York, Yorkshire
The Guy Fawkes Inn hosts several distinct supernatural presences, the most frequently reported being two child spirits known as the Cholera Children. These young ghosts are attributed to victims of a cholera outbreak in the 1700s, and their presence centres on the Belfry Suite. Guests and staff have reported seeing the apparitions of two children in this room, their forms appearing with enough clarity to be identified as young figures before fading from view. The children do not appear malevolent. Their manifestations occur without warning, leaving witnesses startled but unharmed. The visual nature of these encounters distinguishes the Belfry Suite as the inn's most actively haunted location. Down in the bar area, a different kind of spirit makes itself known through more mischievous behaviour. Staff have documented repeated incidents involving a specific bottle of Courvoisier brandy. As reported in the York Press newspaper, the bottle wriggles to the front of the shelf late at night. Morning shifts frequently discover the bottle sitting on the bar counter, removed from its position among the other spirits. This phenomenon occurs with such regularity that staff have attributed it to a friendly gentleman ghost with a particular taste for brandy. The consistency of this activity, always involving the same brand, suggests an entity with specific preferences carried over from life. Additional spirits mentioned in connection with the inn include a Grey Lady and a figure known as The Priest, though detailed accounts of these apparitions remain scarce compared to the well-documented child spirits and the brandy-loving gentleman. The layering of multiple hauntings across different areas of the building reflects the centuries of human activity within these walls.
The Cholera Children (two child spirits), Courvoisier Loving Gentleman Ghost, Grey Lady, The Priest
The Belfry Suite has earned its reputation as the inn's most haunted room through decades of consistent reports. Guests booking this particular accommodation do so knowing they may not sleep alone. The two child spirits manifest visually, appearing as distinct figures rather than vague shadows or movements in peripheral vision. Witnesses describe seeing children dressed in period clothing appropriate to the 18th century, their forms solid enough to be mistaken briefly for living guests before the impossibility of their presence becomes apparent.
One characteristic of these hauntings sets them apart from more aggressive supernatural encounters: the children do not seem aware of or interested in the living occupants of the room. They appear engaged in their own activities, playing or moving through the space as though the modern world does not exist for them. This residual quality, where spirits repeat actions from life rather than interacting with the present, suggests these children remain trapped in a moment from the 1700s, perhaps the final days before cholera claimed them.
The emotional weight of encountering child ghosts affects witnesses deeply. Staff members who have seen the apparitions describe feeling profound sadness rather than fear. The knowledge that these small figures died in suffering, their lives cut short by a disease that caused agonising dehydration and pain, transforms the supernatural into something deeply human.
The bar staff at the Guy Fawkes Inn have learned to expect certain irregularities during closing time. The Courvoisier bottle incident follows a predictable pattern. The bottle sits in its assigned position on the shelf during operating hours, behaving normally. After last orders, after the final customers leave and staff begin closing procedures, the bottle moves. Sometimes witnesses observe the actual movement, the bottle shifting forward of its own accord, pushing past other bottles to reach the front of the shelf. Other times, the movement occurs unseen, discovered only when morning staff arrive to find the Courvoisier sitting prominently on the bar counter.
The York Press coverage of this phenomenon brought public attention to what staff had known for years. The regularity of these incidents removes reasonable explanations such as vibration or accidental displacement. The same bottle, the same brand, the same behaviour, repeated night after night. Staff have experimented with repositioning the bottle, placing it in different locations, only to find it makes its way forward regardless.
The personality suggested by this haunting proves endearing rather than threatening. This spirit appreciates the finer things. The choice of Courvoisier, a premium French brandy, over cheaper alternatives speaks to refined taste. That the ghost apparently wishes to enjoy a tipple after closing time suggests a convivial nature, someone who appreciated the social atmosphere of a public house and refuses to stop participating simply because death intervened.
Two child spirits haunt the Belfry Suite at Guy Fawkes Inn. They died during one of York's devastating cholera outbreaks in the 1700s and now appear to guests staying in the room that was once their home.
A refined gentleman ghost with a taste for fine French brandy makes his presence known nightly at Guy Fawkes Inn. Staff regularly find the Courvoisier bottle moved from its shelf to the bar top, the spirit's preferred tipple mysteriously working its way forward as closing time approaches.
