#Whitby Museum

[xtruss]

Ships that stopped at Whitby Harbor (Seen here circa 1880) inspired Bram Stoker as he wrote Dracula. Photograph By Frank Meadow Sutcliffe, The Royal Photographic Society Collection/Victoria and Albert Museum, London/Getty Images

The Little-Known Shipwreck That Inspired Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’

Stoker was moved by grim details from the world around him while penning his horror masterpiece. The real fate of a ship called the Dmitry played an outsized role in his imaginings.

— By Melissa Sartore | August 18, 2023

The arrival of the Demeter in Bram Stoker's Dracula serves as a fundamental part of the titular character's story: the ship brings death himself to England.

Stoker drew inspiration for his genre-defining horror novel from his time in Whitby, and the dark 1885 fate of the real ship Dmitry on the town’s shore.

The death and tragedy around Stoker ultimately shaped the story that became one of the most famous pieces of English literature and set the stage for the next century of vampire lore.

The wreck of the Dmitry from Narva, now Estonia, aground on Tate Hill Beach in 1885, Whitby, Yorkshire, UK. Photograph By Frank Meadow Sutcliffe, Colin Waters/Alamy Stock Photo

The Dmitry Becomes the Demeter

During the summer of 1890, Irish novelist Bram Stoker vacationed at the seaside town of Whitby in northeast England. Despite spending only a month in the town, Stoker was enthralled by his surroundings: Grand Mansions and Hotels lined the West Cliff while remains of the seventh century Whitby Abbey towered over the East Cliff. Nearby, the cemetery at the Parish Church also served as inspiration as the story of Dracula came to life.

Stoker was also enchanted by the many ships making harbor here. He reportedly visited the Whitby Museum to explore the history of these vessels, as well as a local library, where he came upon William Wilkinson’s book The Accounts of Principalities of Wallachia and Moldova. Stoker marked in his notes:

DRACULA in the Wallachian language means DEVIL. The Wallachians were, at that time, as they are at present, used to give this as a surname to any person who rendered himself conspicuous either by courage, cruel actions, or cunning.

Stoker reportedly asked around the shore about shipwrecks in Whitby, notably the Dmitry, a ship that had wrecked five years earlier.

The cargo vessel Dmitry had set sail from Narva in Russia (modern-day Estonia) in 1885. On October 24, the Dmitry was one of two ships run ashore at Whitby by “a storm of great violence,” according to contemporary newspaper accounts. The other vessel, the Mary and Agnes, was stranded in the raging sea and a lifeboat was sent to rescue its crew. When the crew of the Mary and Agnes was ferried to the shore, per the Leeds Mercury, “their safe landing [was] the signal for loud huzzas by the thousands of people assembled on shore.”

Those same onlookers watched on to see what would happen with the Dmitry. As reported by the North-Eastern Daily Gazette, the crew remained on board in the hopes they would be able to dock, but “the sea beat savagely against the vessel. Her masts gave way and fell with a crash over her side, and the vessel herself began to break up.”

Though unclear exactly how they were rescued, in the end, all seven members of the Dmitry’s crew were safely brought to shore.

There were several unique aspects to the last voyage of the Dmitry that appear to have stood out to Stoker. The Demeter originated in Varna (an anagram for Narva, where the Dmitry originated), and similarly carried “ballast of silver sand, with only a small amount of cargo—a number of great wooden boxes filled with mould.”

Through conversations with fishermen in Whitby, Stoker learned of an untold number of local deaths at sea. Stoker reportedly made note of some 90 names from gravestones in Whitby for future use in his story, including the surname “Swales.” Soon after the arrival of the Demeter in Dracula, he wrote “Mr. Swales was found dead… his neck being broken.”

What Inspired Dracula’s Canine Form?

In Stoker’s novel, Dracula himself took the form of a dog to make his way from the Demeter to dry land, but there was no dog reported to have been on the Dmitry. According to Mel Ni Mhaolanfaidh and Marlon McGarry in 2021, the dog in Dracula may be an homage to the wreck of the Greyhound in 1770.

