What would you do if a ghost blocked your path, or if a spirit appeared at your door, desperate for absolution? For the people of medieval England, these weren’t mere tales to spook children—they were real encounters that offered lessons about life, death, and the afterlife. Byland Abbey, a Cistercian monastery in Yorkshire, is the source of some of the most fascinating and chilling ghost stories from the Middle Ages.
Ghosts in Medieval Beliefs
Belief in ghosts was deeply rooted in the medieval imagination. Throughout the Middle Ages, countless references to restless spirits can be found in manuscripts and folklore. These spectres were often thought to have specific reasons for their appearance, most commonly to seek assistance from the living. Unlike the malevolent spirits of modern horror tales, medieval ghosts were often portrayed as suffering souls in need of help to reach peace.
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The Catholic Church’s doctrine of Purgatory, which became central to medieval theology in the twelfth century, shaped how people interpreted ghostly encounters. Purgatory was believed to be an intermediate state where souls were purified of their sins before entering Heaven. It was not a permanent realm of suffering like Hell but a place where the dead relied on the prayers, masses, and good deeds of the living to shorten their stay.
Masses said for the dead were one of the most common ways to help souls in Purgatory. As the Church formalised systems for assisting the dead, chantries became a popular method. These endowments funded priests to perform regular masses for specific individuals, often set up in wills to ensure perpetual prayers. Indulgences, another practice, allowed individuals to reduce time in Purgatory for themselves or loved ones by making financial contributions. While these systems were often criticised for their commercialisation of salvation, they were deeply entwined with the medieval understanding of life, death, and the afterlife.
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The belief in Purgatory gave rise to numerous ghost stories, as the dead were imagined to appear to the living to seek help. As one 15th-century account described, a ghost explained, “I can be freed from the punishment I am suffering if masses were said for me by good priests.” Such encounters reinforced the importance of religious devotion and the need to prepare spiritually for the afterlife.
Why Did Ghosts Appear?
A depiction of a ghost in early modern England – British Library 11621.e.3.(27.), f.8
In the medieval worldview, ghosts were not seen as aimless apparitions. They were spirits with a purpose. Many ghost stories of the time describe spirits returning to the mortal world to address unresolved sins or unfulfilled obligations. These tales often carried a moral lesson, reminding the living of their duty to the dead.
A common theme was the need for restitution or justice. Some spirits demanded the return of stolen property or the repayment of debts. Others sought reconciliation for wrongdoings they had committed in life. For instance, one spirit appeared to his nephew and insisted he undertake a pilgrimage to Compostela in Spain, saying, “Only a mass said at the shrine can release me from this torment.”
Ghosts could also appear as warnings. Stories often described how spirits would loiter near doors and windows, waiting for someone to help them. As one account described, a ghost stood beneath walls and partitions, “as if listening, perhaps waiting for someone to come out and conjure him to help him in his need.”
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The Ghosts of Byland Abbey
The ruins of Byland Abbey – Photo by Chris Combe/ Flickr
The stories recorded at Byland Abbey are among the most detailed and intriguing ghost accounts from medieval England. Around the year 1400, a monk at Byland Abbey filled the blank pages of a manuscript with twelve ghost stories. These tales, drawn from local folklore, oral tradition, and perhaps even personal accounts, provide a vivid picture of how medieval communities dealt with the supernatural.
These stories were first brought to modern attention by M. R. James in 1922. His publication of the Byland ghost stories highlighted their significance as cultural artifacts. They offer insights not only into medieval spirituality but also into the daily fears and moral concerns of the time.
William de Bradeforth and the Shouting Spirit
The Byland Abbey ghost stories – British Library Royal MS 15 A XX, ff. 140v-141r
One of the most memorable stories from Byland Abbey involves William de Bradeforth, who was haunted by a persistent ghost. Over three nights, the spirit followed him, shouting “how, how, how” in the darkness. On the fourth night, as William returned home from the village of Ampleforth at midnight, the ghost’s cries grew louder and closer. Suddenly, William saw a pale horse standing at the crossroads ahead of him. His dog barked weakly before hiding between William’s legs in terror.