Built in the 1500s - 16th century
Private dwelling and cottage, later converted to a public house and inn
The Guy Fawkes Inn occupies one of the most historically charged locations in York, standing directly opposite St Michael le Belfrey church on High Petergate, mere steps from York Minster. The building's primary claim to fame centres on Guy Fawkes, the notorious conspirator of the 1605 Gunpowder Plot, who was baptised at St Michael le Belfrey on 16th April 1570. A blue plaque on the property and extensive tourist material proclaim the 16th-century cottage in the beer garden as his birthplace. However, City of York historic building records note that No. 25 High Petergate was formerly wrongly identified as the birthplace of Guy Fawkes. The cottage, sometimes listed separately as Guy Fawkes Cottage, remains attached to the rear of the main building and forms part of the guest accommodation today. The architectural history of the site proves complex. The main structure at No. 25 has been extensively obscured by later extensions over the centuries, making precise dating of original elements difficult. What survives provides a glimpse into Tudor York, when High Petergate served as one of the city's principal thoroughfares leading to the Minster. The building's transformation into a public house capitalised on the Fawkes connection, and the inn has operated under this name for generations. The property contains 13 guest rooms split between the main inn building and the cottage. Its position on York's historic ghost walk routes has cemented its reputation as one of the city's most visited haunted establishments. The Belfry Suite, named for its proximity to and views of St Michael le Belfrey, has become particularly notorious among paranormal enthusiasts.
Tudor timber-framed construction with later Georgian and Victorian modifications. The cottage retains 16th-century features including exposed beams and low ceilings characteristic of the period. The main building facade shows evidence of multiple phases of alteration, with the interior preserving elements of the original structure beneath later additions.
Visual apparitions of two children in the Belfry Suite, physical movement of objects (specifically Courvoisier brandy bottles relocating themselves), bottles found displaced from shelves onto the bar counter, unexplained sounds during night hours, cold spots in various locations throughout the building
The Belfry Suite remains the primary location for visual manifestations of the child spirits, with the name referring to its position overlooking St Michael le Belfrey church where Guy Fawkes was baptised. The main bar area experiences regular poltergeist-type activity centred on the drinks shelves. The 16th-century cottage in the beer garden, available for guest accommodation, carries its own atmospheric weight given its disputed connection to Guy Fawkes. The building's Tudor core and later extensions create a layered environment where different historical periods overlap, potentially contributing to the variety of supernatural presences reported.
Bar staff have provided consistent testimony regarding the Courvoisier bottle incidents over an extended period, with multiple team members independently observing the same phenomena. The York Press newspaper quoted staff describing how the bottle wriggles to the front of the shelf late at night and noting the team often find the bottle on the bar in the morning. Guest accounts from the Belfry Suite describe visual encounters with the child apparitions, though specific dates and names remain protected for privacy. The inclusion of the Guy Fawkes Inn on established York ghost walk routes indicates that local guides consider the hauntings credible enough to feature in their tours.
The Guy Fawkes Inn features regularly on York's ghost walk circuits and appears on multiple 'most haunted pubs in York' lists compiled by paranormal researchers and tourism publications. The property's accessible location in central York makes it a convenient stop for walking tours. Specific documented paranormal investigations by television programmes or research organisations have not been verified through available sources, though the inn's prominence in local supernatural lore suggests interest from the paranormal community.
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📅 Sample dates:2026-03-22 to 2026-03-24 • 2 adults
Dates and guest count can be changed on booking sites
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Paranormal Tip: Book rooms near the belfry suite remains the primary location for visual manifestations of the child spirits for the best chance of supernatural encounters!
Address:
25 High Petergate, York, YO1 7HP
Status: Operating
The inn's location on ghost walk routes means guests can easily combine their stay with evening paranormal tours of York. The Belfry Suite attracts guests specifically seeking supernatural encounters. November sees increased interest due to Guy Fawkes Night celebrations on 5th November.
Historic 16th-century building with period features including narrow staircases and uneven floors typical of Tudor construction. The cottage accommodation involves separate access through the beer garden. Street parking in central York is limited; public car parks available nearby.
Help others discover this haunted hotel
The Guy Fawkes Inn sits at the centre of York's most concentrated cluster of haunted buildings. This guide maps the spectral activity reported within walking distance of the inn, from the cholera children of the Belfry Suite to the restless spirits of the city's medieval lanes.
Read GuideThe Guy Fawkes Inn at 25 High Petergate in York trades on its association with England's most notorious plotter. Yet city records reveal the connection to be historically dubious, while the building itself holds genuine Tudor origins and darker stories of childhood mortality.
Read HistoryBook your stay and experience The Cholera Children and the other spirits firsthand. Many guests report paranormal encounters during their visits.