The Greyhound sailed from Whitby and sank off the coast of Ireland on December 12, 1770 (120 years prior to Stoker’s arrival in the town). Stoker’s mother, Charlotte, was from Sligo, a town in close proximity to the wreck. When the storm that sank the ship surged again, a young cabin boy was left stranded. The rescue effort failed, with only one out of the some 20 men sent to save him tragically dying in the process.

Stoker made no reference to a dog in his notes until two months after he’d departed from Whitby. On October 15, 1890, Stoker wrote, “When ship ran in to Collier's Hope, big dog jumped off bow & ran over pier - up Kiln Yard & church steps & into churchyard…Local dog found ripped open & graves torn up…” It’s not clear if Stoker learned of these details from the Dmitry wreck, another Whitby wreck, or was his own creation.

In the novel, the arrival of the Demeter was paired with a similarly remarkable incident: “The very instant the shore was touched, an immense dog sprang up on deck from below, as if shot up by the concussion, and running forward, jumped from the bow on the sand.”

The dog, a disguised Dracula, wrought bloodshed and death from that point forward. This dog resembled the barghest, a mythical monster often associated with Yorkshire. Spellings and specific forms of barghest vary but the dog-like being foretold of pain, disaster, or even death to all who saw it. The barghest also elicited howling from dogs in its vicinity, something Dracula protagonist Mina Murray reported took place soon after the arrival of the Demeter.

#Dracula #Whitby Harbor | Yorkshire | UK 🇬🇧 #Frank Meadow Sutcliffe #Bram Stoker #Shipwreck #Horror Masterpiece #Northeast England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 #Grand Mansions | Hotels | West Cliff #Cemetery | Parish Church #Whitby Museum #William Wilkinson #The Accounts of Principalities of Wallachia and Moldova 🇲🇩 #Cargo Vessel Dmitry #Narva in Russia 🇷🇺 | Modern-Day Estonia 🇪🇪 #The Mary & Agnes #North-Eastern Daily Gazette #Mr. Swales #Mel Ni Mhaolanfaidh | Marlon McGarry #Greyhound #Charlotte | Sligo #Collier's Hope #Mina Murray | Dracula Protagonist

[talesfromthenorsesmouth]

thanks previous post now i'm thinking about deptford mice/histories/whitby witches/tales from the wyrd museum

apparently the american versions of the books didn't have the illustrations? they were the best bit?

this book is for kids!

what if corn was cursed and u were a field mouse?

actually the best doomed romance was between a bat and a squirrel to stop all out war between their species also I THINK tHERE ARE TOO MANY HANDS ON THIS COVER ROBIN

listen i just like that he put some of his own books in the background of this picture, o robin u scamp, also doing dark magic in a bookshop is cool

back to deptford mice, yes this rat has a peeler strapped to his stump, its so he can better peel mice, innovative king

a teddy bear possessed by the spirit of an American pilot fleeing through london during the Blitz, pursued by a giant stag beetle demon with hitler's face

#robin jarvis #deptford mice #deptford histories #whitby witches #wyrd museum

[morningstargirl666]

To my dracula daily mutuals-

Guess who’s going to see Dracula performed live in the ruins of Whitby Abbey, the place that inspired Bram Stoker’s novel?

#I'm so excited #Whitby is amazing and I love going there #I thought about going to the dracula museum as well but its a bit tacky and not my thing #BUT #there is a ghost walk #and a dracula walk #because Bram Stoker had a vacation in Whitby or something and was inspired by the place #like there's a ghost story of a black dog that roams the abbey #hence why dracula can transform into a black dog #it's just amazing #whitby has got the vibes #the moors #the cliffs #the ruins #it has the ✨aesthetic✨ #SO EXCITED!

[dougrobyngoold]

Is This Place For Real? - Whitby, England

We spent the day walking around Whitby, visiting the waterfront, the museum, and the abbey. What a pleasant surprise this town is! We started the day off with a stop at an overlook - great views of Whitby:

Looking back at Whitby, the mouth of the River Esk, which flows through the town and into the North Sea.

