York. The building dates from the 14th century and was originally a coaching inn. By 1772 it was a pub called the Blue Pigg and later the Blue Boar. The name Royal Oak comes from the legend of Charles II taking sanctuary from enemy forces in 1660 under a royal oak tree. It is located next to The Golden Slipper (makes for an easy pub crawl!). It is reputedly haunted by several ghosts - an old prostitute, children playing by the fire, a gaunt man, and two women named Mary and Alice. The tiny three-sided bar is surrounded by a small area with limited seating. At the front are 2 small rooms - the Snug and the Oak Room. Upstairs is the roomy Parlour. I grabbed a pint of Theakstons Best Bitter (Masham) and settled down in the Oak Room to have a nice chat with locals Tony and Martin. A lovely pub experience.