Skip to main content

Whitby Phantom Funeral Coach

Green Lane, Whitby, North Yorkshire Post-Mortem Apparition Victorian

Green Lane in Whitby is home to a rather unusual and intriguing haunting. It's said that the night after a local fisherman is buried, a phantom coach and six black horses appear, accompanied by two dark outriders. This ghostly procession makes its way to the church, picking up additional spectral mourners along the way. Once at the church, the mourners circle the grave three times before piling into the coach, which then speeds off towards the edge of a cliff, where it vanishes into thin air.

This haunting is rooted in the fishing community's history and traditions. The phantom coach is believed to be a post-mortem manifestation, a way of honouring the deceased fisherman with a grand funeral procession. The ritualistic circling of the grave and the coach's wild departure are thought to symbolise the deceased's final journey. While there's no concrete evidence of the haunting, the story has been passed down through generations, with many claiming to have witnessed the ghostly procession.

Historical Context

The fishing community in Whitby dates back centuries, with many lives lost at sea.

Location

Location Details

Location Type
Road
Activity Types
Visual Audio
Witness Credibility
Multiple Witnesses
Threat Level
Harmless
Accessibility
Public Access
Date / Era
Following the burial of a fisherman
Postcode Area
YO21

Nearby Haunted Places

Apparition 0.3 mi

Mysterious Horse Sound

Esk Terrace, Whitby

Esk Terrace in Whitby is a place where the ordinary and the unexplained seem to coexist. On a quiet night, a witness staying in a house along this road was startled by the sound of a horse walking on the gravel outside. The noise was clear and unmistakable, but when the witness looked out the window, there was nothing to see. No horse, no rider, just an empty street bathed in the faint moonlight. It's a puzzling incident that has left many questions unanswered.

Road Victorian
Read Full Story
Legend 0.4 mi

St Hilda's Snake Legacy

Whitby Abbey, Whitby

Whitby Abbey stands proudly on the rugged Yorkshire coast, its ancient stones bearing witness to a legend that's been fascinating locals for centuries. The story goes that the abbey was once besieged by snakes, but St Hilda, the revered abbess, chased them off the edge of the cliff, where they turned to stone on the beach below. To this day, her ghost is said to appear in the abbey's windows, gazing out to sea. Some claim to have heard the sweet sound of a choir singing in the empty building, adding to the mystique of this haunted site.

Historic Abbey Medieval
Read Full Story
Apparition 0.5 mi

Browne Bushell Haunting

Bagdale Hall Hotel, Whitby

Bagdale Hall Hotel in Whitby is said to be haunted by the ghost of Browne Bushell, a man whose past is shrouded in mystery. While legend has it that Bushell was a pirate, the truth is likely to be far more complex. Guests and staff have reported strange occurrences, including the sound of footsteps stalking the staircase, which are more often heard than seen. It's as if Bushell's presence is still felt within the hotel's walls, a reminder of the people who lived and worked here before.

Hotel Victorian
Read Full Story
Apparition 0.6 mi

The Headless Man of Whitby

Prospect Hill, Whitby

Prospect Hill in Whitby is home to a rather unsettling apparition known as the Headless Man. This ghostly entity is said to roam the hill with a removed item securely grasped under his arm. The exact nature of this item is unknown, but it's clear that the Headless Man is a sight to behold. Locals and visitors alike have reported catching glimpses of this eerie figure, leaving many to wonder about the story behind his beheaded state.

Hill Victorian
Read Full Story
Unknown 0.6 mi

The Long Legs of Seascale

Road between Seascale and Whitby, Seascale

On a dark summer evening in 2013, a chilling encounter took place on the windswept road between Seascale and Whitby. A passenger in a vehicle, driving back to a campsite, caught a glimpse of something that would leave them shaken. As they gazed out into the darkness, they spotted a pair of extremely long white male legs, stretching up to just above the thigh, quickly bound across the road. The stride was too long and too fast to be human, leaving the passenger stunned and bewildered. Despite their cry of 'what's that?', the driver remained oblivious to the apparition.

Road Unknown
Read Full Story
Apparition 1.2 mi

The Headless Woman of Ruswarp

Churchyard wall, Ruswarp

Perched atop an ancient wall in Ruswarp's churchyard, a ghostly figure sits serene, yet unsettling. This phantom woman appears headless, her ethereal form a stark contrast to the mundane surroundings. Prospect Hill, with its historic church, provides a fitting backdrop for such a haunting. The stillness of the evening air seems to amplify the sense of unease that comes with encountering this spectral presence.

Churchyard wall Unknown
Read Full Story