Whitby hides a shadowy past filled with deception and danger. Here are 3 smuggling tales from Whitby.
Beneath Whitby’s cobbled streets lies a world where smugglers once thrived. There are tales so chilling they blur the line between fact and fiction. In this post, we’ll uncover three of Whitby’s smuggling stories. They are tales of ghostly apparitions, secret tunnels, and deadly encounters. You will be left questioning what you thought you knew about this coastal town. Here are 3 smuggling tales from Whitby.
1. The dead sailor’s secret
Imagine a ghostly coach drawn by headless horses circling a fresh grave under the cover of night. This smuggling tale says that a phantom carriage appears on the third night after a sailor’s funeral. It is driven by skeletal sailors to claim the soul of their departed comrade.
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The chilling sight would send shivers down the spine of even the bravest souls, but was this ghostly encounter just a story to scare off the curious?
Smugglers had a knack for weaving terrifying legends to protect their most valuable secrets. Beneath this tale of the undead lies a more cunning scheme—a plot involving hidden contraband buried in the graves of freshly deceased sailors.
The haunting tale kept everyone at bay, allowing smugglers to retrieve their loot undisturbed. These crafty criminals even created fake ghost carriages, complete with white-painted horses and fearsome costumes, to spread terror along the coast.
2. The old smuggler
Many visitors to Whitby will know of the Baxtergate pub, The Old Smuggler. Once known as the Old Ship Launch Inn, this well-known Whitby landmark dates back to 1401. As the name suggests, it has a long history of smuggling.
Beneath its floors lies a maze of tunnels, hidden passageways that once connected inns and taverns across the town. These tunnels were the lifeblood of Whitby’s smuggling trade, allowing contraband to move through the town without the prying eyes of customs officers.
Legend has it that a secret tunnel runs from The Old Smuggler to the Station Inn, enabling goods to be transported in total secrecy.
3. The eternal flame of the Saltersgate Inn
On a lonely stretch of the North York Moors, near a notorious bend known as the Devil’s Elbow, once stood the infamous Saltersgate Inn. In the 1800s, the salt tax was squeezing the life of fishermen. Smuggling became their only means of survival.
The Saltersgate Inn, remote and isolated, was the perfect hideaway for these illicit activities. But this tale of smuggling takes a dark and deadly turn.
The inn’s candle in the window was a warning sign—lit to signal that taxmen were lurking nearby. But one fateful night, the candle wasn’t burning. Smugglers and fishermen, thinking the coast was clear, returned to their haven only to be ambushed by an Excise Officer who had slipped in undetected.
For nearly 200 years, the flames burned
As the officer prepared to arrest the culprits, the inn’s landlord acted swiftly and brutally—crushing the officer’s skull with a rock. In a panic, the men buried the body beneath the fire pit, and from that night on, the fire at the Saltersgate Inn was never allowed to go out. For nearly 200 years, the flames burned as a sinister reminder—keeping the ghost of the murdered officer at bay.
But what if that fire were to be extinguished? Would the restless spirit return, seeking vengeance? The Saltersgate Inn may have crumbled, but its dark secrets still linger.
We hope you have enjoyed these smuggling tales! Do you think they are true? You can also visit Robin Hood’s Bay. Tunnels still wind beneath the streets here, too.
Could there still be undiscovered treasures lying beneath your feet?
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