Whitby Beach - with a few brave souls venturing into the water!

We explored the West Pier.

One of the tour boats passed by while we were out on the pier.

One of the ornate gates out on the pier.

Memorial to Captain James Cook, a legendary explorer and cartographer who was born in nearby Marton, England.

St. Hilda's Catholic Church.

We checked out the Cinder Track - the British version of Rails-to-Trails. It was a lovely, level walk out into the countryside.

We walked along the Cinder Track for about 3 miles, before we decided to turn around when we reached the old aqueduct.

We headed back into town, hoping to make it to the Whitby Museum before the rain started. We made it just in time and spent a couple of hours checking out the museum.

The top two pictures are exhibits of the multitude of prehistoric fossils found in the Whitby area. The third picture shows a display of items made from Whitby Jet. Whitby Jet is a gemstone "that is formed when 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 the beautiful black jet".

I was touched by this incredible story - we learned so much in our travels about how people's lives were impacted by different wars.

We successfully waited out the midday storm in the safety of the museum. When we emerged the skies were clearing and the sun was trying to break through. We decided to explore a little more and made our way over to Whitby Abbey for more incredible views.

Pictured above (top to bottom): the first two are pictures of the Church of St. Mary (built in the 12th century, the graveyard was referenced in the novel Dracula), the bottom three pictures are of Whitby Abbey - which dominates the skyline over Whitby. The abbey was built in 657 AD, the ruins on the site today are from the Benedictine Monastery (which was suppressed by Henry VIII in 1539).

We ended our wonderful day of exploration by stopping in at Humble Pie 'n' Mash Shop (quite an historic building, according to the sign posted inside the restaurant) and getting take-away to enjoy back at our Airbnb - the pies were amazing!

#whitby #museums #churches #england

[simp-ly-writes]

Suits, Ties, and Thus Spies (pt.3)

Pairing: Spy!Task Force 141 x Handler!Reader

Summary: Its the task force's first mission as Agents at Taylor Tailor's. How will it go- will other agents accept them and most of all- will you be able to handle working with so many agents on the same mission?

Warnings:2500 words, light swearing and teasing, depictions of blood and violence. A/N: sorry for the delay... decided to change the look of these stories too (hope you like the change!). Masterlist | Taglist | edited.

6:00 PM | Autumn | National Museum of Art and History

Agent Whitby grips the back of another man's suit into a fist, slamming his face repeatedly into the brick wall of the storage room. Blood pours out from their nose, a harsh gash forming against their left cheek and forehead- the skin purple and blue as one of their eyes swells shut. “You really are wasting my time here- you’re a waste of time really for anyone so why not just tell me what the code is, make it easy on your looks and my patience- hm?” he challenges, flicking his head back as the man tries to elbow him in the face. 

Letting out a tisk, Whitby drops the man, holding him in place with a dress shoe to the chest as he feels the man begin to cough up blood as he cringes, eyeing at the lower fabric of his suit becoming damaged by the liquid. Letting out a sigh, while shaking his head, glass slipping down his face as he reaches into his waistband leveling the barrel of the gun in between their eyes. 

“Let us try this again, where-” Whitby pauses at the sound of your voice coming through his earpiece, tilting his head to the side as he continues to stare down at the man, waiting for him to speak the answers he evers-so needs. 

“Whitby, do you have a moment?” you ask coated in sweety-coated sarcasm as you watch him through a hidden camera put on his glasses- observing the man on the floor with mocking pity on your features as you turned to Laswell and point to the room Whitby closed himself into as various enemies flooded the floors below him, making their way upstairs and into the ancient egyptian part of the museum. 

“All my time is yours, love. Only to ask,” Whitby says lovingly while stepping into the man's chest harder, hearing as he wheezes out from the pressure. “Warming my heart here darling,” you start to say, hands moving across the keyboard as you add the scanned models of your newest agents into the digital model. “Whitby, I am sending my newest agents in to help you as a gage for the training that needs to be done. You are in charge, congrats- you are a new father of four!” 

