Ghost Week VII
Saturday 24th October — Sunday 1st November 2026
This is our seventh official Ghost Week and promises to be the biggest yet as the programme hopefully has something for everyone.
A full programme of events for 2026 with ticketing information can now be found below
Accessibility appointments for the Shambles and Dispensary will be made available on the booking calendar from 6pm on Tuesday 1st September 2026.
There will be no Guild Room appointments on Wednesday 28th October during Ghost Week.
Programme of Events
York Ghost Merchant Events
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The Little York Ghost Hunt
Monday 26th – Wednesday 28th October (inclusive). 6pm – 8pm only
This year there are fewer nights of hunting, but more Ghosts to find.
FREE EVENT
The hunt is completely free to take part in and is open to people of all ages. No tickets are required. Just turn up, join the hunt and see if you can find a Little York Ghost.
As daylight gives way to night, the Merchants invite you to join the search for Little York Ghosts on selected evenings between 6pm and 8pm, Monday to Wednesday only. The hunt takes place along the atmospheric, ancient streets surrounding York Minster.This is a seek-and-keep hunt. Each evening, 250 Little Ghosts will be hidden around the streets of York for you to find.
Most of the hidden ghosts are Ragamuffins. These Ghosts originate from the York Ghost Merchants' workshop but, sadly, did not make it into the shop because of small imperfections. Instead, they find their way onto the streets of the city, where they wait patiently to be discovered by someone who will take care of them and give them a home.
Ragamuffins vary greatly in colour and style, but each one is stamped with an R alongside its number on the base. If you are lucky enough to find one, please share a picture on Instagram.
There are 250 Ghosts hidden each evening, including 30 rare Willo Ghosts, which are black and milky yellow. When hiding they will be inconspicuous, but when exposed to light the Willo Ghosts will glow softly.
All Ghosts will be stamped and numbered on the base so you can easily identify a genuine York Ghost.
The Ghost Merchants have been hiding Little Ghosts around the city of York for many years. The tradition of hiding and seeking the Ghosts, together with the sense of community that has grown around the activity, is at the heart of Ghost Week.
As the Ghosts are limited in number, we kindly ask that each person collects only one Ghost, giving others a better chance of finding one. There are now far more people taking part than there are Ghosts to find, so success is by no means guaranteed. We hope everyone takes part in the spirit of fun, kindness and good humour.
Maps detailing the route will be available from The York Ghost Merchants shops, Partner Event venues and some other city centre businesses from mid-October. A printable version of The Little York Ghost Hunt map will also be available from this page closer to the event.
Important Information
Children should be accompanied by an adult during the hunt. Please note that the Little Ghosts are not suitable for children under three years of age.
Most of the hunt takes place in pedestrianised areas and quiet backstreets. However, please take particular care around traffic in the marked areas of High Petergate and Goodramgate.
We also ask all Ghost hunters to be respectful of local residents and their property. Ghosts are never hidden on private property, so please do not look through letterboxes or enter private areas.
The courtyard at the Greys Court Hotel and the Minster Refectory gardens are both out of bounds.
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The Black Box Ghost Sale
The Mansion House, St Helens Square, York
Monday 26th October – Sunday 1st November
10am–4pmPoppy
Edition of 2,000 · £70 each
Glazed earthenware with an extemporaneous poppy pattern design.
This year’s Ghost Week Black Box Ghost is the result of a very special partnership with Burleigh, a unique and historic pottery manufacturer based in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, and founded in 1851.
Burleigh is the last pottery of its kind, where the finest traditions of British ceramic design and craftsmanship continue to be protected and celebrated. Its history is both rich and fascinating, and its production still requires skills and experience unique to its craftspeople.
Burleigh is also the only pottery in the world still using a traditional tissue-transfer decoration technique using engraved copper cylinders, through which patterns are brought to life on ceramic. The 65 highly skilled craftspeople currently employed are a continuation of the generations of remarkable men and women who have been making Burleigh ceramics for 175 years.
“Poppy”
Poppy is a Ghost born from the Burleigh archive.
In a room seldom entered and protected by lock and key are many hundreds of decorative patterns. Some are preserved on copper plates, while others are held on heavy engraved cylinders. For more than 170 years, these have been used to decorate soup bowls and dinner plates, teacups and teapots, and many other wares.
Some designs are familiar, having found their way into the everyday lives of thousands of families. Others may have been created for bespoke orders for exclusive clients, while some designs were created but never used.
Poppy is a pattern found in the Burleigh archive, dating from the late Victorian period, towards the final years of the 1800s. It is somewhat of a mystery, as there is no record of ever having decorated ware in this pattern, or any specific details of why it was commissioned. So, it is a story that can never quite be known in full and only imagined. We believe the engraving was waiting for this project to come along.
