Whitby Graveyard

Whitby is a small coastal town in the county of North Yorkshire. The place became known through Bram Stoker's novel Dracula from 1897, in which Count Dracula lands by ship in Whitby on his way to London. During a visit, the church St. Mary's and its cemetery are said to have inspired the Irish writer to create the story about the bloodthirsty count.

199 steps lead up to the famous cemetery and the 900-year-old church, which are located on the cliffs facing the North Sea. Directly next to it stands the ruin of Whitby Abbey. The ruin of the monastery and the gravestones of the cemetery, which has been closed for more than a century, still create an eerie atmosphere today. Due to heavy rainfall, the historic cemetery was partially destroyed by a landslide. In the process, centuries-old bones were exposed and fell onto the streets at the foot of the cliff.

Dracula fans will find the Dracula Experience Whitby museum on the other side of the River Esk, which gives visitors goosebumps with its Paranormal Nights. In addition, a Gothic Festival takes place in Whitby twice a year.

You can find another cemetery with a connection to Dracula in London. On Highgate Cemetery, the 1958 Dracula film with Christopher Lee was actually filmed.

Whitby is located on the A171 between Scarborogh and Middlesbroug. If you would like to travel by ferry, Newcastle upon Tyne is the best place to get to Middlesbrough via the A19 and then take the A171 to Whitby. The nearest airports are Newcastle and York.