American Reacts to Dracula and the Whitby Influence - North Yorkshire, England

[@northnsouth6813]

The first monastery there, was founded in about 657AD, became one of the most important religious centres in the Anglo-Saxon world. In 664. The headland is now dominated by the shell of the 13th-century church of the Benedictine abbey founded after the Norman Conquest.

[@MrBulky992]

The Synod of Whitby was a council which met at the monastery in 664 AD. The abbess in charge of the monastery was St Hild(a) and representatives of the Celtic church (based in Ireland) and the Roman church, both of which were undertaking missionary work in Britain and competing for converts, came together under the presidency of King Oswiu of Northumbria to thrash out some disagreements. The Roman church were the winners: all monks would in future shave the tops (crowns) of their heads rather than the hair above their foreheads from ear to ear as Celtic monks did. More importantly for the future, the Celtic date calculation for Easter was abandoned in favour of the Roman one we use to this day. So, had it not occurred, modern Easter might have been on a different date in the UK and, quite possibly, being originally colonised by England, in the USA too!

[@Alltheworldneedsajolt]

You can’t look at Whitby without looking at Hartlepool, and you can’t look at Hartlepool without looking at Lindisfarne.

[@stewartgebbie3158]

Captain Cook who discovered Hawaii worked in Whitby and his ship was built in Whitby.

[@MaryBradley-s3s]

Monastery the group Coldplay had a night concert all lit up for the BBC. Beautiful place to visit. 🇬🇧😄

[@markbeetham5118]

I rented Bram Stoker's apartment for my 50th birthday weekend. Really good vibes

[@SteveBagnall-gh1fu]

There are 199 steps from the quayside to the Abbey approximately a one in four incline. The details of the book ore phenomenal.

[@iainhewitt]

On the clifftop on the other side of the harbour from the abbey, there is a monument to James Cook, another name synonymous with Whitby - a whale's jawbone standing upright and through which the abbey can be seen. Although somewhat controversial with some people, standing beneath the jaw and placing your hands upon it gives a real sense of the scale and majesty of the whales of the planet and how tiny we are by comparison.

[@spikeyshrek]

I was born in Whitby many years ago, I loved living there, Dracula was certainly a massive part of the community.

[@janolaful]

It has the best fish and chips to 😊

[@grahamfrear9270]

Most villages in England have beautiful little churches and very very old gravestones. Nice to walk round on nice sunny day.

[@Keith-b4r8o]

Henry the Eighth and the "Dissolution of the Monasteries" happened to Whitby Abbey. The Abbey is 7th century and was destroyed in the 16th.

[@rosekelly1097]

The song holding back the years by simply red was filmed in that very graveyard its beautiful.

[@mournefulmaniac01]

Whitby's bi annual Goth Festival is partly inspired by the Dracula connection to the town and is well worth looking at. I have a couple of videos on KZbin along with hundreds of other like minded folk.

[@thepickledpixie9052]

Aye, it's a sight to behold. Goths of all ages dressed in all our finery. 🖤

[@Runjexe]

Hey Steve, you should definitely look into the dissolution of the monasteries. Lots of monasteries around the UK and ireland were dissolved and fell to ruin under King Henry VIII which is why they look like that today. In North Yorkshire alone theres Whitby Abbey, Bolton Abbey, Fountains Abbey, Rievaulx Abbey and Kirkham Priory off the top of my head, all worth a visit and plenty more all around the country.

[@JamieJournals]

Named all the best abbeys 🙌

[@peterbrown1012]

Henry 8th sold off the monasteries and land to raise money, some were turned into houses, some robbed of useful material and some just pulled down so they couldn't be used and the land taken and used.

[@CarolineHenderson-oe2ts]

You forgot Tintern !

[@corbishpasty]

Great suggestion, I always liked the tell of little Jack Horner and Glastonbury Abbey.

[@susanpilling8849]

There's Kirkstall Abbey in Leeds.

[@jamgart6880]

There’s a difference between cemeteries and graveyards. A graveyard is attached to a church, a cemetery is not. So the one there in Whitby is actually a graveyard. I also love old gravestones and the information they hold. But I forget that we are used to seeing them attached to just about every church. So it was nice to see your reaction to seeing them in the video 😊

[@vilebrequin6923]

This 💯😊

[@stewedfishproductions7959]

And the word 'cemetery' is taken from the Greek word Koimeterion, which is the word for 'sleeping place' or an area set apart containing graves, tombs or funeral urns, and as you said, one that is not a churchyard...

[@stephencoan79]

I used to go there every summer holiday as a kid. It's awesome.

[@Ruthy-F]

Whitby is my favourite place in the UK and luckily for me it's only 2hrs from my home town. It's an absolute must visit for everyone visiting the UK. The whole North Yorkshire coast is lovely. Scarborough, Filey, Robin Hood's Bay. Robin Hood's Bay is next door to Whitby. It's only tiny but it's beautiful and quaint ❤

[@paulinedrewery3759]

I go to all those places, and I live a bit.further North in Saltburn by the sea, I love it, always new faces, always loads going on, lots of day trippers.Popular with smugglers back in the day.

[@claregale9011]

Great video Steve , its such a shame many of your fellow Americans are unaware of the wonderful historic places all over our isles , thankyou for appreciating it all and i can certainly see your deep affection and connection to your ancestral land 😊.

[@reactingtomyroots]

I appreciate that! Glad you enjoyed it. :)

[@gallowglass2630]

@@reactingtomyroots As others have pointed out Bram Stoker was heavily influenced by Irish folklore and he would have heard stories of two vampire like figures the abhartach and dearg dubh or dearg due.There is a good few videos on these figures.There was actually a film based on the abhartach legend called the boys from county hell 2021.TBH the irish legends seems to be a more lightly inspiration than the romanian king providing only the name and setting.

[@Tass...]

Whitby for such a small place punches way above it's weight. It's full of history, charm and is quintisentially English. As a fishing port it's got some great places to eat seafood the Dracula link is just small part of what makes Whitby a really great place to visit. Because of it's location it isn't your usual tourist trap either. Sure it relies a lot on tourism as every coastal town does but a large majority of the tourists are from the UK. It's a unique place that is well worth visiting.

