Also published in "The News" on 30 Aug 2020.
By Niaz Akbar
Amazingly (and this is a true story folks!), it was in a quaint little town on the North Sea, about 50 miles northeast of York, England, where we stumbled upon these three - Dracula, Captain Cook and the Khyber Pass - a town called Whitby, a very popular seaside resort immersed in history.
Renowned for many things, Whitby’s most famous resident was once a certain Captain Cook! In 1746, the 19-year-old James Cook moved to Whitby for three years as apprentice to John and Henry Walker, Quaker coal shippers of Whitby. In fact, the old residence of John and Henry Walker today serves as a museum dedicated to Captain Cook, with some very interesting personal items of the Captain on display, including an original hand-drawn map, a manuscript describing incidents on his voyage to the South Pole in 1773-74 and an official copy of his will.
A replica of Captain Cook’s famous ship “Endeavour” (actually built in Whitby) is also docked on the Whitby harbour and you can jump aboard for a small fee, setting sail for a 30 to 60-minute journey all the while singing songs along with other shipmates and the cheerful and informative crew!
But of course, Captain Cook is not the only famous personality of Whitby. Count Vlad, more commonly known as Dracula, was born in Whitby too! Bram Stoker, on his way back from Scotland, stopped over in Whitby for a while, setting up at Mrs Veazey’s guesthouse at No. 6 Royal Crescent at the end of July 1890.
It was here in the public library that he came across an account, in William Wilkins’ book, of the fascinating history of the Romanian Prince Vlad Tepis, also known as Dracula (Son of a Dragon) for his cruelty.
While perched on the Western cliffs of the town, looking across the pier at the eerie ruins of Whitby Abbey, Stoker became so fixated on the view that he went on to use the setting in his famous novel “Dracula”. One of the early chapters of the novel has Dracula landing in Whitby in the shape of a Dog and bounding up the famous 199 steps leading to Whitby Abbey. In fact, if you take the trouble to find it, Dracula’s first fictional victim, Swales, is still buried somewhere in St Mary’s graveyard situated right next to the Abbey! Yes indeed, Bram Stoker, it is said, took the name Swales from a tombstone in this grave yard and used it in his book.
Today, the beginning of the 199 steps are lined with innumerable souvenir shops, most of them selling Whitby’s most famous stone: the Whitby Jet. The stone become very popular amongst Victorian women when Queen Victoria took to wearing jet jewellery while in mourning for her husband Prince Albert. So enticing are these small shops with their glittering wares that it is humanly impossible to ignore them, as is obvious from their crowded state. Believe me I tried bounding up the steps like Dracula just to avoid them, but the tactic fails when you happen to have your better half with you! And since jet jewellery does not come cheap for tourists, the stone sure lives up to its reputation as a symbol of mourning, mainly for men who have to dish out precious sterling to buy the stuff for their relentless wives – I for one, can still feel the pain!
In fact, so intent was I in trying to avoid the shops that I forgot to count the steps leading up to the Abbey (supposedly 199). The Abbey itself is as mysterious and beautiful as described in Stoker’s novel. The Benedictine monastery was, like so many other monasteries, destroyed by King Henry the VIII in 1539. Like many old ruins, the Abbey has its own ghost story, said to be haunted by a nun named Constance De Beverly who was bricked alive for falling love with a knight and revoking her vows of chastity.
To reach Whitby Abbey on the Eastern cliff from his residence at 6 Crescent on the Western side, Stoker would perhaps have used the Khyber Pass. Yes, Whitby actually has a Khyber Pass of its own! The Victorians were very proud of their colonial possessions, particularly the jewel in the crown– India, often naming places in England after famous sites in their overseas colonies. One such Englishman was George Hudson, also known as the Railway King for bringing the rail to Whitby. In the mid-19th century, George Hudson purchased an estate on the Western cliffs and built a road connecting the pier to his estates, naming it the “Khyber Pass”. The winding road which can be covered in a 10-minute walk even has small tunnels reminiscent of the original Khyber Pass.
If history is not the only thing to inspire you, Whitby has the best Fish & Chips in UK. There are many “UKs Best Fish & Chips” title holders in Whitby over the years and for 2019 Trenchers was voted as the best. Also, Whitby’s blue flagged beaches are very popular and quite crowded with tourists in the summer.
And then of course, there is the annual Whitby Regatta, probably the oldest sea regatta in England (more than 170 years old), that usually takes place in August, packed full with a weekend of yacht and rowing races and ending with a magnificent firework display. Hopefully Dracula will not land in Whitby again so you can enjoy the clean and cool waters without any fear! Speaking of Dracula, there is of course Whitby’s undeniable connection with the Gothic – don’t miss the Whitby Goth Weekend (happening since 1994)! This bi-annual festival (held in April and October) attracts Goth tourism from all over the world and most hotels in and around Whitby are fully booked around the time so its advisable to book well in advance.
All in all, Whitby is one of the best resort towns to visit in England with so much to see and marvel at! The best thing about the town is that there is something for everyone! So make sure its part of your travel itinerary to England and don’t forget your Goth costume!