Fitz

It's claimed that witnesses have seen the apparition of the unfortunate lighthouse keeper hurrying towards the tower just as he did on that fateful stormy night. Some say they have seen him doggedly making his last journey up the steps to light the lamp, forever replaying his last crucial but deadly task.

It's claimed that witnesses have seen the apparition of the unfortunate lighthouse keeper hurrying towards the tower just as he did on that fateful stormy night. Some say they have seen him doggedly making his last journey up the steps to light the lamp, forever replaying his last crucial but deadly task.

This is the version of the story told in many guidebooks and town trails, but ask the local ghost tour guides who have been stomping these streets for years, or consult their books at least, and they tell a slightly different version.

This is the version of the story told in many guidebooks and town trails, but ask the local ghost tour guides who have been stomping these streets for years, or consult their books at least, and they tell a slightly different version.

According to Paul McDermott's The Whitby Ghost Book and James J. Brown's The Original Ghost Walk of Whitby, the real story came from a young girl who visited the lighthouse with her mother in the 1950s. The pair were climbing the long winding staircase when the girl stopped in her tracks at seeing the prostrate form of a severely ill or injured man lying across the stairs halfway up.

According to Paul McDermott's The Whitby Ghost Book and James J. Brown's The Original Ghost Walk of Whitby, the real story came from a young girl who visited the lighthouse with her mother in the 1950s. The pair were climbing the long winding staircase when the girl stopped in her tracks at seeing the prostrate form of a severely ill or injured man lying across the stairs halfway up.

He was wearing seaman's clothes and she could clearly see that he had only one arm. She was absolutely baffled when her mother simply urged her on up the stairs, expecting of course for her parent to rush to the man's aid, but she quickly realised that no one else but her could see him.

He was wearing seaman's clothes and she could clearly see that he had only one arm. She was absolutely baffled when her mother simply urged her on up the stairs, expecting of course for her parent to rush to the man's aid, but she quickly realised that no one else but her could see him.

Paul McDermott writes that he came across this story when he read a letter published in the Whitby Gazette written by this very girl, only now an adult, describing her strange experience in the lighthouse.

Paul McDermott writes that he came across this story when he read a letter published in the Whitby Gazette written by this very girl, only now an adult, describing her strange experience in the lighthouse.

He adds that he looked into this further and was actually able to discover there was in previous years a one-armed man who worked at the lighthouse and sadly suffered a heart attack and died right in the middle of the long staircase.

He adds that he looked into this further and was actually able to discover there was in previous years a one-armed man who worked at the lighthouse and sadly suffered a heart attack and died right in the middle of the long staircase.

James J. Brown notes in his retelling that when the girl explained to her mother why she had stopped on the stairs and what she had seen, the mother realised straight away that what her daughter witnessed was not of the living, as she personally knew of the one-armed keeper, who had tragically died on those stairs some years before. Which version of this, if any, is true, we may never know.

James J. Brown notes in his retelling that when the girl explained to her mother why she had stopped on the stairs and what she had seen, the mother realised straight away that what her daughter witnessed was not of the living, as she personally knew of the one-armed keeper, who had tragically died on those stairs some years before. Which version of this, if any, is true, we may never know.

But stories like this, more often than not, grow from a grain of truth. So if you're ever passing by Whitby's West Pier, when the skies are heavy with storm, keep an eye out for a dark huddled figure hurrying towards the lighthouse at the end of the pier, and maybe glance up at the white lantern room in case any shadowy figures are moving around up there.

But stories like this, more often than not, grow from a grain of truth. So if you're ever passing by Whitby's West Pier, when the skies are heavy with storm, keep an eye out for a dark huddled figure hurrying towards the lighthouse at the end of the pier, and maybe glance up at the white lantern room in case any shadowy figures are moving around up there.

But now we must leave the promenade and follow Mina past the bandstand and the fish market towards the Red Swing Bridge.

But now we must leave the promenade and follow Mina past the bandstand and the fish market towards the Red Swing Bridge.

Turning onto the market square today from Sandgate, the area bustles with shoppers, tramping over smooth, well-worn cobblestones that look like they have a few hundred years' worth of stories to tell. Customers of a nearby cafe are seated around an area paved with wide, heavy flagstones, enjoying their drinks in the shadow of the 18th century town hall.

Turning onto the market square today from Sandgate, the area bustles with shoppers, tramping over smooth, well-worn cobblestones that look like they have a few hundred years' worth of stories to tell. Customers of a nearby cafe are seated around an area paved with wide, heavy flagstones, enjoying their drinks in the shadow of the 18th century town hall.