Ye Olde Starre Inn York is not a pub that claims to be haunted because it is old, it’s haunted because of what happened here, writes DAVID SAUNDERSON
Ye Olde Starre Inne is maybe York’s oldest pub. It’s certainly one of the most talked-about haunted pubs in a very spooky city.
Its cellar was used as a hospital and mortuary during the English Civil War, and today staff and visitors still report low moans from below, figures on the stairs, and a presence that doesn’t quite leave.
And it’s regularly listed among the most haunted pubs in York, not because of one dramatic story, but because the same reports keep coming back.
History of Ye Olde Starre Inne
The building was licensed as “The Starre” in 1644, during the English Civil War, when the city was under siege.
After the Battle of Marston Moor, the inn was used as both a hospital and a mortuary.
The cellar became a place where wounded soldiers were treated and the dead were laid out. That detail sits behind everything that is said about the pub now.
There is also a strong Royalist association, linking the building to the forces that once held the city.
Structurally, the pub points to even earlier origins.
Timber framing suggests parts of it date to the 16th century, with later additions absorbed over time rather than replacing what was already there. Like much of York, it has grown in layers.
The inn has functioned as a posting house, where horses were changed for passing coaches, making it part of York’s wider network of travel and trade.
The courtyard, still visible today, would likely have served as a stable yard during this time.
A stone well once stood at the end of the passage, providing one of the only reliable sources of clean water in the area, and likely supplying the inn’s own brewing.
A large sign has stretched across Stonegate since 1733, fixed between neighbouring buildings and still in place today.
For centuries, the inn has served merchants, travellers and locals. It has never really stopped and that continuity matters.
The pub plays a role in Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, a historical fantasy novel set in an alternative 19th-century England where magic exists but is treated in a restrained, almost scholarly way. This association fits the Starre, a place where where you could believe magic is real.
Why Ye Olde Starre Inne Is Said to Be Haunted
Everything about this place points back to one moment in time, the Civil War.
It’s old, it’s been in continual use and it’s from a period in time when the building was filled with pain, fear and death.
The cellar is where it all leads, the place where the wounded lay and the dead were left.
This is exactly the kind of history that places it among the most convincing haunted pubs in York.
Ghost Stories at Ye Olde Starre Inne
The cellar
- Most reports centre on the cellar, often described as one of the most unsettling spaces in any haunted pub in York.
- Staff and visitors describe hearing low moans and groans from below, usually when the pub is quiet. The sounds are not loud or dramatic, but they are consistent enough to be noticed.
- They are almost always linked back to the Civil War period, when the space was used as a hospital and mortuary.
The Royalist officer
- There are repeated accounts of a male figure moving through the pub, often described as a Royalist officer.
- Witnesses tend to report a defined presence rather than a vague shape, which has helped fix this as one of the pub’s more recognisable sightings.
The Lady in Black
- On the staircase, a “Lady in Black” has been seen on several occasions.
- She appears briefly, then disappears, leaving no clear explanation beyond the building itself.
The black cats
- A more unusual story involves two black cats, said to have been buried within the walls as part of an old protective practice.
- Some claim to have seen them moving through the bar before vanishing.
The general feeling
- Alongside these specific sightings, many people comment on a general sense of unease, particularly near the cellar and staircase.
- It is not constant, but it is mentioned often enough to be part of the pub’s reputation.
- Taken together, the reports follow the building’s history closely. Nothing feels out of place with what happened here.
Strange Experiences Reported at Ye Olde Starre Inne
Beyond the main sightings, smaller incidents are sometimes reported. There are:
- Footsteps on the stairs when no one is there.
- Doors creaking open.
- Sounds coming from empty rooms.
In a building of this age, some of this can be explained. Timber shifts. Floors are uneven.
But not everything fits neatly.
There are occasional reports of objects moving slightly, such as glasses shifting on tables late at night. A recurring theme is the feeling of being watched, particularly near the cellar entrance and staircase.
Lighting plays its part. Low ceilings, dark wood and uneven spaces create shadows that move easily in the evening.
It is this mix of history, environment and suggestion that keeps the stories going.
Inside Ye Olde Starre Inne Today
Today, Ye Olde Starre Inne remains a busy and welcoming pub.
While it’s hidden away a snickleway, it’s not hard to find on Stonegate with a massive sign above the street.
The passage opens into what is now known as Starre Yard, a courtyard that would once have been a working stable yard when the inn operated as a posting house.
Inside, the layout is made up of several rooms, each with its own character, connected in a way that reflects how the building developed over time. Nothing feels staged. It feels used.
During my visit, it was an early April evening and getting dark. Not the rush of a weekend, but enough people in to give it life. The wood is worn, the spaces slightly uneven, and the place feels settled.
The Ye Olde Starre Inne felt like a proper pub, one that has carried on doing the same job for centuries.
People come in, have a drink, and leave.
The building stays.
And if the stories are right, not everything leaves with them.
What you need to know
- Ye Olde Starre Inne is located on Stonegate, York YO1 8AS, accessed through a snickleway courtyard just off the main street.
- It is widely regarded as York’s oldest licensed pub, dating back to 1644, with parts of the building reaching into the 16th century.
- The Green King pub features multiple rooms and connected spaces, with traditional interiors and areas reflecting its long history.
- It is known for its Civil War past as a hospital and mortuary, and for reported hauntings centred on the cellar.
- For opening hours and more details, visit the pub’s official website.
