The Ghostly Walker of York

In most stories and fables, there is an element of truth and fiction. It is the combination of these that stimulates the mind and triggers our imagination. On a recent weekend visit to York, I came across a man possessed with such extraordinary conviction and belief in his work that it has engrossed him for the last twenty years. His name is Mark Graham and he operates a Ghost Walk. The tour takes in various sights around the vicinity of the center of York that are believed to be haunted. There are place names like Mad Alice Lane, Clifford's Tower, The Shambles and the Copper Gate centre. These are but a few of the stopping points.

On the Saturday morning my wife and I strolled through the town while brousing round the many shops. We then had lunch at a pub which served delicious homemade food and later we visited the magnificent York Minster. We decided to pass the evening by taking in one of the many tours of York. The advertisement indicated that there was a tour of the haunted sites within the area and like true investigators we decided to head for its meeting place which was The kings Arms pub, by the side of the Ouse bridge. As the hour of eight struck on the Minster clock a crowd of about sixty people assembled. Our guide appeared and he led us to a quiet part of the river bank where we parted with our three pound fee. It was then that the ghostly tales began. English, Japanese, Americans and Dutch listened intently as Mark relayed the ghostly tales that haunt the city walls. It was all very humorous and theatrical and we both took much of it with a pinch of salt but several points were interesting. For example, the true Dick Turpin story, apparently he was no more than a horse thief and during his lifetime he had never even seen London.

The next stop was at the steps of York Minster, a magnificent building with its stained glass windows and towers reaching up to the sky. Mark gathered our group together and started to relay to us the next story. As I listened to what he was saying it was clear to me that this was no fable or invented story but true fact. As I have indicated before, when I get a report of paranormal activity, I look for certain key elements contained within the report which I use to validate the information, while at the same time using my own experiences as a yardstick.

Mark’s account went all the way back to 1953, six years before I was even born. He talked of a plumber of that time called Harry Martindale who was seventeen. Apparently he was working alone in the cellar of the treasury house when he heard the sound of a bugle or trumpet type instrument. As he looked round, much to his astonishment, he saw a legion of Roman soldiers, one on horseback and the rest on foot, marching through the wall and exiting the cellar through the opposite wall. One thing that he noticed was that the figures were only visible from the knees up. This was the tell tale sign I was looking for because I have had many such experiences myself, seeing only certain parts of the entity. He told every body that he knew about his sighting but nobody believed him except for the caretaker of the treasurery building.

A few years later in the 1970s, a massive archaeological dig revealed a Roman palace in the vicinity of the Minster accompanied with finds of weapons, gold and swords. A roman road was also discovered leading through the grounds of the treasury house, confirming what Harry Martindale claimed to have seen twenty years before. A man called Peter Broadhead who years before had been a friend of Harry Martindale was the very first person to set up a ghost walk of this kind and found huge demand for the nightly excursion through the streets of York. Peter later sold the ghost walking business to Mark Graham the current owner of the business.

I can well recommend a visit to York. Its history and sights are breathtaking and there are several top class museums, pubs and eating establishments. There are now several ghost walks in York so do not get confused and book onto the wrong one. The Original Ghost walk from the Kings Arms pub by the side of the Ouse bridge starts at 8 p.m. every evening and costs £3.00 adults £2.00 children. The contact number is 01759 373090

  E-mail Gary.

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