[@neryssunderland4949]

England and Wales are dotted with the ruins of lots of Abbeys which were destroyed by Henry VIII. I'm glad we still have them. At least SOME land is beyond the reach of developers.

[@macroman54]

Depends, if Labour get elected next year Kier Starmer will probably build houses on them.

[@vallejomach6721]

The Germans had a crack at Whitby, Scarborough and Hartlepool during WWI heavily shelling those towns and doing a fair bit of damage to Whitby Abbey and Scarborough castle...and killing quite a lot of civilians. A terror tactic...but it didn't work out how they expected. The attack on civilians caused a great deal of public outrage and those attacks were used as a rallying call to encourage people to enlist...there were a few now famous recruitment posters at the time that used it.

[@JamieJournals]

Whitby is my favourite seaside town,used to go there regularly. If you haven’t already, check out York city, Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle & the Pavilion in Brighton

[@jubeaumont6305]

Doesn't Scarborough have an amazing pavilion as well? I think that's what it is, that thing with the chequerboard floor?

[@adrianpashley8941]

There is a lot more to Whitby than Dracula and Bram Stoker, it's famous for it's Jet ( a gemstone ), it's links to Captain James Cook ( who served his apprenticeship in Whitby ), as well as it's port and fishing fleet ( also for me, some of the best fish and chips in North Yorkshire ) and lastly, some of the best Kippers, I've ever had ( Fortunes, a family run business since 1872 and still going strong after 151 years of trading and it's not far from the Abbey and church ) Our family used to go at least 3 times a year to Whitby, it's one of my favourite places to go to.

[@johnlaws3904]

Steve won't know about Kippers, or as they are called here, Smokies.

[@t.a.k.palfrey3882]

Btw, did you know that someone who likes graveyards, tombstones, etc is called a Taphophile? 👻

[@Sophie.S..]

Thanks for that, I've learned something new today🙂

[@sharonmartin4036]

I was trying so hard to remember this word as soon as Steve mentioned his love of old cemeteries. Thank you! I don't think I would have got to it and that would have irritated my soul. LOL. Great!

[@Sophie.S..]

@@sharonmartin4036 Now I know this new word I'm going to insert it in to a conversation with my friends to impress them 😅🤣😅

[@sharonmartin4036]

@@Sophie.S.. LMAO

[@alfresco8442]

Whitby is where Dracula's coffin was landed in the novel. The real birthplace of the real Dracula (Vlad the Impaler) is Bran Castle in Romania...in the province of Transylvania, of course. ;) They were filming a movie there when I visited, many years ago. I looked out of a turret window and saw a guy being pushed off the battlements. Whitby is a lovely little harbour town in its own right.

[@Jimmy_Jones]

RIP. Lol

[@MW_Asura]

He wasn't born in the castle though, he was born in Sighisoara

[@filthycasual8187]

Castle Bran has no connection to the historic Vlad Dracula whatsoever. The real "Dracula's Castle" is Castle Poenari. It also bears noting that in the actual novel's text, Count Dracula and Vlad Dracula are NOT one and the same; the Count is, in fact, a ruler from "a later age" who was personally inspired by Vlad III's military record and sought to re-create Vlad's failed invasion of "Turkey-Land" south of the Danube and succeed where Vlad failed. He did succeed, but only after numerous strategic withdrawals and the loss of all his troops. Bram Stoker's only source of Romanian history was a book called "An Account of the Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia," which is where Bram got the name "Dracula" from and a little (false) tidbit espoused by the book's author in footnotes that claimed that the word "Dracula" was the Wallachian word for "Devil" and was rewarded as a surname to *any* ruler with a reputation for cruelty, cunning, or courage. The Count is not mentioned at all in the Romanian history book; he's a character purely of Stoker's own invention. However, Vlad II Dracul and Vlad III Dracula are both mentioned, and listed accurately as being father and son, but the name "Vlad" is never used; instead, that history book's author listed both Vlad II and Vlad III as "Voivode Dracula," again due to his mistaken beliefs spelled out in the footnote I told you about. The Count wasn't ever based on Vlad III; he was originally going to be called "Count Wampyr" before Bram Stoker found the name "Dracula" in that history book and the military history associated with it (the impalings don't even get an honorable mention in that book).

[@paulinedrewery3759]

King Charles is descended.from Vlad the Impaler, and still visits Transylvania, he admitted it openly.

[@pvere3246]

You should check out the story of Mother Shipton's cave, also in North Yorkshire.

[@kalward6514]

St Mary's Church is stunning well worth a visit

[@liliancarroll3189]

I agree. Love the place. Spent my honeymoon there Went in the church.absolutely. Real history. I'll never forget the feeling. So much to look at and take in.

[@kaymaylai83]

If you love old buildings and such see if you can find out about Kirkstall Abbey (Leeds north of England) I live about a 10 minute walk from there and it’s amazing. Just this summer I spent an evening there watching Shakespeare (Twelve Night) in a torrential downpour still a marvellous night though.

[@countryview2020]

Bela Lugosi who played Dracula in all the old movies was buried wearing his Dracula costume when he died. I wonder if that included the teeth. 😂

[@gordyl9247]

No his fangs couldn't have been included, he might have choked 😁🦷🦷😅

[@TheHaplorhine]

During the 19th century, London's population doubled in size from 1 million to 2.5 million. As a result all the churchyards, the traditional burial places, became full to overflowing so it was decided to build seven cemeteries around the outskirts of London. All of these are interesting in their own way, but perhaps Highgate Cemetery is one of the most remarkable as is somewhat overgrown. There are several famous people resting there and the catacombs have been used as locations for many horror films. You will find plenty of videos here on you tube, some more detailed than others, but definitely worth checking out.

[@claregale9011]

Steve has done a video on Highgate and Brompton cemetary. 😊

[@reactingtomyroots]

Yes, thanks for pointing that out, Clare!

[@CazPea]

Highgate, Brompton and I would add Mortlake, lovely cemetery

[@mikesaunders4775]

Highgate is supposed to have its own Vampire.