The York Ghost Merchants are privileged to have been granted special permission to collaborate with Burleigh and resurrect this lost pattern from their archive.
Each Poppy Ghost is unique. Highly skilled decorators (known as transferrers) hand-apply the tissue-transfer paper to each Ghost, meaning that the pattern falls differently across every body. Each Ghost is then re-fired to fix the decoration in cobalt blue.
Important Information
The Black Box Ghost Sale will take place in The Drawing Room on the first floor of the Mansion House, St Helens Square, York.
Customers will queue at the front of the building and will then be shown upstairs to the Drawing Room in small groups by Mansion House staff. As every Poppy Ghost is different, each group or customer will have a selection to view and choose from.
As is customary with Rare & Unusual Ghosts of this kind, there will be a limit of one Ghost per customer.
Black Box Ghosts will only be sold to those aged 12 and over. Children under the age of 16 wishing to purchase a Ghost must be accompanied by an adult.
Accessibility
The Drawing Room is on the first floor of the Mansion House. There is a wide staircase leading to the first floor, as well as a lift for those who require step-free access.
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The Mr Silvertooth Trail
Saturday 24th October – Sunday 1st November
Collect Packs between 10am–4pmThe Mr Silvertooth Trail takes you around the city in search of “rarities & curiosities”, in the form of tavern stamps and brass plaque rubbings. Mr Silvertooth is an extravagant character with expensive and discerning taste. Help him fill his rooms with exotic items and objects to satisfy his eccentric and eclectic needs.
You will need to collect five unique objects in the pack to be able to purchase the Mr Silvertooth Ghost for £30.
For Ghost Week VII, we have printed 2,000 Mr Silvertooth Trail Packs, available free of charge from The Hatch, adjacent to The Dispensary in St Anthony’s Garden, between 10am – 4pm daily. Packs are limited each day to ensure availability throughout the week.
We will only allocate one pack per person, and they cannot be collected on behalf of others.
How to Complete the Trail
This year, you need just five different stamps or rubbings to complete the trail. These can be collected in any combination: Tavern stamps, obtained by making a purchase at participating taverns, brass plaque rubbings, made at five designated plaques on historic buildings around the city, or any combination of the two.
All five must be different and must be collected using an official Mr Silvertooth Trail Pack.
Once you have completed all five boxes, return your pack (must include the outer wallet as well as the internal paper sheet) to The Hatch — not The Shambles or The Dispensary. A completed pack allows you to purchase one Mr Silvertooth Ghost — a polished black Phantom Ghost with metallic silver teeth.
The Mr Sivertooth Ghost can only be purchased with a completed pack.
Important Information
Trail Packs must be collected in person. They cannot be collected on behalf of others. Only one pack per person.
Trail Packs are available to participants aged 12 and over. If a younger child would like to take part for fun, we will have some blank sheets available.
Please queue outside The Hatch, not The Dispensary, when collecting or redeeming a pack. Merchants and blackboards will be available to provide directions if needed.
In order to purchase a Mr Silvertooth Ghost a pack must be presented with the internal sheet for validation and clipping.
You have the whole week to complete the trail and collect a Ghost. Completed packs must contain five different stamps or rubbings from five separate locations.
We cannot process redemptions, or sell or dispatch Mr Silvertooth Ghosts, after 4pm on Sunday 1st November 2026.
We will add a Mr Silvertooth Trail page containing full details and terms and conditions in late October.
Accessibility
While the trail is contained completely within the boundaries of the city walls, some of the trail stops are some distance apart. Anyone with mobility issues may wish to plan accordingly to help ensure your route is manageable. Remember you only need to visit 5 of the 10 locations in order to complete your Mr Silvertooth Trail Pack.
All rubbing plaques are set at an accessible height and in locations which should be easy to access.
The participating taverns can all be accessed by wheelchair, although in one venue, drinks may need to be taken in the smaller, downstairs bar as the only access to main bar on the first floor is via a set of stairs.
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The Seed Ghost Search
Saturday 24th October – Sunday 1st November
Anywhere within the Ghost Week Events Map
FREE EVENTNo tickets are required – just keep your eyes open whilst you are out and about and see if you can find one.
The makers of the York Ghosts once created tiny Ghosts for the Shop Merchants to give to patient or well-behaved children visiting the Shambles.
These very small Ghosts are just 15mm tall and became known as Seed Ghosts, or Seedlings. They were originally made by Mr Bloodworth for a film, although they were never actually used in it.
Unfortunately, the Seed Ghosts became increasingly expected and, in some cases, demanded by visitors. As the demand for these tiny giveaways grew, it became increasingly difficult for the Shop Merchants to manage.
