St Mary's Cburcb wbere in 1975 a small burial cbamber was discovered. AIso lingering around Clifford's Tower is the mystery of reincarnation.
Under hypnosis some people claim to recall past lives. One such claim relates to Jane Evans, who regressed to be a Jewess named Rebecca caught up in the tragic events of 1190. Under hypnosis `Rebecca' gave a detailed description of medieval York and the riot. She went on to describe how she and her family escaped from Clifford's Tower and hid in the crypt of nearby St Mary's Church in Castlegate. Soon afterwards the mob broke into the crypt and butchered `Rebecca' and her family. This was revealed on Arnold Bloxham's Tapes, a BBC documentary.
Unfortunately, no crypt existed in St Mary's and the tale was dismissed. It was not until 1975 that remarkable evidence of a small burial chamber, exactly matching the description given by `Rebecca', was found by workmen. Whether or not this is proof of reincarnation, it is certainly a chilling reminder of the cruelty of which humans are capable.
Incidentally, Clifford's tower gained its name in about 1322 after the body of Roger de Clifford was hanged in chains from the battlements. De Clifford was a prominent supporter of Thomas, EarI of Lancaster, who led the baronial opposition to the ill-fated King Edward II. The barons were defeated in battle at Boroughbridge, west of York, and most suffered a fate similar. to Clifford, their heads being spiked on Micklegate Bar.

St Mary's Church should not be confused with St Mary's Abbey, the remains of which stand in Museum Gardens. It is here that the shadowy figure of a monk has been seen flitting around the massive ruins at night. It has been suggested that the ghost is that of a one-time Abbot of St Mary's Abbey, known as the Black Abbot.

The enigmatic phantom of a lady in grey disturbs the peace around Petergate Bar. The phantom is said to be that of a nun bricked up in a cellar centuries ago by vengeful authorities. Different stories are told of her crime against religious orthodoxy. One tale relates that she fell in love with a townsman and became pregnant. Another version has the nun receiving a vision of an angel which, for some reason, so angered her superiors that they ordered her immediate expulsion from their order and she died of a broken heart. In whatever manner the nun came to her death, she remains one of the most active ghosts in York. She appears as a grey lady dressed in the long flowing costume of her order.
Equally obscure is another ghostly lady's liking for the York Arms nearby. One person at the pub was understandably startled when the phantom woman appeared to him in the gents' toilet. A former landlord became so annoyed with the ghost that he hurled a paint brush at her. The assault produced no effect on the ghost but left a paint smear on the wall. Also present in the York Arms is a poltergeist which opens locked doors and shuts open ones. It has also been known to throw cutlery, kitchen equipment and other objects about the place. Whether this activity is caused by the presence of the nun is not clear. In any case, the poltergeist's activities are very unwelcome, to say the least, as breakages are never paid for.