[@janolaful]

​@@mikesaunders4775 the only true vampire I have learnt about was Báthory 600 young women were killed inside her lavish castles so she could bath in there blood they had to be virgins to give her eternal youth.

[@kevingill648]

I was born 40 miles from Whitby! beautiful Coastline Town that I have visited many many times. Climb up the 199 steps and you will arrive at the old Monastery, great view too.

[@paulkitching1623]

I love Whitby and have visited many times as I’m only about 45 miles away. The route from the town to the abbey above is quite a climb up a stone stairway known as the 199 steps, and yes I’ve counted them. There’s a week in Whitby called Goth week there people go around in gothic horror style clothing. It looks bizarre but is great fun. The whole of the North Yorkshire coast is great for exploring with great places like Robin Hood’s Bay, Staithes, Saltburn and more. Quaint villages and stunning cliff views.

[@johnbunyan5834]

I've counted those steps, up from the old town,also. But don't climb up them , after dark, else you could lose a lot of blood. There is definitely a shadowy figure moving round the ruined Abbey, on dark winter nights.

[@Messy6610]

Whitby and Robin hoods bay are favourites of mine. The abbey is impressive. As well as the surrounding buildings leading to the steps, and Robin hoods bay has some very scenic spots, the pubs are wonderful too 😊I’m from Nottingham so I had to visit.

[@lorrainehall157]

You can join the Cleveland Way behind the Abbey and walk to Robin Hood's Bay along the cliff tops - around 6.5 miles. The Whitby Brewery serve some excellent beer and pizza 🍕😋

[@paulkitching1623]

@@lorrainehall157 if you’re feeing really heathy you can nip over to Osmotherly and do the Luke wake walk to Ravenscar. I’ve done it once, never again, lol.

[@KSmeaton1]

Those steps are steep I tell you. I went on a trip from school years ago. Weird thing happened, near the top in front of the church or nearabouts, my legs gave out suddenly and I was literally on my knees before it. It was really creepy. My friends kinda freaked over it lol.

[@cozzsiecooper296]

Been going to Whitby since i was a child with my Grandparents, I love the walk up the steps to the Abbey and St Mary's you can go on a ghost tour at night giving an amazing vibe to the whole place, I was also there for the last trip of the H.M.S Endeavour Captain Cook's ship. Whitby has so much history and charm i love going back there. Also Goth weekend is amazing. Great reaction as always.

[@reactingtomyroots]

Sounds like awesome memories! Appreciate you following along. :)

[@cozzsiecooper296]

@reactingtomyroots The whole east coast is amazing especially The Yorkshire coast, Thank you for the great content in your videos, Im from Nottingham so Robin Hood Country and just about every part of England has a legend of some sort.

[@timempson2146]

I grew up in Whitby and could see Royal crescent and the Abbey (over roof tops) from my bedroom window. It is a cool town to visit but a bit isolated to grow up in. It is surrounded on the land side by the North Yorkshire National Park (also very scenic but can be tricky driving in winter) and the North Sea on the other. It is the largest town for 20 miles and it doesn't have great public transport links (although they are better than when I lived there).

[@margaretstein7555]

Have been to Whitby a few times was there last year with my family it really is so beautiful but as you say it has a haunting feeling about it hope you get over to the uk with your family and see all the places you would love to see from bonnie Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@amymasterman642]

You should look into Highgate Cemetery...it's split into east and west as I recall, and the older one is beautiful

[@traceyjordan9284]

Im from Yorkshire. Whitby is a lovely place. The Abbey is very atmospheric in autumn /winter

[@enemde3025]

Whitby is a great place to get some of the best FISH AND CHIPS in the UK. The old town, leading up to the Abbey is a maze of narrow streets. There are 199 steps up to the Abbey.

[@christineharrop2061]

We lived in County Durham but when we were younger my parents had a caravan which was sited very close to the abbey so we visited a lot. I have a nephew who lives in a village just outside Whitby so I still get to visit even though I now live in Oxfordshire, more than 200 miles away.

[@166light6]

In Edinburgh there is a old cemetery called Warriston Cemetery. My first visit there was on my school holidays, I spent a week with my three cousins who lived nearby. As a kid between 12 or more years old, we decided to explore this old cemetery. They showed me vaults there known by the locals as The Gates Of Hell, which are large iron gates leading into the vaults full of coffins & also told me about a ghost of a young woman which reputedly haunts there known as the Red Lady. And lastly a tunnel which rans through the cemetery, and how one must never speak while walking through this tunnel or one would lose their voice. My cousin Charlette, who was the oldest & wisest of us all, whom I trusted the most confirmed this too be true. She told me that there are spirits which haunt the tunnel and its a well known fact among Edinburgh folk, that if anyone speaks while walking through the tunnel they will lose their voice. So I promised her I'd wouldn't and our afternoon began with us playing a game of HIDE & SEEK among the grave stones. Well I ended up as the seeker and spotted my cousin Alex at the far end of the tunnel running to the left. I shouted I SEE YOU!! and then realised I was standing in the tunnel, oops! I thought too myself! Well to cut this true story short, the next morning I woke up from my bed with the sorest of throats. It was so bad I COULDN'T SPEAK A WORD FOR OVER A WHOLE FORTNIGHT! To this day I have never had such a sore throat as bad as that one was. I'd like to think it was a coincidence but deep down inside of me, I don't think so! And that completes my true spooky story of this cemetery. If you visit this cemetery, I implore you do not speak as you walk through this tunnel!

[@reactingtomyroots]

Wow! That is pretty crazy. 😳

[@irene3196]

I knew I'd love this the moment I saw the title. I love Whitby, it's my favourite town in England and I have relatives in that area. I had to stop your video midway when you said you loved cemeteries. There is a You-tuber "Dead Good Walks" that you might love to see. One of the cemeteries visited was the Glasgow Necropolis - the most beautiful civilian cemetery ever. In the 1950's there was a true story of a hoard of absolutely fearless Glasgow children who descended on the Necropolis to hunt for a reported vampire . They armed themselves with home made weapons and were chased all over the place by the Police. When I saw that video I had to make a comment about the kids. Now I have to continue with your video....