Production of Seed Ghosts stopped in 2022, but for one week only, you may be lucky enough to find one of the 400 Seed Ghosts hidden around York.
The Seed Ghosts will be hidden at all times of day and night, but only within the streets marked on the Ghost Week Events Map. The map can be found in the Ghost Week leaflet and will also be available as a printable PDF on this page from mid-October.
Much like the Ragamuffin Ghosts in The Little Ghost Hunt, the Seed Ghosts will be hidden on ledges, in cracks and in other small spaces.
Because they are so tiny, finding one will require a good amount of luck! Some Seed Ghosts may remain hidden for months or even years after Ghost Week has ended. We know of at least two that have remained hidden for several years.
Please remember that Seed Ghosts are very small and are not suitable for young children.
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The Ghost Merchants Auction
Bedern Hall, York
Bartle Garth, St Andrewgate, York YO1 7ALSunday 25th October, 6pm – 9pm
Ticketed event. Capacity: 100
Tickets are FREE, but are available on a first-come, first-served basis. One ticket per booking.This event is for those aged 18 and over only.
Tickets will be available via Eventbrite at 5pm on Tuesday 8th September from the link below:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1998428945773?aff=oddtdtcreator
Join us for our first public auction, held in the medieval splendour of Bedern Hall.
Doors open at 6pm, with a bar serving alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, alongside a public viewing of all the auction lots.
The auction itself will commence at 6.45pm and will be hosted by the Ghost Merchants, with the assistance of a professional auctioneer.
The Auction
A digital auction catalogue will be available via a link on this page from mid-October.
Link to catalogue will appear here
We are also producing a souvenir printed version of the catalogue for those attending the event.The auction will feature approximately 30 lots, with an additional six Ghosts to be won through Merchants Bingo directly following the auction. Bingo cards and pens will be distributed upon entry, along with the auction catalogue.
The lots and bingo prizes will comprise an eclectic mix of highly desirable Ghosts and ephemera, selected from our archive of prototypes, Black Box Editions, rarities and oddities from the past seven years of making.
Alongside the Ghosts will be a small number of lots from our collections of artefacts. These include objects that have been used in films, in our workshops and in other areas of The Ghost Merchants’ world.
There will be no reserve on most lots, although several lots will have specified starting bids.
Charity Lots
There will be five charity lots, with 100% of the winning bid from each lot donated to the charity supported by that particular lot.
Absentee Bidding
For those unable to be in York during Ghost Week, or who are unable to secure a ticket for the auction, there will be five lots available for absentee bidding.
These lots will be announced in October, when the digital auction catalogue is revealed on the Ghost Week page of our website. Full details of how to place an absentee bid will be provided at that time.
Unfortunately, we cannot accept absentee bids from outside the UK, due to the difficulties associated with additional tariffs and ensuring a reliable postal service for valuable parcels.
It will also be possible to bid on these lots in person at the auction.
Payment & Collection
Payment will be taken immediately after the auction finishes, by card only.
It is important that you have sufficient funds available to make payment if you are the highest bidder. There will be no auctioneer’s commission, so the amount you bid is the amount you will pay.
Ghosts will be boxed and made available for collection immediately after the auction.
If an absentee bidder wins a lot, we will make contact by email following the auction to arrange payment via a digital payment link. Postage will be charged to ensure the safe delivery of the Ghost. Alternatively, winning bidders are welcome to make arrangements to collect their Ghost from us in York if that happens to be more convenient.
Accessibility
Bedern Hall has excellent single-level accessibility, making it one of York’s most wheelchair- and mobility-friendly historic properties.
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The Letterpress Print Sale:
“The Alphabet of People, Professions and Places of York”
Prints will be available from all our shops and the Hatch during Ghost Week, from Saturday 24th October until Sunday 1st November.Limited edition of 1,000 — £40 each
A limited-edition colour print entitled “The Alphabet of People, Professions and Places of York”, based on the cards of the same name that have accompanied our online releases this year. This A-to-Z print shows each of the cards and incorporates traditional letterpress processes, combining woodblock printing and typesetting with the illustrations of Mrs Humphreys.
The print has been created in collaboration with our St Anthony’s Garden neighbours, The Thin Ice Press, a creative hub dedicated to preserving, celebrating and practising traditional, endangered printing techniques.
Each print is individually hand-editioned and signed on Fabriano Rosaspina paper. Supplied in a buff labelled card tube.
Partner Events
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Fairfax House Presents: Sine Dominis: Without Masters
Fairfax House, Castlegate, York, YO1 9RN
Audience: Adults, Young Adults and Families
Saturday 24th October – Sunday 1st November.
