for breakfast, with dark circles under my eyes coupled with a severe case of bedhead, I see that Becky hasn\u2019t fared much better.\u00a0<\/p>\n Over our fry-up breakfast, we dissect our respective evenings. <\/p>\n She also had the feeling of \u2018being watched\u2019 and we both cursed the early bird cleaners for our rude morning awakening.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Checking out later, the friendly barmaid asks about our stay. <\/p>\n Turns out, you guessed it, there were no cleaners at 5am. <\/p>\n Apparently, we were the only (human) occupants during the night.\u00a0<\/p>\n She proceeds to tell us that the sound of moving furniture in the wee hours is one of the most commonly reported supernatural activities. So there you go.<\/p>\n Whether you\u2019re a believer or not, for thrill-seekers, there\u2019s something frighteningly fun about spending the night here and risking a possible run-in with a guest who never left. <\/p>\n But whether you sleep soundly is another matter entirely\u2026<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tGetting there\t\t\t<\/p>\n To book a stay at the Golden Fleece, visit greatukpubs.co.uk<\/a>. Rooms from \u00a3166, staying midweek.<\/p>\n Trains to York can be booked with Rail Europe via raileurope.com<\/a><\/p>\n Do you have a story to share?<\/strong><\/p>\n Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n Arrow Arrow![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_6321-9e58.jpg\")
\n\t\tHello mate (Picture: Supplied)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/41463406-b0e3.png\")
\n\t\tMaybe we\u2019d end up like this guy (Picture: Supplied)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/hotelsdotcom-1156251328-5df2a3e3_w-324932-560f.jpg\")
\n\t\tThe historic spot in York has numerous restless spectres (Picture: Supplied)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/20195fad-415d-43ca-8a8f-1144ab56ecba-31f0.jpg\")
\n\t\tI had a feeling I was being watched (Picture: Supplied)<\/p>\n
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