[@reactingtomyroots]

Sounds very interesting! I'll have to check it out. :) Thanks!

[@pheart2381]

I live a 5 minute walk from the abbey(not including pauses to recover from altitude sickness,its quite a steep climb). Apart from being dissolved by Henry 8th,the german army also used it for target practice during WW2.

[@MaxineSmith027]

If you love old graveyards, may I suggest a trip to Holy Island in Northumberland. Its reached by a tidal causeway so always check tide times. The graveyard there is fascinating, the second time I went I took paper and charcoal to do rubbings of certain graves. My favourites are the graves of real pirates, skull and crossbones included! It truly is a magical yet spooky place, one of my favourites.

[@peterbrown1012]

It's the first place the Vikings landed to pillage, they killed and enslaved the monks of the Abbey and stole everything of value.

[@MaxineSmith027]

@@peterbrown1012yes, I've been a few times and learnt the history. My favourite visit was at Millennium and St Cuthberts statue was decorated in tinsel and fairy lights, it was wonderful.

[@MrBulky992]

​@@MaxineSmith027St Aidan's statue? That's the only one I know there. He founded the monastery before Cuthbert's time there.

[@MaxineSmith027]

@@MrBulky992 I am talking about the statue of St Cuthbert in the graveyard at Holy Island

[@MrBulky992]

​@maxsmith1962 Thanks for explaining. I went to Holy Island in 2007 and never saw this statue but did see the sculpture of the monks carrying the body inside the church by the same sculptor. Did we miss it or is it more recent? It's not something I'd be likely to forget.

[@mark-nm4tc]

Whitby was our 70's holiday town, many happy memories of packed beaches and climbing the 199 steps up to the Abbey. Was there earlier this year on a visit, great views from the cliff tops.

[@peterbiggin7193]

Whitby and the surrounding area, the fishing villages and the North York Moors National Park are some of the finest areas in England to visit. I'll admit as a Yorkshire man I might be biased but there is true beauty in this part of the world and so much to explore

[@primalengland]

Beautiful place, beautiful people, beautiful fish and chips. I’m a Lancastrian, but my brother lives not far from Whitby and I’m a bit of a history, Bram Stoker, all things countryside lover.

[@TheLhana]

If you like church architecture then have a look at Beverley minster in the East riding of Yorkshire. It is beautiful and some of the carved stone archways are out of this world.

[@paulinedrewery3759]

There is also Guisborough Abbey, very beautiful.

[@TanyaRando]

Twice a year, April and October, Whitby host a week long festival, the Goth Festival, people dress up in the most amazing costumes, there's music and crafts, crystals etc, and you don't have to wear costume, but you can just sit and people watch. It's very very busy. You can see it online, there's some great videos of it

[@AndrewwarrenAndrew]

You can imagine what the Abbey looks like during a bad storm, lit only by lightning flashes.

[@caroleearnshaw32149]

Whitby is my favourite place to visit in the UK. I just love it ❤️. Thanks for your reaction x

[@TribalMatriarch]

When we retired we could have moved to whitby but it’s not exactly disabled friendly so we moved to Scarborough, we still visit whitby dozens of times of year to play against whitby bowls club.

[@caroleearnshaw32149]

@@TribalMatriarchScarborough is nice and at least it’s not too far away. You are right as far as people with disabilities, chronic illness etc…..it’s not the easiest place to navigate. Take care x

[@theeccentricmilliner5350]

A meeting at Whitby in 664 ad was held to decide the date Easter is celebrated in the UK. The abbey ruins date to Henry VIII and the dissolution of the monasteries. Not quite as ghostly but the town I went to school, Rye in Sussex, has an interesting relic in the attic of the town hall - the gibbet which still has part of the last occupant in it - it has been there since 1743, a bit macabre, but an interesting story

[@christinemorton4395]

The meeting in 644 was called a Synod overseen by Abbess Hild who was in charge of the Abbey. It decided the date of Easter ( Celtic or Roman cakendar). It only applied to the northern kingdoms It took a while fir everyone to fall into line.😮

[@Keith-b4r8o]

Do yourself a favour, read the book. I read it over 60 years ago when I was 14 years old and have re-read it a number of times since. It is a fantastic read.

[@AlBarzUK]

I agree. I somehow doubt that many people have read the original book but it is an extraordinary read. I had to create a performance piece about Renfield a few years ago and re-read Dracula, Bram Stoker’s most famous book. So much I’d forgotten, including the beautiful language he used.

[@madoldbatwoman]

I didn't fully appreciate it till I heard it on audiobook, while I sat sewing recently. Excellent storytelling. But then, like you, it was a long time ago that I read it.

[@Fairfairlass]

I love Dracula. One of my very favourite books. It’s brilliant.

[@wullaballoo2642]

I'll have to read it again some time, I first read it when I was 12 and couldn't put it down, I remember staying up late trying to read while falling asleep.

[@atorthefightingeagle9813]

Steve, I recommend the story of a plumber called Harry Martindale who claimed to have seen a phalanx of ghostly Roman soldiers troop by him in the cellar of the Treasurers House in York.

[@Sophie.S..]

Agree. It is a very fascinating story - and very believable.

[@reactingtomyroots]

Thanks, I've never heard of this. I'll have to look it up!

[@claireboddey3273]

The Dracula most of us think of today was born in Derby, in 1924 at the Grand Theatre. Hamilton Deane wrote the stage adaptation and it was performed for the first time ever as a play in front of an audience including Florence Stoker, Bram Stoker’s widow. It was the first time Dracula was portrayed not as a hideous, monstrous creature as in the novel, but as suave and charming vampire we all know now, with his evening attire and opera cloak. It’s also where Bela Lugosi, who played Dracula when the successful play made its move to Broadway and in the 1931 film, played Dracula for the final time in a 1951 revival of the play at the Hippodrome Theatre. Whitby may have been Stoker’s inspiration for Dracula, but Derby was truly his birthplace.