10am – 5pm (last admission 4.15pm)
11am - 4pm SundaysThere will only be a limited number of on-the-day tickets available, so we advise purchasing in advance. Tickets are available from 27th August via
https://fairfaxhouse.co.uk/whats-on/Tickets
General Admission: £9.50
Concessions: £8.50
16 and Under: FREE
Duration: Recommend 60 - 90 minutes to complete the challenges around the House.Accessibility Information
https://fairfaxhouse.co.uk/visit/#accessibility
Step into Fairfax House this Ghost Week and uncover the secrets of a Georgian household left without its masters.With the Fairfax family expected to return to York for Allhallowtide, the servants are hurrying to prepare the house. But in their absence, disorder has taken hold. Rooms have been neglected, accounts forgotten, and a few mischievous knaves have been up to no good.
Explore the house, solve clues and answer questions as you help restore order before the family arrives. Keep your wits about you as not everyone can be trusted. Visitors who answer every question correctly will be entered into a prize draw to win an exclusive Knave Ghost, handcrafted by the York Ghost Merchants and available only through this year's Ghost Week at Fairfax House.
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Fairfax House Presents: Sine Dominis: Without Masters
CANDLELIT EVENING
Fairfax House, Castlegate, York, YO1 9RN
Audience: Adults, Young Adults and Families
Monday 26th, Wednesday 28th & Friday 30th October 2026
5pm - 7.30pmTickets must be purchased in advance and are available from 27th August via https://fairfaxhouse.co.uk/whats-on/
Tickets
General Admission: £15.00
Concessions: £12.00
16 and Under: £6.00
Duration: 2.5 hours (recommend 60 - 90 minutes to explore the House).Accessibility Information
https://fairfaxhouse.co.uk/visit/#accessibility
Step into Fairfax House this Ghost Week and uncover the secrets of a Georgian household left without its masters.With the Fairfax family expected to return to York for Allhallowtide, the servants are hurrying to prepare the house. But in their absence, disorder has taken hold. Rooms have been neglected, accounts forgotten, and a few mischievous knaves have been up to no good.
Explore the house, solve clues and answer questions as you help restore order before the family arrives. Keep your wits about you as not everyone can be trusted. Visitors who answer every question correctly will be entered into a prize draw to win an exclusive Knave Ghost, handcrafted by the York Ghost Merchants and available only through this year's Ghost Week at Fairfax House.
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The Penny Bazaar, presented by The Ghostly Gathering
Central Methodist Church, St Saviourgate, York, YO1 8NQAudience: Adults & Families with Children
Monday 26th October. 11am - 3pm
FREE ENTRY
Duration: Come and go anytime
Accessibility Information
Dedicated ramp into the building for any wheelchair users. Once inside the event is contained on the same floor.
https://www.accessable.co.uk/city-of-york-council/access-guides/central-methodist-church
Experience a most marvellous market, created for and curated by collectors of oddities and curiosities.The Penny Bazaar is a non-profit community-focused market with a Victorian-era, Halloween harvest twist brought to you by The Ghostly Gathering team. Attendees will find 28 stalls of meticulously curated vendors offering high-quality, original goods and two parlour game tables with prizes to be won, plus an in-person charity raffle.
All of the event’s proceeds will go directly to our chosen local charity, Survive (1069129). Survive delivers specialist services and trauma-specific interventions that help adult survivors of rape, sexual assault, and child sexual abuse heal, rebuild, and thrive.
You can read more about the work and support Survive offer by clicking here:
https://www.survive-northyorks.org.uk/The Penny Bazaar is kindly sponsored by
The Deathly Dark Tours and Spookeasy Spirits. -
The Printing House After Dark
Thin Ice Press: The York Centre for Print, Peasholme Green, York, YO1 7PWAudience: 18+
Wednesday 28th October. 6pm – 8pm
Tickets must be purchased in advance and are available from 3pm on 27th August onwards via https://www.thinicepress.org/
Tickets
**** THIS EVENT HAS NOW SOLD OUT *****Duration: 2 Hours
Accessibility Information
Enter through the double gate for step-free access to the gardens and follow the path to our green front door.
An evening of storytelling in an unusual, historic venue. Expect ghost stories old and new, with links to York’s reputation as a city of ghosts, along with refreshments, and the chance to create a souvenir print of a ghost story using our Columbian press from 1845. -
Heritage Printing Workshop
Thin Ice Press: The York Centre for Print, Peasholme Green, York, YO1 7PWAudience: Adults
Wednesday 28th October. 10.30am – 4.30pm
*** SOLD OUT***Tickets must be purchased in advance and are available from 3pm on 27th August via https://www.thinicepress.org/
Tickets
Adult: £160
Concessions: £140Duration: 6 Hours
Accessibility Information
Enter through the double gate for step-free access to the gardens and follow the path to our green front door.
