Last month Whitby in north Yorkshire set a new world record for the number of vampires gathered in one place.
The event – planned for the 125th anniversary of Bram Stoker’s Dracula being published – saw 1,369 caped, fanged, ghoulish figures converge on Whitby Abbey.
They smashed the previous record of 1,039 vampires set at Doswell in Virginia, USA in 2011.
Spooky setting
If ever there was a place to hold this record, Whitby has to be it.
The town inspired Stoker to write his gothic horror novel – the forerunner to all subsequent vampire stories.
And it attracts Dracula fans from all over the world.
So much so that there’s a sign at the entrance to St Mary’s Churchyard which reads: “Please do not ask staff where Dracula’s grave is as there isn’t one.”
Whitby is the setting for the vampire’s arrival in England – in the shape of a black dog. The 199 steps leading up to the ruined abbey feature in the narrative, and the name of Dracula’s first victim (Swales), can be found on one of the graves at St Mary’s.
Numerous references to the book occur around the town. A plaque marks the house on West Cliff where Bram Stoker stayed, and there’s a rare 1890s signed first edition on display in the Abbey.
The Dracula Experience on the seafront is a themed ghost-train style attraction which might make you jump. Slightly tacky but a lot of fun, it uses animation and live actors to take you through the Dracula story. Worth the £5 entry fee if only to see the cloak Christopher Lee wore in the first Dracula film.
Each April and October the town plays host to 8,000 goths at it’s biannual festival – drawn by Whitby’s vampiric connections and the dramatic brooding atmosphere of the place.
Literary links
But it’s not just vampire tales that define Whitby’s literary heritage.
Nestled in a cove on the north Yorkshire coast, this ancient, scenic seaport has a rich connection with literature.
One of the earliest works of English poetry hails from Whitby. Cædmon, the first-known Anglo Saxon poet, was a herdsman and monk at Whitby Abbey back in the seventh century.
Caedmon’s Cross, the 20-foot tall monument that stands at the top of the 199 steps on the west side of St Mary’s Church, commemorates the poet.
According to legend, Caedmon had a miraculous poetic awakening which led him to turn a piece of scripture into verse.
Since then, the town has been a source of inspiration for many well known writers including Charles Dickens – a friend of Stoker’s who visited Whitby and stayed at the Black Horse on Church Street.
Carroll connections
Lewis Carroll, author of ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ and ‘Through the Looking Glass,’ came to Whitby in the summer of 1854 among a group of students from Oxford.
During his visit, Carroll had a poem ‘The Lady of Ladle’ and short story published in the Whitby Gazette, which went into publication earlier that year.
He returned to Whitby on at least six further occasions, staying at 5, East Terrace, now the La Rosa Hotel and tea room – its quirky gothic décor hugely inspired by Caroll’s legacy. Some say his stay here inspired the poem ‘The Walrus and the Carpenter.’
The town’s association with Carroll is celebrated today in the Whitby White Rabbit trail, which takes visitors on a journey in the author’s imagined footsteps. There are touches of Wonderland throughout the town, including the fabulous White Rabbit shop on Skinner Street and the Alice-themed tea room in Whitby museum.
A setting steeped in stories
Even before these literary associations, the folklore of the town and surrounding area contained a myriad of magical and mythical tales. The town’s rich history is full of heroes and villains, smugglers and saints.
Ghost stories abound. And the town’s regular ghost tours deliver an entertaining blend of historical fact and folklore.
Some of those stories found their way into Stoker’s narrative. Dracula’s black dog was already a legend in Whitby.
Whitby still woos writers
It’s hard not to be touched by Whitby’s gothic charm, and contemporary writers continue set their novels here.
Michael Faber’s acclaimed novella One Hundred and Ninety Nine Steps is a gothic romance, historical thriller and murder mystery set in the town.
The delightful The Flither Pickers and the Herring Girls by Theresa Thomlinson comprises two short historical novels inspired by the famous Frank Sutcliffe photographs of Whitby characters in the late Victorian/Edwardian era. It paints a poignant picture of the hardships of everyday life at the time.
The town’s wonderful independent bookstore – the Whitby Bookshop – contains a local interest section where you can browse more books set in or inspired by the town or penned by local authors.
Whether it’s gothic horror, historical fiction or Anglo-Saxon poetry you’re into, chances are if you’re a literature lover you’ll find something to interest you in this town.