[@janphillips2534]

The abbeys were destroyed on the orders of King Henry the Eighth. Most abbeys were looted and destroyed throughout England. This was known as the dissolution of the monasteries, when Henry proclaimed the Church of England and broke away from the Catholic Church and the Pope.

[@richardcreaser308]

A great reaction to Whitby, my favourite place in the UK. Thank you Steve. My Aunt Hannah & God mother originated from Robin Hoods Bay, just South of Whitby. Stories of smugglers, underground passageways on stormy nights. You couldn’t invent a place like the Bay.🙏

[@michellebulmer9911]

Port Meirion North Wales. Lovely heartwarming back story about an architect who thought town planning could and should be beautiful. So many quirky wonderful things in the UK. As a Yorkshire lass it lovely to see you discover Whitby. And the River Strid video was excellent too. We still have quite a few working windmills in UK that are mainly kept working by volunteers so a shout out to those amazing people keeping heritage skills alive is always welcome! Love from the UK and blessings to all x

[@TimeyWimeyLimey]

Whitby is a fishing village /small town with a large harbour. It also has a ship building and whaling past. It was where Captain Cook who discovered Australia was brought up and learnt to sail. The Abbey dates back to the 7th Century and was an important monastery. It is where the Synod of Whitby was held in 664 AD which decided when in the year Easter would be held after disputes between the Celtic branch of the church and Rome.

[@margaretflounders8510]

I live In Bury St.Edmunds, Suffolk, and just down the road from us is Ixworth House, Country seat of the Earl of Bristol, who funded James Cook for his tracking of Haley's comet..When Cook discovered Australia, he found a Bay so sent for provisions and water, he didn't set foot on there but called it Hervey Bay after the name of the Earls family and where my brother now lives..

[@D1331D]

Whitby is also famous for 'Jet'. A MILLION YEARS IN THE MAKING Unlike most gemstones, Whitby Jet is organic and is naturally formed from fossilised wood. Like our present-day Monkey Puzzle or Araucaria Tree, prehistoric wood gets washed up into a body of water and becomes covered by organic sediment. The pressure of the water and sediment over millions of years compacts the wood and slowly transforms it into what we know as Whitby Jet stone today. The colour of Whitby Jet is truly unique, boasting a deep blackness so intense that the expression ‘jet black’ or ‘as black as jet’ derives from the colour of the stone. It has a smooth and very lightweight appeal making it an excellent choice for jewellery. Its smoothness allows it to take on an extremely high polish to the extent that is could even be used a mirror. Deposits of Whitby jet are seen as narrow planks in our cliffs in seams of shale. These deposits are found along a 7.5 mile stretch of North Yorkshire coastline, which Whitby nestles in the middle of. The deposits of Whitby jet also run through the cliff inland under the moors. In the Victorian era jet was mined both inland and along the coast. Jet is no longer mined and all our jet is found through natural coastal erosion.

[@D1331D]

@@ginacable5376 I'm glad you found it interesting. The Jet jewellery is nice, it can be polished and carved. My S-i-L has some hedgehogs 🦔 carved from Whitby Jet x

[@reactingtomyroots]

Very interesting! Thanks for sharing :)

[@D1331D]

@@reactingtomyroots Thank you 😊

[@njones420]

I think most people aren't aware the jussasic coast starts down in dorset, but then the same layers pops back up again in Yorkshire as the dinosaur coast... Very cool about jet, I never knew that as a fan of auracaria (and the crossword setter "Auracaria", John Graham :))

[@janescott4574]

@@reactingtomyrootsjet jewellery became enormously popular in Victorian times after the death of Prince Albert. Queen Victoria wore black for the rest of her life and due to the high mortality rate at the time many people were constantly in mourning a time when wearing coloured stones was frowned on.

[@chrisolvanhill454]

Love Whitby,such a quaint town full of nostalgia well worth a visit if your ever over here.

[@elisamcgowan4774]

Hi Steve, the first suggestion for you is Highgate Cemetery, I did watch your fab video about that, but the guy in the video did not go into the Dracula and ghost element of Highgate. Secondly, perhaps you could look into Cannock Chase, Staffordshire, all sorts of things have been going on there. LOVE your videos Steve).

[@forstercheryl]

The north of England is a great place to visit, the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales, Northumberland and Durham and the numerous castles. I think American tourists just tend to visit London and forget about the rest of the country lol. There’s some great places to visit steeped in history like York, Whitby, Scarborough, going up to Durham and Northumberland, castles like Bamburgh and Alnwick (Alnwick Castle is the setting for Hogworts School in the Harry Potter movies, scenes from Downtown Abbey Xmas special also filmed there, it’s a great day out, love it there and the castle gardens) there’s loads of castles in Durham and Northumberland each with their own history usually with ghost stories and legends too

[@nicksykes4575]

Hi Steve, if you want yo see the gravestone of a fictional charecter check out St Mary's Church in Shrewsbury. the town was the setting for the 1976 film of Charles Dickins "Christmas Carol" starring George C Scott as Scrooge. The film company had a tombstone carved with the name Ebenezer Scrooge on it, after filming the church asked them to leave the stone in place. It has become quite a tourist attraction.

[@lorraineadams2024]

Your enthusiasm and appreciation for The UK & Ireland is so great to watch. It's already been mentioned here by others, but The Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII , starting in 1536, will probably be of interest to you.

[@tonys1636]

If the Prince of the Vatican and Bishop of Rome, the correct title for the Pope amongst others (Pope is the title of the head of the Eastern Orthodox Church, the title hijacked by the Roman Catholic Church), had granted Henry VIII the Annulment/Divorce he asked for then many Abbeys would still be functioning and the UK would be a Catholic country.

[@stewartgebbie3158]

A couple of other Whitby facts is 1, Whitby Abbey was where the important church folks met and decided what date should be set for Easter sometime around AD 870? 2. You can take a steam engine train from Whitby on the North Yorkshire Moors heritage railway and get off at a station called Goathland. This is the railway used in the first Harry Potter movie and Boathland was the Hogwarts stop. PS I live in Scarborough just almost next to Whitby and used to have house in Whitby

[@reactingtomyroots]

Thanks, I'll put it on my list :)

[@Brian-om2hh]

Shap Abbey, not too far from me, was one of the last Abbeys to be closed down due to it's sheer remoteness. The main tower remains almost intact, due to it being difficult to rob stone from. But much of the rest of it has been robbed away over the last few hundred years, to build houses in the surrounding area. The main floor of the abbey is still visible, as are several empty, robbed out tombs. The stumps of the huge columns holding up the roof, still remain, as does some of the outer wall at the position of the altar. Even as a ruin, it it still an impressive site.

