York is said to be home to a lot of haunted locations- but this is something Mackenzie Crompton knows all too well.
She runs the ghost walk tour, Shadows of York, and has plenty of scary stories to tell about the most haunted places in the city.
The tour has a 5/5 rating on Tripadvisor and Mackenzie has been praised for her spooky knowledge and ability to tell a story on the tour.
The 34-year-old has also experienced a lot of paranormal activity in these areas for herself and says The Golden Fleece and Castle Museum top the list as the scariest places in York.
Mackenzie said: “During the tour itself, we have been lucky enough to witness some paranormal activity take place.
“At St Saviours Church, we saw a black misty figure float towards the gate and simply disappeared- the group all saw it and freaked out.
“I wish that figure would appear on the rest of my tours but I haven’t seen it since,” she joked.
In the same area, Mackenzie was talking about dead ringers and how many people in the Victorian Era would be buried with bells attached to their grave.
At the very moment Mackenzie told the story, the group heard a bell ringing in the distance.
Mackenzie also believes that she has captured physical evidence of a ghost manifestation while walking down Piccadilly road in York.
She said: “It was like the ghost photobombed my picture.
“I was trying to take a selfie and you can see a white misty skull behind me.
“I didn’t sleep well that night because it really does look like a face is looking over my shoulder.”
Mackenzie also maintains that a lot of paranormal activity takes place at York Castle Museum, especially in the section of the building that used to operate as the castle prison’s chapel.
Mackenzie said: “Staff members have walked through this section of the castle and they have heard the organ playing and hymns being sung.
“I used to work in there and there certainly is a feeling of unpleasantness in the building.
“In the prison cells I’ve seen shadow figures appear and disappear- doors would often slam on their own.
(Photo: Geograph/ Jeff Pearson)
Mackenzie also conducted a small ghost hunt at the Castle Museum at the site of York’s last execution and Mackenzie’s boyfriend got tapped on the shoulder during a Facebook Live.
She said: “When he felt that tap he shot off away from the spot”
We know that York is home to a lot of haunted pubs- one of which is The Golden Fleece.
Mackenzie said: “In the cellars on this pub, they used to store dead bodies of people who had been executed.
“People even used to pay a penny to go and see the dead bodies in the cellars.”
The ghost of an airman who threw himself out the window is also said to haunt this building.
Mackenzie said: “A lot of people claim to see his reflection in mirrors”.
One customer on Mackenzie’s tour was a sceptic- until she told the group about the haunted history of The Golden Fleece.
After the tour, the customer told Mackenzie how he once stumbled into the basement of The Golden Fleece while looking for the toilet- he was promptly told to get out by a “gruff and scruffy looking man.”
However, the barman confirmed that there was no-one in the basement at the time- could it have been a ghost?
The National Railway Museum in York is also said to be haunted by ghosts and ghouls- Mackenzie even claimed to have a paranormal experience in this building when she worked there.
(Facebook/TheShadowsofYork)
She said: “I used to work in the café and quite often I would get a slap across my backside.
“I would stand up thinking it was another member of staff- but no-one was around.
“This used to happen at least once a month.”
Mackenzie enquired about the strange occurrence- and it turns out she wasn’t the only woman to have this type of encounter!
Mackenzie has plenty of other spooky stories to share about the most haunted places in York- but you will have to hear about them on her ghost tour.
Tickets cost £8.50 for adults and £5.00 for children.
Visit The Shadows of York Facebook page to find out more.
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