For one of the UK’s smallest cities, Ripon isn’t short of historic pubs, but perhaps the most well-known - and certainly one of the oldest - is The Unicorn Hotel.

Located on Market Street, the Grade II listed building towers above its neighbours, an impressive example of an 18th century coaching inn.

The predecessor of an earlier pub from which it is believed the name is derived, the pub – now under the ownership of JD Wetherspoon – has hosted a famous author, a royal visit and even a haunting or two, over its extensive history.

A mysterious start and a mythical name

The precise origin of The Unicorn Hotel is unknown; it is possible that the original pub was one of three unnamed Market Place inns listed in Ripon’s Poll Tax records of 1379.

Richard II’s 1393 Royal Act decreed that ‘whosoever shall brew ale in the town with the intention of selling it must hang up a sign’ which could be how the pub came to be named after a mythical creature.

Instead of lettering, the first inns featured symbols or pictures – part of the reason that traditional pubs today have such ornate signage. This was in part because many people were illiterate, so wording would be of no use.

Around the same time, bestiaries – otherwise known as a compendium of beasts, a collection of short descriptions about animals, real and imaginary, alongside moral lessons – were popular, and these were said to have inspired many pub names.

Another theory is that the pub was properly named in the 17th century when King James I visited Ripon. The unicorn was added to the royal coat of arms in 1603 when he ascended to the English throne, and united Scottish and English rule.

The reference to a unicorn could therefore reflect this monumental historical occasion, in honour of his trip to the city. 

A transport hub

After changing hands several times throughout the 1600s, a more definitive timeline for the pub can be established from the 1700s onwards.

In 1745, William Haddon bought the Unicorn for the sum of £410, and it stayed in the family until the end of the 18th century.

During this time, they bought up several adjacent properties to extend the space. By the 1760s, The Unicorn Hotel was largely recognisable as the building it is today, after Haddon decided to convert it from a timber frame to brick.

In 1821, the Studley Royal family bought the inn, keeping it in their possession for many years, run by a collection of tenant landlords.

The 19th century was known as the ‘Golden Age of stagecoach travel’ and The Unicorn Hotel was established as an important stop along Royal Mail and commercial routes from London to Newcastle.

Guests had the option of staying the night in one of the rooms, or taking refreshments in the Coffee Room or Tap Room while their horses were able to rest in the stables.

The introduction of the railway to Ripon in 1848 may have sounded the death knell for the horse and carriage, but it brought a new wave of visitors to the city, and the Unicorn become known as place for hosting meetings and putting on entertainment.

In more recent times, the building was bought up by conglomerate JD Wetherspoon in 2011, undergoing a full refurbishment, to restore and preserve many of the original features.

Famous faces

Given the length of time in which the The Unicorn Hotel has been open, it’s unsurprising that it has been graced by the presence of many notable figures of the day.

These include former landlord Robert Collinson who served as Mayor of Ripon for four years between 1876 – 1880, and the novelist Lewis Carroll, author of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Through the Looking-Glass and the Jabberwocky.

Following the marriage of the Prince and Princess of Wales in 1863, the Royal couple visited Ripon, and Collinson claimed Royal patronage for the Unicorn. Each door column is still affixed with a plaque bearing the feathered insignia of the Prince of Wales.

Ghostly sightings

As with any historical building, tales of ghostly guests often follow closely behind, and The Unicorn Hotel is no exception.

In the 18th century, the pub employed a man called Thomas Crudd, who was locally known as ‘Old Boots’. He earned this unusual moniker not only because of his occupation helping weary travellers remove and clean their boots but also, more cruelly, due to his reported ‘ugliness’.

He was described as having a distinctive nose and chin, which helped him when performing his favourite party trick – holding a coin in the space between the two.

During the years he worked at the pub, he became quite well-known for this unusual talent.

It’s said that his ghost can still be found doing odd jobs around the pub, recognisable due to his distinctive features.

The top floor rooms of The Unicorn Hotel are also said to be haunted by a friendly ghost who likes to play with visiting children when they come to stay.

Sources for this article include a blog post on The Unicorn Hotel’s website, an article on Ripon Internet’s website, a post on the Ripon Civic Society’s website, and a guided tour of ‘Ghosts of Ripon’ from the Voice Map website.