Inspired by tales of misprints, mischief, and censorship, participants in this one-day workshop will delve into the turbulent history of print, and learn about the extraordinary figures who have practised the craft of printing in York.Participants will step into the pressroom to learn new skills in letterpress and linocut or drypoint printing, producing a unique souvenir print. The workshop takes place at Thin Ice Press: the York Centre for Print, an exceptionally well-equipped printing and printmaking studio in the heart of York.
Tickets include expert tuition and all materials.
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Ghost Postcard Club
Thin Ice Press: The York Centre for Print, Peasholme Green, York, YO1 7PWAudience: Families
Saturday 24th, Thursday 29th & Saturday 31st October. 1pm – 4pm
No advance tickets. Pay on the door
Tickets
£4 per person (includes Ghost Week Postcard)Duration: Drop in activity
Accessibility Information
Enter through the double gate for step-free access to the gardens and follow the path to our green front door.
Visit Thin Ice Press during Ghost Week to print a souvenir postcard to commemorate your visit to our working pressroom, members’ studio and gallery. Discover an innovative self-inking machine first designed in 1918.
Our printers will prepare a selection of formes in advance, allowing visitors to customise and print their own design in a matter of minutes. Each postcard can be authenticated with a custom embossing stamp.
A drop-in activity, first come, first served, and limited to three afternoons during York Ghost Week. -
Limited Edition Ghost Week Posters
Thin Ice Press: The York Centre for Print, Peasholme Green, York, YO1 7PWAudience: Everyone welcome
Saturday 24th October - Sunday. 10am – 5pm
No tickets required. Posters available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Cost: £35 per poster
Duration: Drop in any time
Accessibility Information
Enter through the double gate for step-free access to the gardens and follow the path to our green front door.
Discover the past, present and future of traditional printing at Thin Ice Press: the York Centre for Print. Nestled in the tranquil St Anthony’s Garden, just opposite The Dispensary and overlooked by the City walls, this pressroom, museum and gallery brings together traditional printing and a community working to ensure an endangered craft and skills thrive for centuries to come.During York Ghost Week, a new series of fine press posters, designed and printed at Thin Ice Press, will be exclusively available from their gallery. Drawing inspiration from York’s history of hauntings and its 500-year tradition of printing, the series brings together traditional techniques, the distinctive visual character of the York Ghosts, and contemporary printmaking.
Twenty-five of each design will be released each day during Ghost Week.
Visitors are warmly invited to visit during opening hours to explore the gallery, pressroom and learn more about York’s remarkable printing heritage. -
Dance the Past presents: Ghosts and Ghouls Gothic Tea Dance
York Cemetery Chapel, The Gatehouse, 49 Cemetery Rd, York, YO10 5AJAudience: 18+
Sunday 25th October. 2pm – 5pm
Demand is expected to be high so there may not be any on-the-day tickets available, so we advise purchasing in advance. Tickets available from 4pm on 27th August via Eventbrite:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ghosts-and-ghouls-gothic-tea-dance-tickets-1991802836903Tickets
Adult (18+): £15**** ONLY 10 TICKETS REMAINING AS OF 2nd SEPTEMBER ****
Duration: 3 Hours
Accessibility Information
Historic dance is a fairly non-strenuous form of dance. Everyone is welcome to attend although dancing will not be possible in a wheelchair- please email dancethepast@gmail.com if you would like to come along and we can discuss your needs further.
https://www.accessable.co.uk/city-of-york-council/access-guides/york-cemetery
Step into the shadows and drift through a spellbinding afternoon amongst the ghosts of York.Join us for an afternoon tea dance full of haunting melodies, dark elegance, and unforgettable enchantment as part of York Ghost Week. This unique event celebrates the grace and charm of Georgian, Regency, and Victorian dance within a hauntingly atmospheric gothic setting. Blending historical dance traditions with gothic romance and period elegance, the afternoon invites guests to immerse themselves in the beauty of a bygone era, surrounded by the striking architecture and evocative atmosphere of York Cemetery Chapel.
Whether you are an experienced historical dancer or simply captivated by gothic romance and period style, this promises to be a memorable gathering filled with dancing, history, and gothic enchantment.
Historical / Gothic costume encouraged.
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Tankard Making Workshop
Clay Space York, 9 Melrose Yard, York, YO1 9XFAudience: Young Adults and up
Saturday 24th Oct – Monday 26th Oct & Wednesday 28th Oct - Sunday 1st Nov. 1pm & 7pm
Tickets must be purchased in advance and are available from 5pm on 27th August via www.clayspaceyork.com
Tickets
£65 per personDuration: Approx 90 Minutes
Accessibility Information
The building is accessible for wheelchair users but please email clayspaceyork@gmail.com should you have any further queries.Come along to our 1650 old foundry now operating as a working pottery. Under the guidance of our teachers, you can hand build and decorate your own tankard. We will use professional pottery glazes to dip your creations in a colour of your own choice post workshop and have it delivered to your home.
