The infamous highwayman Dick Turpin was lodging in this inn when he was captured, eventually being sent to York for trial and execution.

"At some point in early 1739, 'Palmer' returned from a hunt to his lodgings in the Green Dragon Inn, at Welton, a small Yorkshire village, near Brough, 12 miles (20 km) from Hull, about 37 miles (60 km) from York. He was frustrated due to the fact he was empty-handed, and probably drunk.

He was bound over to keep the peace after he took the fancy to shoot his landlord's gamecock in the street and then threatened to shoot a bystander who took exception to the act. 'Palmer' had no money on his person and accordingly was unable to provide sureties so that he would be released, and was committed to the House of Correction.

As he was taken into custody, local authorities made enquiries as to how exactly 'Mr. Palmer' made his money, and inevitably the constables learned of several outstanding complaints made against 'John Palmer' for sheep and horse stealing in Lincolnshire.

Turpin was transferred to the dungeons of York's Debtors' Prison (now part of the York Castle Museum). From his cell, Turpin wrote to the sibling of his estranged wife (his brother-in-law) who still resided at Hempstead in Essex, Turpin's real birthplace. The letter was a plea for help; requesting his brother-in-law to 'procure an evidence from London that could give me a character that would go a great way towards my being acquitted' i.e. provide him with an alibi.

The plan might have worked, but it backfired. In those days, postage was payable by the recipient of a letter, not the poster. Turpin's brother-in-law refused to pay the sixpence postage demanded, for what (he reckoned) was probably the 18th century equivalent of spam junk mail, and as such the letter was not delivered to him. This unpaid sixpence would prove the price of Turpin's life.

The unread letter then naturally fell into the hands of John Smith, as the village postmaster (Smith was also the village schoolmaster, who had taught Turpin to read and write). Smith recognised the handwriting of his former pupil immediately and travelled to York to consult with the magistrate and identify Palmer as Turpin. Smith, his former friend and mentor, collected a £200 reward for identifying the notorious highwayman to the authorities".