“You’re joking-” Whity begins to say before Handler Jacobs patches themselves into the call, a still image of them setting on your computer screen as soundwaves spike and drop in rhythm to his speech. “Agent, this is Handler Jacobs, you are green to finish him off- passcode is.” You wince as the gunshot rings in your ears- stilling the blood in your body as switch yours and Laswell’s calls over to the boys comms as they arrive at the scene. Their once greyed out figures now bursting with colour and moving in sync to their current actions. 

“Alright Agents, give me a sign that you hear me,” you test, watching the surveillance coverage with a nervous smile as you begin to pick at your nail polish, blood pumping and making it way upwards to your head- settling its thundering beat in your ears. Laswell scoots her office chair closer, placing a hand on your shoulder for reassurance as you let out a large breath. “Loud and clear” rings through your comms as you shake Laswells hand off of you, moving to stand and lean over the diagram. “A physical sign please-” you stress as silence is all you receive on the line, watching as they start to whisper to one another and look around, feeling around their suits. 

“I don’t think I copy, Dee…” Gaz says, rubbing the back of his head. “I watch your every move boys while on a mission. And that is Handler D, please. Turn left and go through the staff entrance, inside the envelope is a swipe to get through the door. Charlotte has already put your biometrics into the security. You will have to climb up the disabled  elevator shaft. Agent Whitby is on the third floor in the Egyptian exhibit awaiting your arrival as we speak.”

“Oh,” Soap responded, waving his hands widely in the hair as you shake your head- looking at Laswell who is struggling to contain her laughter as you grip at the table, knuckles turning white. You watch as the task force makes their way, peering down each corner and into the elevator shaft as they begin to climb the ropes. You watch their technique, writing a few notes on a nearby paper-pad from your desk upon their technique. “We are on the third floor,” John states. 

“Walk as I talk please, turn left, left again, open the yellow door to your right there is a card swipe behind the suit of armour. In 10 steps you find a closet door, open it,” you order, falling back into your chair as their digital models work through the space, guns raised as you click your pen on and off, listening as your clicks sound in tune to the digital clock on your screen. You continue your notes as a ping vibrates through your phone. Mouthing a thank you to Laswell, the report you asked for finally in your inbox. 

“Well hello there,” Whitby states, picking up the dead man's handkerchief as he cleans his hands before shaking each of the task force’s in a strong grip and tight smile. “Agent Whitby, do follow me,” he commands, dropping the piece of cloth to the floor before ushering the group outside the closet as he starts to jog down the hall and places the code into the staff hallway before continuing to navigate the maze of white tiled floors and beige walls without a blink of worry. Handler Jacobs rattles off directions in his earpiece as the task force remains impressed by his supposed memorization of the building. 

“Alright boys, there is one hostile coming up on your west in 5, 4, 3 2, and…” you watch as Johnny tackles the forager into a nearby cart, various vitals of chemicals spill across the floor as they hiss and fizzle amongst one another, eating away at the leather of his shoes. Loosening his tie, Whitby restrains the woman, humming to himself while scanning the rest of the hallway. “Good work, agent,” Whitby compliments, clapping a hand down on their shoulder before continuing to move down the hall and sporadically turning on 90 degrees to slam the door back on another forger, they curse out in pain, dropping to their knees before quickly standing and rushing out into the hall, starting to swing at Whitby.

Dipping down and extending his leg outwards, the man falls over, face slamming into the tile floors below just before they grip his ankle, tackling the agent down with him. Various punches are shared before Whitby has their purple-head in between his thighs- they whimper for air, slamming their fists repeatedly against his thighs while. Whitby signals over for another tie as John wraps the fabric tightly around their wrists. Straightening his jacket one more, Whitby’s chest rapidly rises and falls- needing air he unbuttons a series from his dress shirt before punching in a code back into the door as it creaks in welcome. 

Flicking the lights on, Whitby now walks with a limp to his step- observing the various artifacts in the room sat beside the fakes that were to be sold. Pinching the edge of his glasses, he takes a series of photos- uploading them into the system. “Ghost and Soap, right? If you could demolish these fakes.”

