The 199 steps, known locally as the Church Stairs, rise to the East Cliff, up which Dracula, in the guise of a black hound, ran after arriving in Whitby. .... nephew Daniel Farson, the death certificate gave as one cause “Locomotor Ataxy 6 Months” – apparently a euphemism for the sexually transmitted disease. read more
I’d agree with Sven, there’s certainly a huge inspiration for the Dracula novel found in Whitby. The Whitby Abbey, St Mary’s church graveyard and the atmosphere of the place gave Bram Stoker the first ‘creative spark’ for the book. We have this additional information by way of expanding the links between Whitby and Dracula. read more
Bram Stoker, who wrote Dracula, spent time on holiday in Whitby, and it is said Whitby Abbey and the surrounding area were part of his inspiration for the book. In the novel, Dracula is shipwrecked in Whitby, and comes ashore in the form of a dog. read more