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William, summoning his courage, confronted the ghost. “In the name of the Lord and by the power of the blood of Jesus Christ,” he commanded the spirit to depart. The ghost retreated, “looking like a canvas sail unfurling its four corners and billowing away.” This encounter suggests that the spirit sought help but could not proceed without the living’s intervention.
Robert Botelby: A Restless Spirit
Another tale from Byland Abbey tells of Robert Botelby, whose ghost terrorised his village after his death. At night, he would rise from his grave and roam the streets, frightening the villagers and causing dogs to bark furiously wherever he went. Determined to stop the nightly disturbances, the young men of the village devised a plan to capture the ghost.
One night, they met near the graveyard, but when Robert’s ghost appeared, most fled in terror. Only two villagers stood their ground. One of them, Robert Foxton, managed to grab the ghost and forced it onto the church-stile. His companion called out, “Hold him tight till I get there!” Foxton replied, “Run to the parish priest who can conjure him. For God willing, what I’ve got, I’ll hold till the priest gets here.”
The priest arrived and conjured the ghost “in the name of the Holy Trinity and by the power of Jesus Christ.” The ghost began to speak, not with its tongue but with a hollow voice “echoing like an empty barrel.” It confessed numerous sins, including aiding in a murder. After receiving absolution, the ghost was finally able to rest. Before this, however, it had been seen loitering near houses, standing at doors and windows “as if listening, perhaps waiting for someone to come out and conjure him to help him in his need.”
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The Cursed Rector of Kirkby
James Tankerlay, a former rector of Kirkby, was said to haunt the countryside around Byland Abbey after his death. His ghost’s rage was evident in one particularly shocking incident: he struck out the eye of his former mistress.
Alarmed by these reports, the monks of Byland Abbey decided to act. They exhumed Tankerlay’s coffin and forced a local man, Roger Wayneman, to cart it to Gormire Lake. As they prepared to throw the coffin into the water, the oxen pulling the cart became so terrified that they nearly sank into the lake. The monk who recorded this tale concluded with a prayer: “May I not be in any peril myself for writing such things, for I have written just what I heard from my seniors! And may God Omnipotent have mercy on him, if indeed he might be among the number of those to be saved!”
Lessons from Byland Abbey’s Ghosts
Jacqueline Simpson, in her article “Repentant Soul or Walking Corpse? Debatable Apparitions in Medieval England,” explains that the ghosts in these stories were typically not malevolent: “However frightening they look at first, they are not demonic, and they do not seriously injure people or spread plague; on the contrary, they long for forgiveness and peace… they can then confess, be absolved, and find rest through Masses and prayers offered on their behalf.”
These stories served not only as entertainment but also as moral and spiritual lessons. They emphasised the importance of confession, absolution, and acts of charity in ensuring a peaceful afterlife.
The Haunting Legacy of Byland Abbey
The Byland Abbey ghost stories remain some of the most detailed and compelling accounts of paranormal activity from the Middle Ages. They offer a vivid glimpse into a world where the line between the living and the dead was porous, and where faith was seen as the ultimate protection against the unknown.
These tales continue to captivate modern audiences, blending supernatural thrills with profound spiritual questions. They remind us that humanity’s fascination with the afterlife—and its attempts to reconcile with the unknown—are timeless.
Further Reading:
Jo Bath, “Dark Shadows: The English Ghost, 1100-1530” Medieval History, Issue 9 (2004)
What would you do if a ghost blocked your path, or if a spirit appeared at your door, desperate for absolution? For the people of medieval England, these weren’t mere tales to spook children—they were real encounters that offered lessons about life, death, and the afterlife. Byland Abbey, a Cistercian monastery in Yorkshire, is the source of some of the most fascinating and chilling ghost stories from the Middle Ages.