“You have 12 combatants coming from the roof, 20 minutes until they reach you all,” you comment, eyes flicking from the model to the surveillance photo as you chew your lip anxiously. “I have already informed Kyle and Price in the hall but the police are on their way- 30 minutes tops you all. Destroy and set the forgers in place. We cannot be seen,” you state, setting a timer to each of their watches. 

“Then let the fun begin,” Whitby announces to the room before they all get to work smashing through the various fake vases and statues that were to be sold for profit through these criminals. Porcelain shards fly and rattle against one another, crunching beneath their shoes. Glass cabinets are flung open, mixing with the debris on the floor as Soap sets fire to a fake wooden ship carving. Flicking your vision back to the hall, John and Kyle made their way back into the room, tying the criminals to desk chairs and placing a bat at their feet with a smirk. Just as they shut the door behind themselves, you clicked a button on your console as the ties fell from their hands and the forgers scrambled and scratched against the door for an escape to only find none besides the prison cell that awaits them. 

“You are to take your cars back, Whitby is driving to get your gear cleaned before you step back into the facility- safety protocol. Good work today, boys- a few training notes I have for later but other than that, a successful mission is all that matters- management is pleased,” you note watching as they descended from the window, grappling with their belt and buckle before skirting off into the city streets.

A rock station began to bang through the car's audio system just before you shut off communications and watched them drive to the specialty cleaners. Taking a stand and clapping your hands, Laswell rubbed her eyes before announcing her departure. Taking a long hug together you showed her back to the store front before running across the street to pick up a bottle of liquor. Smiling at the black label brand you pay and dash back to the lobby - pouring out a series of cups with ice and phone for Charlotte, Jason, Jacobs, and Samantha to join you all for a debrief. 

–

You smile, watching as the boys do their best to flatten out their freshly primed suits and straighten their ties before walking up to you lounging in one of the many chairs in the large living space of the lobby. The leather creaks under each of their weight, each man smiling as you hand over a glass of Tennessee whisky just as Whitby sends you a knowing wink while eyeing up the bottle. 

“Interesting choice, sweetheart.” He teases as you roll your eyes, shoving his shoulder with your own playfully before he starts to lean closer to you, lips drifting featherlight words into your ear as your cheeks turn back. Charlotte smiles at the bottom of her glass, emitting an echoing chuckle before locking her ankles with Jacobs sat across from her. 

“Are you all dating? Or is this an agent-handler culture thing we don’t understand?” Johnny asks. Eyeing the way Whitby's hands drift across your clothing, finding hidden bits of your warm skin with a small frown as you furiously shake your head. “No, no, no, definitely not. But in this line of work specifically… you only want to get with people who really know you- for you. Not the management-mandated mask externally…” you drift off just as Whitby places a hand on your knee, smiling reassuringly before standing and distributing the rest of the bottle as you each cheer for a successful first mission. 

Returning back home, flicking on the bedroom lamp and getting ready for the night and the subsequent morning after. You could only close that night, snuggling into your cold empty sheets of your house- praying that your remaining “favour-missions” go just as smoothly as the last.

But as the cold night air wept its way through the curtains and into your harrowing dreams as you tossed and turned through the night, gripping and digging into your sheets as the streets became lively in the morning light. Your alarm sounded as you felt around to slam it down shut, another day, another mission done and with your bags packed in preparation. It would be a quick training session and the team's first international mission as a kidnapped royal needed your help. 

You groaned at the panic voice mail, the personal bodyguard shaking like a leaf before pleading through your home's digital system speakers. You start a voicemail while pouring a cup of coffee, the toaster pops up as you navigate through the kitchen and settle down at the island. 

“I have an agent close by to their last known location- they will be forwarded until I can get me and my team into a local base of operations. We will bring them home for the country,” you finish the note with, chugging down the rest of your drink before washing your plates in the sink. Feeling underneath the counter, your fingers dip into crevices- a light flashes red and the floor just beside your slides open. 

A fireproof box hisses open to your fingerprint, various foreign currencies and passports from your past missions flood your memories, fingers drifting over each material and number before settling them on the countertop. 