[@anthonyquinn3671]

My Mother was born on Halloween and we always called her a "Witch" but with Love for her, never in a malicious way and she loved it. She even had a Pointed hat and Broomstick in the house. Whitby is a Beautiful Place, I live across the other side of the UK. on the West Coast but love visiting Whitby.

[@madoldbatwoman]

Oh please check out the different Halloween traditions on this varied Isle of ours! I know we Welsh had 'Nos Calan Gaeaf' . Which in bygone times was a time of feasting because the harvest was in and there were animals to be slaughtered and preserved. It was a busy time, with everyone helping out. Then there would be games, dancing, drinking, eating, storytelling - singing of course, because we're Welsh and we can't help it. Oh, and the spirits of the dead would return and roam around! I'm sure there are places in England and Scotland that had their own way of doing things.

[@reactingtomyroots]

That's a great suggestion! Thanks :)

[@XclusiveAaron]

Also Steve if you like old churches and stuff like that, check out Abbey Gardens in Bury St Edmund's, Suffolk. Not much left of some of the old ruins but it's a beautiful place and a large public garden, about 30 miles from where I live but I love yo go there usually take a visit at Christmas, they have a huge famous Christmas market there which is truly amazing (although since COVID it hasn't been the same).

[@zoeclark5790]

My favourite place in the uk

[@paulmk2290]

I was in the area once, several years ago, and decided to take a look at the Abbey. We pulled up in the car park and got out, but the wind was so strong, the sky so deathly grey, and the temperature so bitingly cold that that we barely ventured 10 yards before we high-tailed it.

[@markwilson7013]

Or as us Northerners call it, a summers day 😅

[@chrisellis3797]

I'm only 18 miles North of Whitby. It's a great day trip that we take on many times a year

[@MichaelNadin-b8k]

Thankyou for a great reaction video, been to whitby a few times ,a really nice place, a few miles from whitby is Robin Hoods Bay, really worth checking out, I love it there, really beautiful old village with a fascinating history

[@jonathangoll2918]

I know and love Whitby, having been there with friends several times. I first stayed on Westcliff, in a Bed and Breakfast near where Bram Stoker stayed, in a house where - to my mind - somebody even more famous stayed: Lewis Carroll. (Alice in Wonderland, Through the Looking-glass.) The beach in 'The Walrus and the Carpenter' is based on Whitby beach. But after that we rented houses on Eastcliff, in February, when Whitby is really spooky, with the dark winter nights, and - if you're really lucky - the fog - a 'sea-roke' - creeping in from the sea. But there's so much. St Mary's Church is more interesting than the Abbey even. It is older - 1100 - and has a fascinating interior, it being eighteenth century, when wealthier people rented box-pews. Many mariners are buried there, but some graves have tumbled over the cliff! I spoke to a Churchwarden there, who really didn't like the Dracula associations, regarding them as not Christian. Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries in the 1530s, which is why the mediaeval Abbey is ruined. But centuries before there was an earlier Abbey, ruled over by the redoubtable St Hilda, who hosted the Synod of Whitby in 664, which by deciding the date of Easter according to the tradition of the Church of Rome ensured that the English Church would follow Rome rather than ancient Celtic ways. The town was a major port, and a centre for whalers. There is much association with Captain Cook. Ships are still built there. The town is famous for fish and chips, particularly the (rather posh) Magpie Cafe, but there are good fish and chips to be got from elsewhere in the town. Whitby crabs are wonderful, as are the kippers, which - unusually these days - are properly smoked. Behind Whitby is a National Park! The North Yorkshire Moors; in autumn the heather makes them purple. The geology of the area is famous. The Jurassic rocks are highly fossiliferous, being famous for ammonites. I have locally seen a dinosaur footprint. A semi-precious stone, jet, is found locally. But be careful. On top or beside the Jurassic rocks is material brought by the ice sheets, which can collapse. Little-visited is Whitby Museum, which they have deliberately kept old-fashioned, and has wonderful models of boats.

[@iangregory3719]

The east coast of Yorkshire has some amazing history and natural beauty in its coastal landscape. The thing is Yorkshire is Britain's biggest county, you should also take a look at the Dales further to the west....if you think the viaduct at Whitby looks amazing wait until you see Ribblehead..

[@XclusiveAaron]

Another place I've been as a kid! Loving watching your videos Steve, I randomly came across your videos as well as other channels doing similar about a year ago, I've kept watching you and haven't watched a single other one. I've at this point watched every video on your channel!😂 I love the content and what you show but also like the way you present yourself, seem like a cool guy I almost feel like I know you the amount of house I've spent watching you!👍👍 peace and love from England!👍

[@reactingtomyroots]

Thanks for following along, Aaron! Really appreciate that. :) It means a lot.

[@XclusiveAaron]

@@reactingtomyroots thanks for the reply 😁

[@sylviawagner1559]

There are 199 steps from the town to the top of the hill to get st. Mary's church and the abbey lies just beyond that . Whitby is also famous for Whitby Jet which is made into jewellery

[@lukee.h1471]

Whitby is such a nice place. The air is so fresh. Whitby in the fall is really something else.

[@no-oneinparticular7264]

It's a very atmospheric area, especially at dusk in winter . Whitby itself is lovely, especially their cod and chips...yummy. Yes, you can stay in the house where he was at the beginning of the video. There is a video online about Vlad the impalers village of birth, which is quite unsettling. Reputedly, Vlad drank human blood.

[@margaretflounders8510]

And our Queen Elizabeth 11 was related to....