Ghosts in Medieval Beliefs
Belief in ghosts was deeply rooted in the medieval imagination. Throughout the Middle Ages, countless references to restless spirits can be found in manuscripts and folklore. These spectres were often thought to have specific reasons for their appearance, most commonly to seek assistance from the living. Unlike the malevolent spirits of modern horror tales, medieval ghosts were often portrayed as suffering souls in need of help to reach peace.
The Catholic Church’s doctrine of Purgatory, which became central to medieval theology in the twelfth century, shaped how people interpreted ghostly encounters. Purgatory was believed to be an intermediate state where souls were purified of their sins before entering Heaven. It was not a permanent realm of suffering like Hell but a place where the dead relied on the prayers, masses, and good deeds of the living to shorten their stay.
Masses said for the dead were one of the most common ways to help souls in Purgatory. As the Church formalised systems for assisting the dead, chantries became a popular method. These endowments funded priests to perform regular masses for specific individuals, often set up in wills to ensure perpetual prayers. Indulgences, another practice, allowed individuals to reduce time in Purgatory for themselves or loved ones by making financial contributions. While these systems were often criticised for their commercialisation of salvation, they were deeply entwined with the medieval understanding of life, death, and the afterlife.
The belief in Purgatory gave rise to numerous ghost stories, as the dead were imagined to appear to the living to seek help. As one 15th-century account described, a ghost explained, “I can be freed from the punishment I am suffering if masses were said for me by good priests.” Such encounters reinforced the importance of religious devotion and the need to prepare spiritually for the afterlife.
Why Did Ghosts Appear?
In the medieval worldview, ghosts were not seen as aimless apparitions. They were spirits with a purpose. Many ghost stories of the time describe spirits returning to the mortal world to address unresolved sins or unfulfilled obligations. These tales often carried a moral lesson, reminding the living of their duty to the dead.
A common theme was the need for restitution or justice. Some spirits demanded the return of stolen property or the repayment of debts. Others sought reconciliation for wrongdoings they had committed in life. For instance, one spirit appeared to his nephew and insisted he undertake a pilgrimage to Compostela in Spain, saying, “Only a mass said at the shrine can release me from this torment.”
Ghosts could also appear as warnings. Stories often described how spirits would loiter near doors and windows, waiting for someone to help them. As one account described, a ghost stood beneath walls and partitions, “as if listening, perhaps waiting for someone to come out and conjure him to help him in his need.”
The Ghosts of Byland Abbey
The stories recorded at Byland Abbey are among the most detailed and intriguing ghost accounts from medieval England. Around the year 1400, a monk at Byland Abbey filled the blank pages of a manuscript with twelve ghost stories. These tales, drawn from local folklore, oral tradition, and perhaps even personal accounts, provide a vivid picture of how medieval communities dealt with the supernatural.
These stories were first brought to modern attention by M. R. James in 1922. His publication of the Byland ghost stories highlighted their significance as cultural artifacts. They offer insights not only into medieval spirituality but also into the daily fears and moral concerns of the time.
William de Bradeforth and the Shouting Spirit
One of the most memorable stories from Byland Abbey involves William de Bradeforth, who was haunted by a persistent ghost. Over three nights, the spirit followed him, shouting “how, how, how” in the darkness. On the fourth night, as William returned home from the village of Ampleforth at midnight, the ghost’s cries grew louder and closer. Suddenly, William saw a pale horse standing at the crossroads ahead of him. His dog barked weakly before hiding between William’s legs in terror.
William, summoning his courage, confronted the ghost. “In the name of the Lord and by the power of the blood of Jesus Christ,” he commanded the spirit to depart. The ghost retreated, “looking like a canvas sail unfurling its four corners and billowing away.” This encounter suggests that the spirit sought help but could not proceed without the living’s intervention.