Stepping into your pantry you push back on a wall, the surface rumbles for a moment before turning itself and revealing a series of steps down towards your basement. The lights flicker on to your presence, humming slightly above your head as you make your way down the firing range and towards your collection. Gently picking up and cleaning each gun, you place them in their travel safe and locked containers before slamming the door behind you. 

Packing your belongings into a bulletproof suitcase- made from the same material as your suit. “X?” you request to your house, “Yes, Handler Daniels?” the AI responds in a pleasant accent back- awaiting your every order. “Please make a suit reservation in one hour, request for beige to be brought out- we are going tropical,” you state. “Very well,” X responds back before going silent once more. 

Suiting yourself up, tying up your dress shoes and slinging a shoulder bag on, you look between the car options you have before deciding on an SUV- needing the seating space for their airport trip that awaited you. Checking your appearance one last time in the rearview mirror you rolled out the driveway and down the country roads. Your house is locked automatically with the lack of your detected presence.

Clicking on the radio, Skyfall began to play through the radio as you tapped your fingers against the steering wheel while awaiting a light change. Rolling your eyes as a driver in front of you almost clipped a pedestrian on the sidewalk wishing to cross on their signal. You pulled into the underground garage underneath the building before driving into a specific parking spot off in a dim corner. It scans the bottom of your car, clicking with approval once finding your matching icon before lowering you deeping into the ground. You smile seeing the various sports cars and SUVs already parked in a line- workers busy or some that even worked through the night as you smile at Samanatha as she waves you in from the front desk, settling yourself in the office once more you read through Lasswell's report before sending out the email. Back your bags boys, we are going international.

↳ Taglist: @thriving-n-jiving @cringeycookies @lilliumrorum @brokenpieces-72 @infpt-zylith @kaoyamamegami @ashy-kit @notsaelty @hindi-si-ikay @sleepyycatt

#Poly!task force 141 x reader #task force 141 x reader #poly 141 x reader #141 x reader #simon riley x reader #simon ghost riley x reader #ghost x reader #john soap mactavish x reader #soap x reader #john price x reader #captain john price x reader #kyle gaz garrick x reader #gaz x reader #cod x reader #cod fandom #cod fanfic #fanfic #fanfiction #call of duty fanfic #call of duty modern warfare #call of duty #call of duty x reader #poly 141 #tf 141 #x reader #simp-ly-writes #simp-ly

[allofmystudentsrunaway]

here is some pretty amazing victorian whitby jet beadwork that was donated at my work today (i work for a local air ambulance charity). its what is left of a mourning cloak. Doubt we can ethically sell this (if i put it on our ebay somebody will buy it for the beads and destroy the beautiful beadwork so i will try and find it a museum home)

#victorian era #craft #sewing #fiber art #whitby #dracula

[vickyvicarious]

So then, based on what you pointed out about Mina's opened and unopened letters to Lucy, what Van Helsing has read and knows about Jonathan from them is:

-Jonathan was healthy and just arrived in Transylvania and sent a telegram in early May

-Mina found him in August miles away from his destination, pale, extremely thin, bedridden, unable to remember anything about what happened to him after a period of incoherence. Has been having terrible dreams and vague fear even now. All this sounds pretty similar to Lucy...

Now, Transylvania is in the general area that as Jonathan at the very beginning says is where all known superstitions had sprung from (according to his research at the british museum). Now we know that Van Helsing believes that the supernatural and vampires exist and has read about how to keep them away and how to prevent them from rising. It's very possible that he also knows Transylvania = vampires.

Therefore, he probably concludes that Jonathan's condition and Lucy's may be connected...

Yes, exactly! He doesn't know that Whitby had any link to the same vampire that got Jonathan, or that Jonathan was said vampire's employee, etc. etc.... but what he can see of Jonathan is still definitely reminiscent of Lucy enough that it would make him want to know more. After all, he still doesn't know anything about the vampire who killed Lucy, and if here is another possible vampire victim linked to her by association and similar timing (at most a few months apart), then his records from Transylvania, land known to contain vampires, could be of vital use.

