East Riding of Yorkshire Ghosts, Folklore and Forteana
The Rudston Monolith
Location: Rudston - Churchyard
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Still present
Further Comments: The tallest monolith in the UK, one tale states the stone was thrown by the Devil with the intent of knocking down the nearby church. Another tale states that the rock was dropped from the sky, killing one or two people intent on desecrating the graves.
First added: 2003-04-19 | Last updated: 2003-04-19 | ID #4137
Green Creature
Location: Skeffling - Off coast
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: Circa 1938
Further Comments: Joan Borgeest spotted a large green creature off the coast of Skeffling. She described the beast as having a flat head, long mouth and protruding eyes. It dived when she shouted for others to come and see it.
First added: 2011-03-25 | Last updated: 2011-03-25 | ID #10207
Passerby
Location: Skidby - Skidby Mill Museum
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 2023
Further Comments: Whilst washing their hands in the bathroom, this witness noticed, in the bathroom mirror, someone pass behind and enter a toilet cubicle. They thought nothing of it, until turning round to leave and noticing all the toilet doors were open and none occupied.
First added: 2025-12-29 | Last updated: 2025-12-29 | ID #16241
Headless on Headless
Location: Skipsea - Roads around town
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The headless highwayman seen around this area rides a headless horse. A road on a hill south of the town is haunted by a woman (who may also be headless) wearing black, who quickly vanishes just before reaching a hill.
First added: 2002-10-13 | Last updated: 2002-10-13 | ID #2611
Poisoned Wife
Location: Skipsea - Skipsea Castle, Albermarle Hill
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Headless woman on moonlit nights (reoccurring), others unknown
Further Comments: Drogo, a Baron from the eleventh century, poisoned his wife and fled abroad - she has been seen, headless and white, walking from the castle (or what remains of it) to a brook at the base, disappearing before reaching the bridge. She may be the same entity known as Awd Molly, who was once believed could be summoned if you walked around a certain pit in the area. Finally, depressions in the ground somewhere on the hill are supposed to belong to two warriors who killed each other in a duel - if filled, the ghosts of the fighters were said to return.
First added: 2002-06-21 | Last updated: 2002-06-21 | ID #1366
Cloaked Figure
Location: Skirlaugh - Old farmhouse
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 2000-2006
Further Comments: A former occupier of the property reported encountering several phantoms on the site, with other members of the family also spotting entities. These included a floating cloaked figure, a little blonde girl with an expressionless face, a young black man and a boy who ran around the yard.
First added: 2011-01-09 | Last updated: 2011-01-09 | ID #10153
Cloaked Figure
Location: Skirlaugh - Old farmhouse
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 2000-2005
Further Comments: The family which lived in this old farmhouse reported encountering several phantoms during their time here. A floating cloaked figure was seen at dusk, a young boy wearing old fashioned clothing was witnessed running around the yard, a young girl wearing a black pinafore spotted from the kitchen window, and a young black male observed scrubbing the wall of a barn.
First added: 2012-05-06 | Last updated: 2012-05-06 | ID #10866
Robin Roundcap
Location: Spaldington - Spaldington Hall (demolished 1838)
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Pre-1838
Further Comments: An elf took up residence here, putting out fires and spoiling food. He was banished to a nearby well by three members of the clergy.
First added: 2015-10-24 | Last updated: 2015-10-24 | ID #11958
Strange Woman
Location: The Lady of Avenel, aka The Virgo - Destroyed off the coast of Bridlington circa 1939
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1925-1930s
Further Comments: The Lady of Avenel was the last brigantine to fly the British flag, and reports of a phantom woman being spotted on board began in the 1920s after the ship was almost trapped in ice. A woman's ghostly arm was seen turning down an oil lamp, and a lady would be heard talking and walking along the poop deck.
First added: 2007-04-11 | Last updated: 2007-04-11 | ID #7270
Panther Size Cat
Location: Warter - Woods near Warter Priory
Type: ABC
Date / Time: 2001, circa 15.30h
Further Comments: While walking their dog, this witness watched a large black cat leap across the path twenty yards (18 metres) ahead of them. The dog, which was running around freely, immediately ran back to the owner, and both walked back the way they had come.
First added: 2010-04-18 | Last updated: 2010-04-18 | ID #9891
Brown Gardener
Location: Watton - Watton Abbey
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Elfreda in 1956
Further Comments: The short, brown coloured figure seen in the abbey grounds is thought to be a former gardener. A few ghostly women (some of whom are nuns) in different colours and forms also haunt the abbey, including a headless woman known as Elfreda. During the mid-twentieth century a team of workmen camping on the grounds heard the bell pealing, even though it had been removed several years previously.
First added: 2002-06-26 | Last updated: 2002-06-26 | ID #1491
Sooty Cat
Location: Winestead - Area around the former mental hospital
Type: ABC
Date / Time: January 2000
Further Comments: The police were called after three people watched a large black cat padding around a field around fifteen metres from their location.
First added: 2002-11-07 | Last updated: 2002-11-07 | ID #3033
Pixie Party
Location: Wold Newton - Willy Howe barrow
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A human gatecrasher reported joining a pixie party that was occurring within this barrow - he soon ran off, not wanting to fall under a fairy spell. Another man was said to have picked up a golden coin each day from the barrow, left there for him by a fairy who liked him, although she stopped her act of generosity when the man told others of her. Finally, another story says there is treasure here, although it can never be removed.
First added: 2002-07-07 | Last updated: 2002-07-07 | ID #1653
Records 76 - 88 of 88
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