The Church of St. Nicholas, Guisborough

The church of St. Nicholas is a Grade II listed building dating from the 15th or 16th century, though it was extensively rebuilt or restored in the 18th century and early 20th century. Joining the church to the South are the ruins of Guisborough Priory which was dedicated to St Mary. In ‘Haunted Churches’ (1939), Elliott O’Donnell (27 February 1872 – 8 May 1965) gives the following description of a haunting tradition associated with the churchyard. ‘The churchyard at Guisborough was at one time said to be haunted by the ghost of someone bearing none too good a reputation, who was buried there. A carrier, driving by it in his cart one night, saw a figure in white sitting on a tombstone. His horse, apparently, saw it too, for it bolted, with the result he was thrown and badly injured. On another occasion a party of youths, owing a man, who was temporarily acting as sexton, a grudge, planned to scare him by dressing up as ghosts. A death had occurred in the village, and hearing the sexton was going one evening to dig the deceased person’s grave, they chose that night for putting their plot into execution. Secreting themselves behind some bushes, they put on sheets, and chuckling at the prospect of the fun in store for them, waited impatiently for the arrival of their victim. Presently, they heard the latch of the gate click and footsteps crunch up the churchyard path. ” Now’s the time,” one of them whispered, and emitting dismal groans and wails they sprang out from their hiding-place, to confront not the sexton but a tall shrouded figure, with a ghastly, grinning death’s head. When the acting sexton arrived on the scene, some half an hour later, he was surprised to find the ground littered with the sheets the youths had dropped in their flight. And that was the end of their plot. They never dressed up as ghosts in that churchyard again.’