[@gallowglass2630]

I think its more likely to be based on the irish legend of abhartach which bram stoker was aware of.He may have added elements from romania and used the name Dracula,but i mean we would have heard that legend long before he heard any thing about Vlad tepes.There is even a placename in ireland called Dreac Fhoula place of blood pronounced dracula .

[@no-oneinparticular7264]

​​@@gallowglass2630 vlad the impalers real name was Vlad IV Dracula.

[@lynfawcett221]

Whitby is beautiful, a small fishing port surrounded by history ❤️ The Abbey ruins are certainly eerie.

[@Theoriginalsparkythemagicpiano]

Bram married an English woman and moved to London. After a tour of Scotland he went to Whitby for a break on the recommendation of the actor Henry Irving. Every day he would walk around the town and everywhere he looked he garnered inspiration for the book he was working on that he eventually named Dracula, but was originally named something else; a few examples are people in the book he named from gravestones in the local graveyard, the Demeter was named after a shipwreck on Tate Hill Sands, and he got the name Dracula from a book in the library on the life of Vlad The Impaler, written by a British consul in Bucharest. Funnily enough, although he traveled extensively around Europe, he never set foot in Eastern Europe.

[@sarahgriffiths-p5k]

Henry Irving (John Henry Brodribb ) is said to be part of the inspiration for Stoker's take on Dracula, providing some of the mannerisms and physical characteristics. He was my great, great grandfather and you could see a bit of a likeness in my late father.

[@finncullen]

Florence Balcombe (later Florence Stoker) was Irish, not English. She was notable for many reasons, not least that she was wooed by (and turned down) Oscar Wilde. The Stokers moved to England after 1878. Before then she was known as the most beautiful girl in Dublin, and afterward as the loveliest woman in London. She was a formidable character and after Bram's death pursued people infringing on the copyright of his creations. It was Florence Stoker who got the Murnau film "Nosferatu" withdrawn as being plagiarised and it's mere chance that some prints survived to this day.

[@stewedfishproductions7959]

Bram Stoker met many famous people including an author who few talk about, or even recognise his name!? Sir Hall Caine (born in Runcorn, Cheshire, but grew up in Liverpool, moved to London and eventually died on Manx, his father's birthplace) was the first person to sell over a million copies of a book worldwide! Hall Caine was the most highly paid writer of his day, selling more than 10 million copies of his novels and rivalling Charles Dickens in popularity, (he also wrote an introduction to a 'Christmas Carol'). His theatrical adaptations were equally successful and with the arrival of cinema. several of his books were turned into films (including one 'silent' film by Alfred Hitchcock). His life was remarkable; how he met his wife is one of those 'truth stranger than fiction story's' - while a bachelor in Holborn (London), he moved in with a friend. It was their habit to order evening meals from local cafes to be brought to the lodgings. The food was usually delivered by two young girls who quickly befriended the two men. One evening, the door burst open and the girls’ fathers appeared, declaring that their daughters’ reputations had been ruined and demanding that Caine and his friend make “honest women” of them. Horrified to discover that the girls were aged 13, the terrified Robertson (Hall's friend) obeyed and married one of them. But knowing that nothing untoward had happened, Hall Caine resisted for a time. (Previously, he had actually campaigned to raise the age of consent from 12 years old to 13.) However, after being hounded with threats of blackmail and violence, he agreed to accept responsibility for the other girl, Mary Chandler. Do look up her picture on Google Images, she was quite beautiful. Anyway, they had a child and although they seperated much later on, had a good life together and he died back on the Isle of Man in 1931; his fellow islanders revered him for boosting the tourist trade. He became a member of the Manx Parliament, moved into a mansion called Greeba Castle, and was known as “the uncrowned King of Man”. Having read a lot about him, I find it sad so few have heard of him... It is said that 'crowds would gather outside his houses hoping to get a glimpse of him'. He was "accorded the adulation reserved now for pop stars and footballers", and yet today is virtually unknown.Thanks for reading this and do 'look him up'.

[@dee2251]

Whitby do a Goth festival every year. No doubt attracted by the Dracula story. It attracts Goths from all over the country and many others besides. Everyone is dressed up in horror costumes or Goth dress. I think there’s haunted tours. I believe it’s on KZbin.

[@SwearyCyclist]

I was in Whitby on Saturday, showing my grandson the places associated with Dracula.

[@MajorMagna]

If you do visit Whitby, I can definitely reccommend taking a trip on the heritage North Yorkshire Moors Railway (or even a few trips, to help you explore the area).

[@margaretflounders8510]

The Pickering one? I'd love that!

[@valeriewalker3886]

Love Whitby. I try and visit at least once a year.

[@AnOldEnglishBloke]

Since visiting Whitby as a 9 year old on a school trip, I've been fascinated with Whitby and have been 15 times. As kids on the school trip, at the Abbey ruins we would lay down in the holes and jump out at the girls and random passers-by. As for cemeteries, yes, I share that fascination too. In my village, we have a 500 year old church with a modest cemetery that encircles a modern war memorial. The dates on the headstones range from the mid 1600's to late 19th century. The village dates back to 900AD though, at least, so no idea what was done previous to those dates on display. There's a 2nd cemetery just up the hill from the main old church that has been used since the late 19th century so all burials take place there. The old church grounds are predominantly heritage now, although we can have memorials placed around a smaller designated plot around the side of the building - mostly for families who go for cremations and just want a physical memorial in the village.

[@martinwebb1681]

Previous to those dates wood crosses marked graves, headstones were unavailable, stone was very expensive and stone headstones didn't really come into use until the 1700 hundreds, any earlier ones of which there aren't many were only available to the very wealthiest families. By the early 1700s stone became cheaper and therefore became more widely used by commoners replacing the old style wooden grave markers.

[@helenroberts1107]

Edinburgh has a famous graveyard where there is a story of a famous dog and there are some incredible graves and tombs. There are also tunnels I think in that city too. Ireland have banshees. There are haunted places all over the uk. There is a witchcraft museum in Boscastle in Cornwall that is great. I think Burke and Hare the grave robbers were in Edinburgh

[@markduggan3451]

My wife and I love visiting Whitby. The antique shops the old fashion sweet shops and of course the fish and chips.

