One Creepy Christmas Eve....

A NOT SO BRIEF HISTORY

 York is the most haunted city in THE WORLD. It has a total of 504 RECORDED hauntings (and countless not recorded) according to the Ghost Research Foundation International (GRFI). One of the more haunted areas is said to be Bishop Hills.

There are a lot of stories about the happenings in Bishop Hills. Somewhere towards the middle there is a street called Bishop Jr. where a church called St. Mary lies. And while there are just as many stories about St. Mary, I am here to tell about a few mystic encounter.

The tower of this church is the oldest fully intact structure standing in York today, it was around during William the Conquerer in 1066.Therefore it is believed to be the only full structure Viking building in use today...anywhere. Many people who visit this area report a strange sensation and atmosphere in the area.

But it is neither the tower or the church itself that is the subject of this "haunting", rather the 500 year old building next to it. The building until recently was a dancing school run by Mr. & Mrs. Coles. But if you look above their sign you will see the holy cross and you may be able to deduct that the building used to be a church of it's own where many "occurrences" have occurred.

The most common occurrence was the room would turn bone chilling cold and then footsteps would be heard walking from the side of where the church was across the dance floor and then after a few seconds the sound of coins being dropped into a box on a table could be heard, but neither table nor coin box was there. Then the money was poured out and the sound of money coin by coin being slid across the table and counted. Then after a short while of this a loud clang as the coins are dropped into the box and finally the sound of a box lid closing. Then footsteps would be heard going back the way they came. Witness would then say the temperature would slowly rise back to normal, but most of them did not.

Another occurrence happened when Mr. and Mrs. Coles went away on vacation and a friend of theirs was left in charge of the school. Everyone had gone home and this friend was closing the school down shutting off lights and getting ready to lock the door soon. He heard a violent knocking at the door. He shouted out come in the the doors unlocked. When the school was in session and the people were dancing indeed it was always unlocked. The knocking got more and more violent. The door shook and the handle seemed as if it would rattle right off the door. He became worried for the person outside that needed to get in the school so badly. He said, "Come around to the front door I can't seem to find the key for this one." The knocking continued. He realized over the racket of the door, perhaps whoever was outside could not hear him so he got a table and stood on it so he could use the window just above the door to indicate to go to the front. But when he stood up and looked out, he received the shock of his life as no one was there, but the door continued to shake and rattle. The friend left never to return. In fact, the police had to go to the house of Mrs. Marshall (Mrs. Cole's Mother) to have her return to the school to turn off the lights and lock the door.

The last story I tell you before we reach tonight's story involves the fore mentioned Mrs. Marshall. She had gone to the basement of the dance school where props where kept. Suddenly she stopped in her steps. The atmosphere in the room turned hostile and without a doubt in her mind she knew she was not wanted. She had only taken a few steps when she was shoved across the cellar floor and up the steps. Her thoughts turned to the fact that someone from the school might be playing an inappropriate joke, when she turned around to give this person her two cents and a few choice words..... no one was there. The feeling of hostility had grown so intense all she could was scramble up the stairs and vow never to return.

After this event (and several other occurrences) the Coles finally took their friend up on an offer of help. She was a median who claimed she could speak to the dead and she would find out who and why the haunting was occurring and if possible rid them of the spirit. Once she was done she admitted she was no longer the wiser as to why and who was haunting the building. She did however assure the Coles the spirit was now at peace and gone. And starting in 1975 the spirit was gone and remained gone for many years.

A DEVINE INTERVENTION 

One Christmas Eve a young college boy returned from his studies of Ministry. He was at the crossroads of the final stages of becoming a Minister and had to decide upon returning to school. Anxious for some time off and to spend Christmas Eve he drove home and offered to take his parents to church. He arrived shortly before the service began so he quickly drove there and dropped his parents off at their Catholic church (St. Marys) while he went across the street to attend his own services (at what later would be come the Cole's dance school). 

His service ended first and since he parking was full everywhere he decided to walk back figuring that his parent's service should also be getting out soon. Walking along the streets where empty and he was alone with this thoughts. Suddenly he heard someone call his name (about half way between St. Mary Church and the future Cole Dancing School) .He turned around and to see an old family friend. It took him a second to realize just who it was as he had not seen her in a few years. While this person bore no relationship to him, she was a close family friend and he called her "Aunt Mary".

He was very excited and knew his parents would be too. He asked how she was and she responded that she was well and very peaceful. He told Aunt Mary that his parents would be out soon and that they would love to see her. She became very uneasy and suddenly said she had to go. She said remember tell your parents I am fine and feel at peace. As she walked away she looked back and repeated it twice and then walked off.

Just then he saw church was letting out and he hurried to tell his parents the news. He found his parents and told them of the story. His mom grew sad. She was silent for a moment and then said. "I'm sorry, Son, but you see you got in so late and a great deal has happened since you were last home. Unfortunately there was some sad news, your Aunt Mary passed away a month ago. So you couldn't have seen her."

He decided that moment that it was a devine sign and joined the Ministry upon his return.