Whitby Abbey and Dracula

The ruins of Whitby Abbey look down from a clifftop on the fishing town of Whitby, on the North Yorkshire coast. With their Gothic windows open to the sky and the North Sea, they are one of the most evocative places in England, and one of the richest in history: a synod held here decided the future of the English Church, the first English poet known by name lived here, and here Bram Stoker found the inspiration for Dracula. The ruins are cared for by English Heritage.

History

In 657 King Oswiu of Northumbria founded a double monastery for men and women on the headland, led by Abbess Hilda, one of the most learned and influential women of her time. In 664 the Synod of Whitby was held here to choose between the customs of the Celtic Church and those of Rome, starting with the date of Easter: Rome prevailed, and the English Church bound itself to the papacy. The monastery was also home to Cædmon, a herdsman who, according to Bede's account, received the gift of song in a dream: his hymn is the oldest poem in Old English whose author is known.

The monastery was destroyed by the Vikings in the 9th century. In 1078 the Benedictines refounded it, and in the 13th century they built the great Gothic church whose ruins survive. The abbey was closed in 1539 by Henry VIII. In December 1914 German warships bombarded the coast and some shells struck the ruins.

What to see

The ruins

Of the 13th-century Gothic church the choir, the north transept and part of the west front survive, with very tall lancet windows. The skeleton of the abbey, silhouetted against the sky, changes with the light: at dawn, at sunset and on days of sea fog it is particularly atmospheric.

The visitor centre

The visitor centre is in Cholmley House, the residence built in the 17th century by the family that acquired the abbey after the Dissolution. An exhibition tells the story of St Hilda, Cædmon, the synod and monastic life, with objects found in excavations.

Dracula and the 199 steps

In 1890 the Irish writer Bram Stoker spent a holiday in Whitby and was struck by the ruins, by the churchyard of St Mary's and by tales of shipwrecks. In his novel Dracula the count comes ashore at Whitby, in the shape of a large black dog, from a wrecked ship. From the old town you climb up to the abbey by the 199 steps, which pass St Mary's Church, with its wooden interior like that of a ship and its churchyard overlooking the sea.

Practical information

The ruins are open all year round, with fewer days in winter; booking online is advisable. There is a car park at the top, but it is nicer to walk up from the town. Opening times and prices are on the English Heritage website. In late October the town hosts the Whitby Goth Weekend, with thousands of visitors in costume.

Getting there

• By train: on the Esk Valley Line from Middlesbrough, or on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway steam train from Pickering.
• By bus: from York and Scarborough.
• By air: Teesside Airport is about an hour away.

Nearby

• The town of Whitby, with its harbour, fish and chips, jet jewellery and the museum of Captain Cook, who learned his seamanship here.
• Robin Hood's Bay, a fishing village above the sea, and the moorland of the North York Moors.
• Castle Howard and York.

Tips

• How long: an hour and a half for the abbey, a full day with Whitby.
• When to go: all year round; at sunset the ruins are magnificent.
• A tip: climb the 199 steps at the end of the day and turn around at the top: the view over the harbour and the red roofs of the old town is the reward.

Whitby Abbey on the map

Nearby