Also, it's possible that the reason his recovery is so slow/still marked by nightmares and weakness might be related to him still being fed upon. Lucy lasted a while before things got to the point of near-death each night. It's less likely if he seems to be slowly on the mend, and if his wife is sleeping right next to him and hasn't noticed, but not totally impossible either.

At the very least, Mina's Whitby journal is definitely relevant and might have clues about the mystery vampire who killed Lucy. But Jonathan's condition/story could be very important as well.

#dracula daily #van helsing #he's ready to play detective here. unaware that mina/jonathan have the full whodunit solution already written down #anonymous #replies

[thethirdromana]

My journey is all mapped out: a two-week Dracula tour of Europe

A fun fact about me is that I enjoy planning holidays that I have no intention of taking. So, if I had two free weeks and more money than I actually do, here's the Dracula-inspired journey around Europe that I might consider.

(Spoilers under the cut)

Days 1-3: Whitby

This is the opportunity to visit all the key Dracula locations, from a coastal walk to Robin Hood's Bay to gazing out over the village and the sea from Mina and Lucy's favourite spot in the graveyard of St Mary's.

In non-Dracula things, Whitby Goth Weekend happens twice a year in April and October. I recommend the Magpie Café for fish and chips.

Day 4: travel to London

Most of the long train journeys in this plan are delightful overnight sleeper services that will make you feel like you're right there with Jonathan and Mina rattling across Europe. Unfortunately, the journey from Whitby to London is not one of them.

Services are infrequent and the journey takes a solid 5 hours. But the start, where you go very very slowly through the beautiful North York Moors, isn't too bad.

Days 5-7: London

There's a whole heap of things to see in London on a theme by either Dracula or Bram Stoker:

The Lyceum Theatre, where Bram Stoker worked for 27 years

The various houses that Bram Stoker lived in

Golders Green Crematorium, where Bram Stoker's ashes can be visited by appointment

Assorted Dracula settings, such as those the Harkers visited on their London day trip

I'd also suggest a visit to Highgate Cemetery, which may have been part of the inspiration for Lucy's tomb (pop in on Karl Marx and Douglas Adams while you're there), and the British Library for general literary joy.

Exeter is a 2.5 hour train journey from London, so you could also go there, either overnight or for a speedy day-trip, if you're a completist. But personally I'd skip it and spend the time going to see the Lion King at the Lyceum or a Shakespeare play at the Globe instead.

Day 8: Paris

The characters in Dracula take a number of different routes to get across Europe, but I've gone with the route that the Crew of Light take as they go to hunt Dracula down in his home.

That means following the Man in Seat 61 guide for travelling from London to Romania by train, taking an early Eurostar to get yourself to Paris. You'll only have a few hours in Paris before the evening sleeper train, but it should be enough to visit Père Lachaise Cemetery, where Oscar Wilde is buried.

Day 9: Vienna

You'll arrive in Vienna around 10am, then have the day to spend there until another evening train. Personally, I'd spend the time visiting the Hofburg Palace and Sisi Museum; Empress Elisabeth (Sisi) of Austria was famous in the late 19th century and her tragic life story feels fitting for a Dracula tour.

Yes, this plan involves fast trains crossing multiple European countries without much of a breather. Just like they do in Dracula :)

Day 10: Cluj-Napoca

Note: I've visited all the other destinations in this guide, but never been to Romania, though I'd really like to go to Cluj in particular. So from this point on, this is based on googling, not first-hand knowledge.

Cluj, referred to by the German name of Klausenburg in Dracula, is the unofficial capital of Transylvania. Your sleeper train from Vienna should get there around 8.20am, in time to hop on a tram to the Old Town's cluster of breakfast places. I've been told that Cluj is a lively, student-y city with great nightlife and festivals.

Days 11-14: Romania

Time to explore Romania! At this point there's a decision to make. On the one hand, there's strict adherence to the settings of Dracula, in which case you'll want to head to Bistrița, or maybe even extend your journey on to Varna or Galați.

