For the official domain of the Black Swan in please click HERE

History Of The Black Swan

The Black Swan

Peasholme GreenThe Black Swan
It’s as if history has placed a preservation order on this pub, for The Black Swan in Peasholme Green, promotes the meaning of "authenticity".

Step through the solid oak front door, itself a little masterpiece of bygone craftsmanship, and you will be visiting a distinguished medieval timber framed house, which retains a classical 17th century interior. And what an interior!

The large stairway, in original creaking oak, leads off the main passageway. Another room has a roasting pit. A smaller room has a giant open fireplace.

The 17th century craftsmanship didn’t worry too much about the horizontal and vertical lines and as such the slanted door cases, steps, beams and windows simply add to the distinctive character.

The Black Swan was originally built in 1417 as a family residence. The gable ends were added in the 16th Century. However the main structural alterations were secured in the 17th century.

Family home
For several generations it was home to the Bowes family. William Bowes became Lord Mayor of York in 1417 and again in 1428, whilst Sir Martin Bowes established himself as a goldsmith in the City of London during the reign of Henry VII in 1545 and later rose to the position of jeweller to Queen Elizabeth. Whilst Lord Mayor of London in 1545 he interceded with the York authorities to preserve St. Cuthbert’s Church. Bowes cherished fond memories his early days in the parish, near to his family home.

hanging basketsThe Black Swan also retains a history that can only be guessed at. There is evidence of both a secret passage leading from the residence to St. Cuthbert’s church and of a secret room, possibly used for cock fighting.

His plea for the church to be preserved was successful and with gratitude he gave to the city a sword decorated with pearls and precious stones. Some of these were stolen in the 17th century, but Martin Bowes’ sword later replenished with aquamarines and Scotch crystals still remains in the York civic possessions.

Generals birthplace
The parents of General James Wolfe lived here from 1724 and by 1726 many fingers had been pointed to the Black Swan Inn as the Generals birthplace. Wolfe, however had not been born here as his parents had left a year before. James fought at Culloden and died while commanding the British Army at Quebec in the battle, which secured supremacy over the French in Canada. A Canadian flag used to be raised near the altar in tribute to General Wolfe.

From 1932 onwards, the pub has been frequented by members of the Royal Canadian Air Force.
The first record of these premises being used as a pub is in 1763 when it was advertised in York courant with good stabling, wood warehouse and a larger chamber of its own.

Ghostly Occurrences
Some interesting ghosts have been reported in the Black Swan. One is of a Chalinesque figure that wears a bowler hat and wanders aimlessly through the rooms waiting for someone to arrive. After a while he usually disappears!

Also a beautiful young ghostly woman wearing a long white dress has been staring distractedly into the fire, her face hidden by long black hair. The pub’s strangest ghost is a pair of male legs seen walking around the Landlord’s accommodation. His regular visitations have not been explained!

TodayThe Black Swan

MovingOn Courses is an English Language school based in Britain, Northern Ireland and Ireland. Their English Language Courses are intensive and offer executive accommodation. The homestay is an English Language holiday which offers an intensive English course tailor made to executives, adults, beca mec - all learning English and wishing to speak English all day during activities with native English teachers.

The best walking and cycling holidays are in the sun. Countries such as Portugal, Italy, Spain and all the other southern europe countries offer an ideal touring location. Enjoy the best Tailor made walking holiday or organised cycling holiday with a company that has over 15 years experience in theme holidays. Options include: languages, cooking, wine, dance, culture and guided tours on foot or by bicycle.

The Black Swan uses weekly home cleaners to keep the house stay in the best condition as this classical 17th century building has ample rooms to dust and clean. We use Time for You Cleaning Leeds who provide cleaners that are professionally vetted & have had the same cleaners every week for many years, reducing the amount of time retraining new cleaners and overall saving the Black Swan money and time.

The best way to have a holiday without ghosts is to fly to Rome and rent for a wekk one of the Rome apartments that can be viewed on our website. What are you waiting for?

The Black swan now offers Swan accommodation in several locations. We started with our own Swan apartments but have now extened our accommodation business to other Locations including London. Our London apartments are located in a number of the top locations around the city. We have of course not chosen just any old apartment, All apartments are extra special offering guests a huge range of modern facilities.

Thinking of taking a vacation in Paris? Or maybe you just returned from France and did not bring back souvenirs with you? Now you can go online and buy a Paris souvenir such as Eiffel Tower replicas, Paris coasters, Paris tins and all sorts of Paris gifts. Paris souvenirs will help you keep lasting memories of those Parisian streets, monuments and museums.

If you are looking for something a little more relaxing than a haunted pub a holiday in Italy might just be the perfect alternative. There are plenty of beautiful Italy villas that ooze history but without the hassle of ghosts to spoil your holiday!

The Black Swan has had numerous amounts of owners in its time and it’s time again to let someone have the pleasure of owning this beautiful property and business. We are currently researching the estate agents York and you can expect the pub on the market in the very near future.

Old Rome's palaces ooze with history and character, you can nearly feel the ancestors' ghosts. For an inspiring experience you can try to stay in a home in old Rome . Today also ancient palaces are divided in apartments with all modern facilities. A bonus is possible renting an attic with a panoramic terrace overlooking Rome. Yet also countryside cottages and villas are endowed with character and charm, and resemble those in the UK, with and Italian flavour.

If you want to get rid of ghosts for a while then you should go for a Holiday in Sardinia with it uncontaminated beaches. Just browse our list of Sardinia hotels and choose the one that better fits your needs and your taste. You'll enjoy a perfect ghost free holiday.

When traveling abroad you need to rest your head somewhere, some folks like to go budget style and stay in a hostel, others like to cater for themselves and choose an apartment but most popular accommodation is still the hotel. Many hotels now a days offer apartments as well as the standard room as they are loosing market share to the vacation rentals which are popping up all over the place.

Visit Amsterdam one of the best cities of Europe. Stay in one of our apartments in Amsterdam and we will make sure you enjoy the city just like locals do.

The one thing about travelling Europe is that there are so many wonderful locations with Rome, Paris and Barcelona just a few options. Holiday accommodation in rome also now mean a newer holiday stylke accommodation type and for families and large groups, this self catering option if always worth considering.

Owning and running a pub isn’t everyone’s ‘cup of tea’. Living and working at the same place can place additional pressure on working and personal relationships. This is why many people decide to live and work in different locations. Visiting York estate agents can give you a rough idea on how much you are likely to have to spend on your ideal home whether it be a three bedroomed terrace or a one bedroomed flat.

The historic city of York is one of the most popular tourist destinations in England and a place you must visit when on holiday in the North of England. Choose from a wide selection of accommodation in York ranging from bed & breakfasts to holiday cottages and find the perfect place to stay during your visit to this fantastic city.

British pub culture is an aspect of the traditional way of life which many Brits are understandably proud. A typical roast dinner, Sunday papers and a good pint of ale is what its all about! On a recent visit to sample some Paris bars and pubs whilst reviewing the social scene in France, I was impressed also though to see the British traditions alive and well in Paris. You can find some excellent pubs quite similar to the Black Swan in Paris


Today the Black Swan offers pub lunches at competitive prices, folk music on a Thursday evening and two beautifully converted en-suite bedrooms bedrooms each with a separate annex to accommodate one or two children. Why not accommodate the family for a night or two with the spirits of The Black Swan.

The function room decorated in it’s own chiaroscuro is available for wedding receptions, special, special occasions and business meetings.

Opening times:
Monday – Saturday 12 noon – 11.00pm
Sunday 12 noon – 10.30pm

Contact Us