Lil

Not as much is known about the Whitby Tunnels, but the strongest local lore places one such smuggling tunnel right underneath the Smuggler's Cafe. Of course, it wasn't called the Old Smuggler back then. That would have been a bit of a giveaway to the authorities.

It used to be called the Old Ship Launch Inn, and legend tells that a tunnel runs from underneath this 15th century building to the Station Inn, just a few hundred metres away on Station Square, which runs almost parallel to Baxtergate and faces the harbour on the upstream side of the swing bridge.

It used to be called the Old Ship Launch Inn, and legend tells that a tunnel runs from underneath this 15th century building to the Station Inn, just a few hundred metres away on Station Square, which runs almost parallel to Baxtergate and faces the harbour on the upstream side of the swing bridge.

Looking at a map, the location certainly fits, but the station inn looks much more modern than that of the old smuggler. The upper floors are modelled in a Tudor half-timber style, but the neat, clean red brick makes me suspicious of its age. Frustratingly, I can't even find a historic England record for the building to give me a clue as to when it might have been built,

Looking at a map, the location certainly fits, but the station inn looks much more modern than that of the old smuggler. The upper floors are modelled in a Tudor half-timber style, but the neat, clean red brick makes me suspicious of its age. Frustratingly, I can't even find a historic England record for the building to give me a clue as to when it might have been built,

But of course, this doesn't mean that there hasn't been an inn on that exact site for many centuries. It's quite common to find inns that have been rebuilt several times over the years, always standing on the same spot, so I'm not ruling out the possibility of a secret smuggling tunnel just yet.

But of course, this doesn't mean that there hasn't been an inn on that exact site for many centuries. It's quite common to find inns that have been rebuilt several times over the years, always standing on the same spot, so I'm not ruling out the possibility of a secret smuggling tunnel just yet.

In fact, I found it quite difficult to find much information at all on the inns, which is most surprising for the old smuggler given its impressive age. But the one thing I did find was that it has a history of being haunted, and who could blame it when it's been hanging around for over 600 years? Unfortunately for us, though, the reference is tantalisingly brief.

In fact, I found it quite difficult to find much information at all on the inns, which is most surprising for the old smuggler given its impressive age. But the one thing I did find was that it has a history of being haunted, and who could blame it when it's been hanging around for over 600 years? Unfortunately for us, though, the reference is tantalisingly brief.

It appears in the writings of Reverend George Young, another founding member of the Whitby Literary and Philosophical Society, in his 1817 book, A History of Whitby and Strenshill Abbey. In it, he writes, "...it would be an endless task to detail all the absurd local traditions and all the haunted houses in the district."

It appears in the writings of Reverend George Young, another founding member of the Whitby Literary and Philosophical Society, in his 1817 book, A History of Whitby and Strenshill Abbey. In it, he writes, "...it would be an endless task to detail all the absurd local traditions and all the haunted houses in the district."

An excellent house in Baxtergate stood long empty, as it had obtained the character of being visited by ghosts. It is now frequented by spirits of a different kind, having been converted into an inn. Local legend has long connected this reference to the Old Smuggler, although it's certainly not the only inn on Baxtergate.

An excellent house in Baxtergate stood long empty, as it had obtained the character of being visited by ghosts. It is now frequented by spirits of a different kind, having been converted into an inn. Local legend has long connected this reference to the Old Smuggler, although it's certainly not the only inn on Baxtergate.

It is, however, the only one that still seems to experience some ghostly activity today, But if the building was once so haunted that it was actually abandoned to stand empty, then the ghosts must have done a lot of mellowing in the intervening years, as the spooky activity that visitors most report these days is feeling a gentle push from an unseen hand.

It is, however, the only one that still seems to experience some ghostly activity today, But if the building was once so haunted that it was actually abandoned to stand empty, then the ghosts must have done a lot of mellowing in the intervening years, as the spooky activity that visitors most report these days is feeling a gentle push from an unseen hand.

Maybe the ghosts of the old smuggler realised that driving away patrons with poltergeisty temper tantrums, resulting in them being left alone for years, was just no fun at all, and decided to take a more relaxed approach to their hauntings in future. And it seems to have worked, because the old smuggler is still thriving after over half a millennia, resident ghosts and all.

Maybe the ghosts of the old smuggler realised that driving away patrons with poltergeisty temper tantrums, resulting in them being left alone for years, was just no fun at all, and decided to take a more relaxed approach to their hauntings in future. And it seems to have worked, because the old smuggler is still thriving after over half a millennia, resident ghosts and all.

At the other public house, famously associated with Whitby's smuggling trade, however, the local law is a bit more dramatic.

At the other public house, famously associated with Whitby's smuggling trade, however, the local law is a bit more dramatic.

It didn't take much to convince the landlord of the inn on Saltergate, at that time known as the Wagon and Horses, to help stage the salt smuggling operation.