9 of the most haunted places in Harrogate and the Yorkshire Dales
Dare you visit any of these haunted sites?
Last updated 12th Oct 2021
We’ve been looking at the spookiest, most haunted places in Harrogate and the Yorkshire Dales including ghostly goings on at Harrogate Theatre and mysterious sights at Bolton Abbey in the Yorkshire Dales…
Take a look at the most haunted places in Harrogate & the Yorkshire Dales:
Ripley Castle
A ghostly figure, dressed in the finest 19th century clothes, has been seen walking the halls of Ripley Castle to the north of Harrogate. It is thought to be Lady Alicia Ingilby, still caring for her two children. She is seen heading towards the children's bedrooms before passing straight through a locked door.
Fountains Abbey
Fountains Hall near Ripon was built by Sir Stephen Proctor in the early 17th century. The spirit of his daughter is said to still roams the halls. From outside The Great Hall, the sound of musicians rehearsing can sometimes be heard, yet as soon as the door is opened… the music stops and the hall is empty. On the same estate, a ghostly choir has been heard chanting in the Chapel of the Nine Altars at Fountains Abbey.
Spofforth Castle
The ruins of Spofforth Castle between Harrogate and Wetherby are rumoured to be haunted by a blueish-white apparition. Sightings date back to the 60s and 70s. A ghostly figure is seen standing at the top of the tower before falling to the ground below.
Hales Bar, Harrogate
Hales Bar in Crescent Road, Harrogate dates back to the 18th century. It is said to be haunted by a mischievous dark shadowy spirit who laughs maniacally and throws bottles to the floor that spin but never smash.
Bolton Abbey
The ruins at Bolton Abbey between Harrogate and Skipton are said to be home to the ghost of a 16th century monk whose soul has never been able to rest. Dressed head to toe in a dark cloak he's been named "The Black Canon". It's said that if you listen very carefully, you can hear his footsteps wandering around the rectory…
Cedar Court Hotel, Harrogate
This Harrogate hotel is said to have a spooky corridor, home to its ghoulish guests. Over the years, visitors have reported ladies in Victorian dress sitting on their bed. A Georgian chambermaid named Mabel has been known to help staff and the attic is rumoured to be haunted by the ghosts of soldiers who stayed at the hotel during the war.
Ashville College, Harrogate
A ghostly green lady is said to appear in the clock tower and corridors of Harrogate’s Ashville College. Thought to be a nurse from the school’s sanitorium, tales are told of her tragic demise, leaping from the clock tower after the death of her lover.
Harrogate Theatre
Broken-hearted Alice is rumoured to haunt the stalls at Harrogate Theatre. Sudden chills, orbs of light and even the mysterious scent of peppermint is said to drift across the auditorium…
Ripon Workhouse
Ripon’s Victorian Workhouse – now a museum – is so famous for its ghostly goings on, it featured in a 2017 episode of Most Haunted with Yvette Fielding. Terrified tourists have come face-to-face with a former inmate named Gordon.
Now Read:
Admire the best views in Harrogate & the Yorkshire Dales
Find out which famous people are from Harrogate & the Yorkshire Dales
See amazing photos of Harrogate & the Yorkshire Dales over the last 130 years