The design of the tankard is based on a 1600's curved drinking vessel with a robust design made from layered coils.
Built for form and function its solid design takes inspiration medieval tavern vessels and from the building in which it is made- a 1600s former foundry with its own story to tell. Each tankard will have its own sprig embossed with the familiar Ghost Merchant Torches.
Handles, sprigs and individual touches can be added by the maker with expert guidance from our potters during your one-and-a-half-hour bespoke Ghost Week Workshop at Clay Space York.
Befitting of the period, makers will have the choice of deep brown, winter green or royal blue.
Made and fired by you within Yorks Medieval City Walls
Your tankard will be delivered to you post production and is safe to drink your mead, ale or morning brew from for years to come.
All clay, firings, tuition and P&P included.
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Ghosts of Station Hall
National Railway Museum, Leeman Rd, York, YO26 4XJAudience: Families, Groups, Young Adults
Saturday 24th October – Sunday 1st November. 10am – 5pm daily
Tickets available on the day or in advance via https://tickets.railwaymuseum.org.uk/FREE EVENT
Duration: Ticket gives access to the museum for the full day
Accessibility Information
https://www.railwaymuseum.org.uk/visit/facilities-and-accessibilitySomething curious has taken up residence among the historic trains of Station Hall. Created especially for York Ghost Week, Ghosts of Station Hall is a family-friendly ghost hunt through the richly atmospheric surroundings of the National Railway Museum’s restored Station Hall.
Search high and low to spot 30 hand-crafted York Ghosts from The York Ghost Merchants, hidden inside selected carriages, locomotives and collection displays.
But these little Ghosts are hiding more than just themselves. Follow the trail’s story points to uncover remarkable tales connected with the railway and the people who worked and journeyed upon it. Discover stories of memory and mourning, unusual cargo, railway folklore and extraordinary journeys - from Queen Victoria’s final railway journey to some of the more unexpected things once carried by train.https://www.railwaymuseum.org.uk/whats-on
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Echoes on the Line
National Railway Museum, Leeman Rd, York, YO26 4XJAudience: Families, Groups, Young Adults
Saturday 24th October – Sunday 1st November. 10am – 5pm daily
Tickets available on the day or in advance from https://tickets.railwaymuseum.org.uk/Entry to the museum is free, however access to the Wonderlab is chargeable.
Duration: Event runs all day, arrive / leave at your leisure
Accessibility Information
https://www.railwaymuseum.org.uk/visit/facilities-and-accessibility
Discover a special programme of family activities at the National Railway Museum during York Ghost Week. Daily storytelling sessions will bring railway history to life through tales inspired by Victorian travel, railway folklore, unusual journeys and the people connected with the railways.
Families can also get creative at our STEM Sheds with activities inspired by travel, communication and railway journeys. In Wonderlab: The Bramall Gallery, science and STEM get a hands-on Halloween twist.
Explore the gallery and get hands on with our exhibits, with plenty of opportunities to investigate, make and discover together. With storytelling, making and interactive science activities taking place across the museum, Echoes on the Line offers families even more ways to explore the National Railway Museum this October half term.https://www.railwaymuseum.org.uk/whats-on
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Mischief Night Ghost Week Trail
York Mansion House, St. Helen’s Square, York, YO1 9QLAudience: Ages 11+, Families, Groups, Young Adults
Saturday 24th October – Sunday 1st November. 10.30am - 5pm (last entry 4pm)
Tickets available on the door on the day of visit (no online sales)
Tickets
Adults: £7.00
Concessions (over 65s and students aged 16+ in full-time education): £5.50
Children (age 5+): £3.50
Children (under 5): FREE
Family (2 adults and up to 3 children): £18.00
Half price to York residentsDuration: It is recommended you allow approximately 1 hour to complete the trail and explore the house.
Accessibility Information
https://www.mansionhouseyork.com/visit/accessibility
Help stop mischievous York school boy, Guy Fawkes, causing havoc in our Mischief Night trail - and be in with the chance of winning a unique Ghost Merchants ghost!
Mischief Night, celebrated with pranks, jokes and not without a little chaos, was traditionally the night before Bonfire Night in the north country, but its origins could date back much further to the “misrule days” of the past when communities were allowed to let off steam… Growing up in York, the young Guy Fawkes was a mischief-maker himself and caused no end of havoc for his school masters, long before he set his sights on a more famous prize.
Join our ghostly headmaster John Pulleyn, who needs your help keeping the peace, before Guy forks out more misrule than the city can handle! Follow the trail around the house, solving puzzles and clues as you go.
