York After Dark

Aaron Blanchard takes you onto the dark soil of Station Road in Episode 16 of York After Dark. Stripping away the quiet, picturesque garden view opposite York Railway Station, Aaron uncovers the horrific true story of the 1832 cholera plague pit. Discover how nearly two hundred citizens were buried in a frenzy of blind panic, leading to terrifying cases of premature live burial, and why late night commuters, hotel staff, and passersby still report seeing sunken, blue faced figures on the lawn and hearing disembodied knocking coming from beneath the earth.

Aaron Blanchard takes you into the dark history behind Bonfire Night in this special episode of York After Dark. Stripping away the cozy modern celebrations of fireworks and bonfires, uncovering the true story of York's most infamous son, Guy Fawkes. Discover his quiet beginnings in the shadow of York Minster, his radicalization, the chilling details of the 1605 Gunpowder Plot, and the brutal torture he endured in the Tower of London. Aaron also explores the documented ghost encounters reported at his Petergate birthplace and the lingering spectral marks left across his hometown.

Aaron Blanchard takes you back to one of the most terrifying disaster sites in York’s history in a very special Halloween episode of York After Dark recorded in the York Castle Museum Prisons! Stripping away the calm modern view of Ouse Bridge, we uncover the winter of 1564, when a massive ice pack and flood surge tore down the central medieval arches, plunging homes, shopkeepers, and entire families into the freezing river. Discover the tragic true history of the collapse, and why fishermen, boat captains, and riverfront staff still report seeing disembodied arms reaching up out of the black water, and hearing phantom cries echoing off the stone piers.

Aaron takes you inside the macabre true story of the Blue Boar pub on Castlegate in Episode 13 of York After Dark. Stripping away the modern pub exterior, we uncovers the dark aftermath of Dick Turpin's 1739 execution, when his fresh corpse was brought to the tavern and laid out on a table for paying drinkers to touch and view. Discover how grave robbers dug up his body hours later, and why landlords, staff, and visitors still report disembodied footsteps, phantom hands, and shadowy figures lurking in the very rooms where Turpin’s corpse once lay.

We're taking you inside the quiet beauty of Museum Gardens in this episode of York After Dark. Stripping away the picturesque view of St. Mary’s Abbey ruins, Aaron uncovers the violent destruction of the monastery in 1539 under King Henry VIII. Discover how one of the wealthiest Benedictine abbeys in Northern England was smashed, burned, and looted, and why park wardens, night workers, and visitors still report seeing faceless monks fleeing through the trees and hearing phantom Gregorian chants echoing across the empty lawns.

Aaron Blanchard takes you into the narrow shadows of Lund’s Court. Stripping away the modern charm of this popular York snickelway, Aaron uncovers the tragic true history of Mad Alice Lane and the horrific domestic abuse, mental breakdown, and 1825 execution of Alice Smith. Discover why shop workers, evening pedestrians, and tourists still report seeing a pale, sorrowful face staring down from upper windows, phantom footsteps echoing along the cobblestones, and disembodied whispers crying out in the dark.

Aaron takes you on a journey around York’s ancient defensive gateways in this special collective episode of York After Dark. Stripping away the postcard view of Monk Bar, Micklegate Bar, Bootham Bar, and Walmgate Bar, he uncovers centuries of siege warfare, public executions, and the horrifying practice of spiking rebels' severed heads above the arches. Discover the weeping spirit of Micklegate Bar, the restless poltergeist child inside Monk Bar, the phantom medieval guard of Bootham Bar, and the ghostly echoes of brutal hand to hand combat trapped within Walmgate's famous barbican.

We're taking you inside the sinking doorway of the Golden Fleece, officially documented as York's most haunted pub. Stripping away the cozy tourist exterior, Aaron explores five centuries of death, disease, and tragedy buried within the tilting timber building. From the ghost of Lady Alice Peckett inspecting upstairs guest rooms at 3:00 AM to the dangerous, hostile entity guarding the pitch black mortuary cellars, and the tragic spirit of a WWII Canadian airman who fell to his death, discover why this historic inn remains a hotbed of terrifying paranormal activity.

Dashing rogue or cold-blooded killer? In Episode 8 of York After Dark, Aaron strips away the romantic myths surrounding Britain's most famous highwayman, Dick Turpin. From violent house invasions in Essex to his downfall in a York jail cell over a unpaid letter, we trace the bloody real history of "John Palmer" and the ghostly encounters still reported across York today.

Beyond the 1190 massacre, Clifford’s Tower holds a bloody history of civil war, public executions, and a catastrophic gunpowder explosion. In Part 2 of our deep dive on York After Dark, we uncover the gruesome story behind how the tower got its name, the blast that gutted its interior, and the phantom figures still seen walking the stone ramparts late at night.