[@philipc2025]

Similar to Dracula's lasting legacy with people asking where his grave is. People used to, and still do, write to Sherlock Holmes at his Baker Street address, 221B Baker Street. When the Abbey National Building Society moved into the block of buildings that includes this address they were receiving letters to the detective. It's my understanding that the Abbey National responded to the letters. They came from all over the world. These days the letters are answered by the Sherlock Holmes Museum, a little way down the road.

[@clymtc]

I enjoy your channel and love Whitby, so this one was "special." The houses on Royal Crescent were originally separate houses with five floors - plus a basement. They are all split up into several flats now. I stayed there many times with my parents, then with my own children when I married. The abbey was much more complete until 1914, when German warships shelled Whitby, hitting the abbey with three 12" shells.

[@xboxnangable]

Whitby is a cool town. I've visited and have been to the Abbey and Church. Very spooky late evening 😊

[@reactingtomyroots]

Yes, I would imagine so! haha

[@Seanhatton2307]

Great video, so many other things about whitby other than dracula worth researching, such as the whitby steps, whitby being the british navy headquarters, captain james cook setting sail from whitby several times to discover hawaii and other places in the americas. north yorkshire is an incredible place to live with so much history. You should check out the history of york also such a huge history especially linked to the vikings. I think you would love to see the rebuilt town of beamish not too far away also, a theme park like attraction which has rebuilt towns villages farms and mines back to their former glory brick by brick from 1800’s to 1950’s

[@lynzp7438]

Whitby is my favourite place. The atmosphere is amazing. Beautiful place. Lucky to live quite near. I'd love to live here permanently

[@valeriewalker3886]

Lindisfarne aka holy island is a beautiful place to visit also.

[@Messy6610]

I’ve seen it only on tv and in pictures. A place I’m looking forward to seeing firsthand.

[@valeriewalker3886]

@@Messy6610 Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

[@juliedudley5141]

The church yard was much larger but a land slide in 2013 cause some of the graveyard to fall down the cliff on to the gardens of the houses below. People woke up to old bones in their garden

[@primalengland]

Always makes me wonder why you haven’t got far more subscribers, Steve. Always great content put across with contagious enthusiasm. Keep up the good work.

[@primalengland]

@@RAGING_MIRAGE tell me about it. I’ve been uploading for 7 years and I’ve got 434 subscribers. I don’t watch telly, haven’t for years. I watch a lot of channels on KZbin. There are channels with well over 100k subs producing content that my dog could beat. 40k is good, but I’d like to see the day when he has a silver plaque on the wall behind him.

[@madoldbatwoman]

Do you find yourself replying and answering his questions too? He is literally like a visitor who pops over to share a new thing he learned, and doesn't even expect a cuppa and a custard cream.

[@primalengland]

@@madoldbatwoman Yes. That’s a good observation.

[@reactingtomyroots]

Thank you so much! I'm just seeing this comment now. I really appreciate the kind words. It means a lot. :)

[@bensbabble]

The cemetery is part of St Mary's Church - The church, cemetery and surroundings also feature in the music video for Simply Red - Holding Back the Years, which is also worth checking out!

[@martinwebb1681]

It's a graveyard, a cemetery is a large burial plot without a church. Churches have Graveyards, Cemeteries have no church.

[@bensbabble]

@@martinwebb1681 of course, that was the word I was looking for, thanks

[@welshpete12]

Who ever did that documentary on Whitby did a excellent job ! Something that may be of interest , there is a tradition in England that a suicide . Would not be buried in a church yard . But at a cross roads on the border of the parish . With a stake made of oak through it's heart . This is a very ancient belief that goes back at lest the 15 century and possibly earlier .

[@martinwebb1681]

Yes, many lonely rural cross roads in England were used for such burials where the suicide victim would be buried often face down. The dark secret is that even to this day many of the bodies are still present at these places although unrecorded because they were suicides. In later years suicides were allowed a burial in a church yard but only at night and without a religious service, and always only on the North side of a church along with unbaptized individuals, the excommunicated and executed criminals. The graves of those poor souls who succumbed to suicide all those years ago still dot the English countryside, silent reminders of a superstitious past.

[@reactingtomyroots]

That's interesting. Thanks for explaining!

[@williamdom3814]

Fangs for that reaction video Steve.

[@susanashcroft2674]

I wonder if he would count on such a reaction. 🧛

[@johnwilletts3984]

Whitby was the home port of Capt. James Cook who boldly went where no Englishman had been before, to seek out new life and lands. - Australia and New Zealand.

[@anthonywalker6276]

The BBC produced a superb dramatisation, "Count Dracula", in 1978, with Louis Jourdan, Frank Finlay, Judi Bowker and Susan Penhaligon. The actual cemetery features a lot in this drama.

[@samuelmcgovern]

Yep, an Irish novel written by a Dublin man. Said to be partly influenced by the Irish legend of Abhartach, a vampire who returned to drink the blood of his subjects. The Vlad The Impaler theory is now questioned, as there was no record to Vlad III's biographical information in Stoker's notes. Halloween is also an Irish holiday, stemming from the Celtic festival of Samhain (Irish for 'November'). I'd recommend watching some videos about the origins of Halloween.

[@gallowglass2630]

He has reacted to a video about the celtic origins of halloween.Thats all true,but we don't cash in on it though everyone else is but not us.

[@sharonmartin4036]

The church is called The Church of St. Mary and you climb 199 steps to get to it from the town. I believe it was built circa 1110 which makes it around 913 years old!

[@jackiefax2315]

Those 199 steps are a killer! 😂

[@sharonmartin4036]

@@jackiefax2315 Yup. And once you're half-way up you have to carry on because it takes too much effort to go back! Lol.😂

[@CliveBilby]

Abraham "Bram" Stoker was Irish and would have also known of the Abhartach (who rose from the dead) and incorporate that into the story.

[@charlesd3a]

Brom actually got his ideas from his childhood with the stories that he had heard from his grandmother family who actually have ties with Ballyshannon in County Donegal Ireland and with Sligo. With the bringing together of settings of the story with other Celtic sites in Cornwall England. And adding the stories from Europe.