Everyone who successfully completes our trail puzzle book will be entered into a draw to win a unique ghost designed by the Ghost Merchants and inspired by the Mansion House building.https://www.mansionhouseyork.com/whats
@york_mansion_house -
Remember, Remember
York Mansion House, St. Helen’s Square, York, YO1 9QLAudience: 15+, Young Adult, Adult
Thursday 29th, Friday 30th & Saturday 31st October. 7.30pm (Doors 7pm)
Tickets must be purchased in advance and are available from Monday 7th September via https://www.mansionhouseyork.com/whatson
Tickets
£25 per person
(price includes an interval drink)Duration: 2 Hours
Accessibility Information
https://www.mansionhouseyork.com/visit/accessibility
As the anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot draws nigh, the spirits of two former York residents rise to share their stories in the low light of York’s historic Mansion House.
As the sainted ‘Pearl of York’ Margaret Clitherow relives the tragic day of her death, she is joined by the spirit of one believed to have been present at her execution in his youth - Guy Fawkes. Was Margaret’s trial and death the inciting event that set the scene for one of the most explosive (pardon the pun) episodes on the stage of English history?
Haunting period folk music, played on traditional instruments, flows hypnotically through historically informed storytelling in this atmospheric live performance created exclusively for York Ghost Week 2026.
Join The Hallowed Guild of Phantom Players - actor / playwright Andrea Mitchell, performer / musician / historical re-enactor Hrafn Rikkardsson, and Celtic folk musician / theatre-maker Olivia Graham for this evocative evening.https://www.mansionhouseyork.com/whats
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Candlelit Mouse Hunt
Holy Trinity Church, Goodramgate, York, YO1 7LFAudience: Families with younger children
Monday 26th October. 6pm – 8.30pm
FREE EVENT - DONATIONS WELCOME
Duration: Come and go anytime
Accessibility Information
https://www.accessable.co.uk/york-and-north-yorkshire/access-guides/holy-trinity-goodramgate
Doing the Ghost Hunt with small children? Take a break and chalk up an easy win with a visit to Holy Trinity, Goodramgate. Always atmospheric and full of history, the main body of the church will be lit by candlelight. Grab a torch and find all our mice to win a chocolate prize and then return to the Ghost Hunt raring to go!Read more about the current campaign to raise funds for essential repairs to the entrance archway and gate at Holy Trinity:
https://www.visitchurches.org.uk/get-involved/give/support-a-campaign/goodramgate-keep-the-gate-openhttps://www.visitchurches.org.uk/whats-on/events
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The Keening with Olivia Graham
Holy Trinity Church, Goodramgate, York, YO1 7LFAudience: Adult
Sunday 1st November. 7pm (Doors 6.30pm)
Tickets available now via Eventbrite
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-keening-with-olivia-graham-tickets-1994375109640Tickets
Adult: £11.55Any remaining tickets will be available on the door, but priority seating will be available for those with advance tickets. Booking is strongly advised.
Duration: 1 Hour
Accessibility Information
The venue is wheelchair accessible save for the St James Chapel and the Sunken Chapel. This will not impact your enjoyment of this event. If you are attending in a wheelchair, you may wish to visit the venue before the day to check sightlines and whether you will be able to transfer into a box pew. Pew seating needs to be shared between ticket holders, but reservations can be made if a particular pew is required for access reasons.
https://www.accessable.co.uk/york-and-north-yorkshire/access-guides/holy-trinity-goodramgate
Songs of mourning and remembrance in the Celtic tradition exclusively for York Ghost Week. On the first day in November, the veil between worlds is said to be at its thinnest. As dusk descends on one of York’s oldest churches, ancient songs of loss and mourning echo in this place where time ever stands still. In the humble glow of candlelight,
Celtic folk musician Olivia Graham reverently serenades with traditional and original music woven together with the tales and traditions of this most sacred night.Read more about the current campaign to raise funds for essential repairs to the entrance archway and gate at Holy Trinity:
https://www.visitchurches.org.uk/get-involved/give/support-a-campaign/goodramgate-keep-the-gate-openhttps://www.visitchurches.org.uk/whats-on/events
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Deadtime Stories for Families
National Trust - Treasurer's House, Minster Yard, York, YO1 7JLAudience: Children aged 6 -12, Families
Thursday 29th October. 4.15pm & 5.30pm
Tickets must be purchased in advance and are available from 27th August via https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/yorkshire/treasurers-house-york/events
Tickets
Children: £12 (including hot chocolate)
Adults: £6Duration: 30 Minutes with time for refreshments around the event
Accessibility Information
https://www.accessable.co.uk/national-trust/treasurer-s-house-york-national-trust/access-guides/treasurer-s-house-york-house-and-garden
Led by an actor portraying King Edward VII - once a visitor to the house - families gather after hours in the Great Hall to hear atmospheric ghost stories drawn from the house’s real history. The experience blends heritage, humour, and gentle participation - offering “spooky, not scary” storytelling for children aged 6 -12 and their families. -
Deadtime Stories for Adults
National Trust - Treasurer's House, Minster Yard, York, YO1 7JLAudience: Adult, 18+
Friday 30th & Saturday 31st October. 6.30pm & 7.30pm
Tickets must be purchased in advance and are available from 27th August via https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/yorkshire/treasurers-house-york/events
Tickets
Adults: £20Duration: 1 Hour
Accessibility Information
https://www.accessable.co.uk/national-trust/treasurer-s-house-york-national-trust/access-guides/treasurer-s-house-york-house-and-garden
Similar to the family sessions, however these adult only sessions provide exclusive, candle lit access to more areas of the house, as you hear about our long-term residents.
