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.