Lil

pinned up on the notice board by weary church wardens, apparently tired of fielding endless requests from Taurus who, just like me, are on the trail of Dracula, it sternly requests, please do not ask staff where Dracula's grave is, as there isn't one. I chuckle to myself as I head back into the graveyard. They're right, of course, in a way,

Despite the impact that the character has had on the town, Dracula didn't actually dwell too long in Whitby, moving swiftly on to London and eventually being chased by our intrepid gang of Victorian vampire hunters through the landscape of the Carpathian Mountains, where the book reaches its conclusion.

Despite the impact that the character has had on the town, Dracula didn't actually dwell too long in Whitby, moving swiftly on to London and eventually being chased by our intrepid gang of Victorian vampire hunters through the landscape of the Carpathian Mountains, where the book reaches its conclusion.

But avid fans of Dracula probably aren't referring to where Dracula was buried, but where he hid after leaving the wreck of the Demeter in the form of a huge black dog, in a grave directly under Lucy and Mina's favourite clifftop seat.

But avid fans of Dracula probably aren't referring to where Dracula was buried, but where he hid after leaving the wreck of the Demeter in the form of a huge black dog, in a grave directly under Lucy and Mina's favourite clifftop seat.

The witness got in touch with the Visit Whitby blog to relate what happened to him one April day when he was visiting Whitby for the first time. He'd been strolling through the churchyard on his way from the abbey, heading towards the top of the 199 steps, when he noticed a man and a woman with a coat draped over her right arm, sitting on one of the churchyard benches.

The witness got in touch with the Visit Whitby blog to relate what happened to him one April day when he was visiting Whitby for the first time. He'd been strolling through the churchyard on his way from the abbey, heading towards the top of the 199 steps, when he noticed a man and a woman with a coat draped over her right arm, sitting on one of the churchyard benches.

They smiled at him as the visitor and his partner approached, so he called ahead to his partner, who was walking in front of him, and suggested that they should join the friendly couple on the bench. but she turned, surprised, and asked him, what couple? A confused witness turned his gaze from his partner back towards the bench, but it had gone.

They smiled at him as the visitor and his partner approached, so he called ahead to his partner, who was walking in front of him, and suggested that they should join the friendly couple on the bench. but she turned, surprised, and asked him, what couple? A confused witness turned his gaze from his partner back towards the bench, but it had gone.

There was no bench, there was no man, and there was no woman holding a coat. Perplexed, he looked around and was struck to see that there were marks on the ground indicating that a bench had in fact once stood in that position, but it would be another seven years before he got any answers to this strange experience.

There was no bench, there was no man, and there was no woman holding a coat. Perplexed, he looked around and was struck to see that there were marks on the ground indicating that a bench had in fact once stood in that position, but it would be another seven years before he got any answers to this strange experience.

On the next visit, seven years later, the witness ventured into St Mary's Church to explore the Looking around, he was shocked to see a black and white photo hung on the wall picturing several people. Because amongst them, he recognised the man and the woman he'd seen in the graveyard on that April day in 1995.

On the next visit, seven years later, the witness ventured into St Mary's Church to explore the Looking around, he was shocked to see a black and white photo hung on the wall picturing several people. Because amongst them, he recognised the man and the woman he'd seen in the graveyard on that April day in 1995.

The woman even had her coat draped over her arm in the photo, just the same as she had when he'd seen her, sitting on the bench. Of course, he was desperate to find out who the couple were, and a staff member was able to reveal that the people in the photo used to be church bell ringers.

The woman even had her coat draped over her arm in the photo, just the same as she had when he'd seen her, sitting on the bench. Of course, he was desperate to find out who the couple were, and a staff member was able to reveal that the people in the photo used to be church bell ringers.

Whether or not either of them were still alive was not revealed, but it soon became clear that he was not the first person to see them in the churchyard, and in fact, the witness's experience was a sighting familiar to some local inhabitants. So...

Whether or not either of them were still alive was not revealed, but it soon became clear that he was not the first person to see them in the churchyard, and in fact, the witness's experience was a sighting familiar to some local inhabitants. So...

If you're ever walking through St Mary's Churchyard and you pass a friendly couple smiling at you from a bench, maybe just take a second look back over your shoulder and see if they're still there moments later. This witness's story reminds me of so many people's experiences of Whitby, including my own.

If you're ever walking through St Mary's Churchyard and you pass a friendly couple smiling at you from a bench, maybe just take a second look back over your shoulder and see if they're still there moments later. This witness's story reminds me of so many people's experiences of Whitby, including my own.

From the very first visit, the place draws you into its inexplicable mysteries, and further visits only build layers of intrigue and fascination.