Golden Fleece York

You'll spot this place immediately on Pavement – it's the one that looks like it might topple over if you lean against it too hard. The Golden Fleece has been pouring pints since the 16th century, and frankly, some of the beams look original. Duck under the low doorframes and you're into a proper old York boozer, all uneven floors and creaking timber. The ghost stories aren't just tourist tat here – staff genuinely won't work alone upstairs where Lady Alice Peckett supposedly haunts the rooms. Whether you believe in spectres or not, there's something undeniably atmospheric about nursing a pint of Timothy Taylor's while surrounded by centuries of history. The food's decent pub grub without pretensions, and at £12-15 for a main, it won't haunt your wallet either.