This will be the only opportunity to see Treasurer’s House after hours this year! -
HAUNTED HALL: Ghost Hunters!
Barley Hall, 2 Coffee Yard, York, YO1 8ARAudience: Ages 6+ / Families
15 children & 15 adults per tour. One adult per child max.Saturday 24th October – Saturday 31st October.
10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:30, 14:30 & 15:30Tickets must be purchased in advance and are available from 27th August via
https://yat.digitickets.co.uk/event-tickets/80537?catID=75338Tickets
Child: £15.50
Adults: £5.50Duration: 45 Minutes
Accessibility Information
Due to the historic nature of the building, Barley Hall has raised thresholds throughout. A temporary ramp provides access to the Great Hall and the stairs to the School Room. Public toilets are available; however, there are no accessible toilets on site. If you require additional assistance, please contact our Reservations Team at groups@yorkat.co.uk for more information.
https://www.accessable.co.uk/york-and-north-yorkshire/access-guides/barley-hall
Did you know that York is said to sit on a paranormal nexus, a place where the boundary between our world and the spirit world is at its thinnest? For reasons no one can explain, those boundaries have weakened even further, and the spirits of York's past have descended upon Barley Hall.
To protect visitors, we've temporarily closed the Hall while our paranormal investigators work to contain the outbreak. But with ghosts spanning more than 2,000 years of York's history, they can't do it alone. They're recruiting trainee ghost hunters, and they need your help to track down the troublesome spirits hiding throughout the Hall.
No previous ghost-hunting experience is required, just plenty of courage! Each ghost-hunting adventure lasts approximately 45 minutes and is recommended for brave hunters aged 6 and above. (Children must be accompanied by an adult, maximum 1 adult per child).
Are you ready to discover what lurks in the shadows of Haunted Hall?
@barleyhallyork -
HAUNTED HALL: Dark Tales
Barley Hall, 2 Coffee Yard, York, YO1 8ARAudience: Adult, 18+
Friday 30th & Saturday 31st October. 7pm- 8pm & 8.30pm - 9.30pm
Tickets must be purchased in advance and are available from 27th August via https://yat.digitickets.co.uk/event-tickets/80540?catID=75338
Tickets
Adults: £20
Duration: 1 Hour
Accessibility Information
Due to the historic nature of the building, Barley Hall has raised thresholds throughout. A temporary ramp provides access to the Great Hall and the stairs to the School Room. Public toilets are available; however, there are no accessible toilets on site. If you require additional assistance, please contact our Reservations Team at groups@yorkat.co.uk for more information.
https://www.accessable.co.uk/york-and-north-yorkshire/access-guides/barley-hall
Barley Hall has stood on this site for more than 600 years—plenty of time for whispers, secrets, and restless spirits to seep into its ancient walls.They say old houses remember the past. Perhaps they do, with their stories lingering in silence... until now. Waiting for someone willing to listen.
Join Edwyrdian Tales for an unforgettable evening of haunting storytelling as the darker chapters of Barley Hall's past unfold. From ghostly encounters to chilling folklore, what secrets lie hidden within these ancient walls?
Will you dare to uncover the Dark Tales of Haunted Hall?
Accessibility Bookings
We will be making accessibility bookings available at the Dispensary again this year.
We ask that you only book ONE appointment in total across the whole week to ensure everyone has the opportunity to visit us.
Example: If you book to visit the Shambles, you would NOT
be able to book to visit the Dispensary as well in Ghost Week (or vice versa).
Anyone booking more than 1 appointment between Sat 24th Oct - Sun 1st Nov
will have the later booking(s) deleted with no warning.
Appointments for the Shambles and the Dispensary will be available from 6pm on Tuesday 1st September 2026
The Dispensary gardens can be very busy at times in Ghost Week so we ask you follow the signage and direction of our Merchants who will look after you