Robert Botelby: A Restless Spirit
Another tale from Byland Abbey tells of Robert Botelby, whose ghost terrorised his village after his death. At night, he would rise from his grave and roam the streets, frightening the villagers and causing dogs to bark furiously wherever he went. Determined to stop the nightly disturbances, the young men of the village devised a plan to capture the ghost.
One night, they met near the graveyard, but when Robert’s ghost appeared, most fled in terror. Only two villagers stood their ground. One of them, Robert Foxton, managed to grab the ghost and forced it onto the church-stile. His companion called out, “Hold him tight till I get there!” Foxton replied, “Run to the parish priest who can conjure him. For God willing, what I’ve got, I’ll hold till the priest gets here.”
The priest arrived and conjured the ghost “in the name of the Holy Trinity and by the power of Jesus Christ.” The ghost began to speak, not with its tongue but with a hollow voice “echoing like an empty barrel.” It confessed numerous sins, including aiding in a murder. After receiving absolution, the ghost was finally able to rest. Before this, however, it had been seen loitering near houses, standing at doors and windows “as if listening, perhaps waiting for someone to come out and conjure him to help him in his need.”
The Cursed Rector of Kirkby
James Tankerlay, a former rector of Kirkby, was said to haunt the countryside around Byland Abbey after his death. His ghost’s rage was evident in one particularly shocking incident: he struck out the eye of his former mistress.
Alarmed by these reports, the monks of Byland Abbey decided to act. They exhumed Tankerlay’s coffin and forced a local man, Roger Wayneman, to cart it to Gormire Lake. As they prepared to throw the coffin into the water, the oxen pulling the cart became so terrified that they nearly sank into the lake. The monk who recorded this tale concluded with a prayer: “May I not be in any peril myself for writing such things, for I have written just what I heard from my seniors! And may God Omnipotent have mercy on him, if indeed he might be among the number of those to be saved!”
Lessons from Byland Abbey’s Ghosts
Jacqueline Simpson, in her article “Repentant Soul or Walking Corpse? Debatable Apparitions in Medieval England,” explains that the ghosts in these stories were typically not malevolent: “However frightening they look at first, they are not demonic, and they do not seriously injure people or spread plague; on the contrary, they long for forgiveness and peace… they can then confess, be absolved, and find rest through Masses and prayers offered on their behalf.”
These stories served not only as entertainment but also as moral and spiritual lessons. They emphasised the importance of confession, absolution, and acts of charity in ensuring a peaceful afterlife.
The Haunting Legacy of Byland Abbey
The Byland Abbey ghost stories remain some of the most detailed and compelling accounts of paranormal activity from the Middle Ages. They offer a vivid glimpse into a world where the line between the living and the dead was porous, and where faith was seen as the ultimate protection against the unknown.
These tales continue to captivate modern audiences, blending supernatural thrills with profound spiritual questions. They remind us that humanity’s fascination with the afterlife—and its attempts to reconcile with the unknown—are timeless.
Further Reading:
Jo Bath, “Dark Shadows: The English Ghost, 1100-1530” Medieval History, Issue 9 (2004)
A.J. Grant, “Twelve Medieval Ghost Stories” Yorkshire Archaeological Journal, Vol. 27 (1924),
M.R. James, “Twelve Medieval Ghost Stories” English Historical Review, Vol.37 (1922)
Andrew Joynes, Medieval Ghost Stories: An Anthology of Miracles, Marvels and Prodigies (Boydell, 2003)
Jean-Claude Schmitt, Ghosts in the Middle Ages: The Living and the Dead in Medieval Society (Chicago, 1998)
Jacqueline Simpson, "Repentant soul or walking corpse? Debatable apparitions in Medieval England," Folklore, Volume 114, Number 3 (2003)
C.S. Watkins, "Sin, Penance and Purgatory in the Anglo‐Norman Realm: The Evidence of Visions and Ghost Stories," Past and Present, Vol.175:1 (2002)
Top Image: Willj / Byland Abbey - Winter Sunset / CC BY-SA 2.0
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