On the other hand, you could go more on vibes. In which case, hire a car to drive through the remoter parts of Transylvania, then turn south to Bran Castle, which has very little actual connection to Dracula but certainly looks the part.

-------

In the unlikely event that anyone actually does this journey off the back of this post, please let me know how it goes. I'd be so thrilled to hear about it!

#dracula daily #dracula daily spoilers

[jon-withnoh]

Beatrice was all too aware of the slender hand on her arm as Miss Whitby led her out of the main doors and onto the street. Beatrice blinked in the sudden brightness. They stood on the front steps of the museum, waiting for their eyes to adjust to the sunlight. Finally, Miss Whitby led the way to a small café a few streets away. Chairs and tables had been set out on the pavement for those adventurous enough to sit outside in mid-April. Miss Whitby turned to her. 

“What do you think? Outside or Inside?”

Beatrice eyed the ornate metal chairs standing in the shade of the building just behind them. “Inside.”

“Good choice.” Miss Whitby smiled at her. “I always like to ask, but I was hoping you would agree with me.”

“Always? Do you make a habit out of taking strange women out for tea?”

“You’ve caught me there.” Miss Whitby’s tone was light, but there was something about her smile now. It made Beatrice feel like she was missing some sort of joke. 

She could not shake the feeling as she followed Miss Whitby inside and sat opposite her at a small, rather private table. Miss Whitby clearly knew this establishment well. She clearly knew Giles well. Beatrice’s stomach turned. In the few seconds between sitting down and picking up the menu, her head ran through the entire disturbing scenario. Could there be some kind of relationship between Giles and his friend’s sister? It might have started innocently enough when Giles was merely an adored younger brother’s friend. They might have met at a holiday party or a family dinner. Maybe circumstances had never been in their favour. 

Beatrice eyed the woman opposite her over the top of her menu. She could not fault Giles if he did love her. Miss Whitby was everything Beatrice was not — charming, elegant, evidently cultured. It was no wonder any man should carry a torch for her, red hair or no. Miss Whitby looked up from her own menu before Beatrice had a chance to look away. She cursed inwardly, feeling the blush creep back into her cheeks. 

Little Beatrice snippet from Chapter 2 for you all 💛

#rebecca das musical #my fic #Beatrice Lacy #die stärke einer frau

[camillasgirl]

Queen Camilla’s Patronages

The Georgian Theatre Royal (Joint Patron with King Charles III from 16.09.2005)

The Georgian Theatre Royal, Britain’s oldest working theatre in its original form, is both a thriving community playhouse and a living theatre museum. The Theatre welcomes visitors of all ages to its hourly guided tours and museum. The museum is a fully accredited museum (MLA) and a Quality Assured Visitor Attraction. Built by actor-manager Samuel Butler in 1788, the Georgian Theatre Royal was managed by Butler along with his circuit of theatres at Beverley, Harrogate, Kendal, Northallerton, Ripon, Ulverston and Whitby. The Georgian Theatre Royal is Britain’s most complete Georgian playhouse. Built by the actor-manager Samuel Butler in 1788, the theatre was in regular use until 1830 when performances became less frequent. In 1848 it was let as an auction room. Wine vaults were constructed in the pit at about the same time. In 1960 a non-profit trust was incorporated, a public appeal launched and a restoration began. The theatre reopened in 1963. It is Grade I Listed ‘as a building of special architectural or historical interest’. Behind the stage, a small theatre museum was expanded in 1996. From 2002 a second extensive restoration was undertaken and the theatre reopened in September 2003 after this 1.6 million upgrade. The Georgian plays an important role as a focus for economic regeneration and renewal in its rural communities.

#The Georgian Theatre Royal #king charles lll #queen camilla #queen patronages

[judasisgayriot]

Whitby Abbey is cool as hell every time. And a lot of cool Dracula stuff in the museum!

#Whitby abbey #whitby #Dracula #dracula daily

[ifreakingloveroyals]

26 April 2012 | Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrive to attend a reception to help launch the Imperial War Museum Foundation's First World War Galleries: Centenary Campaign at the Imperial War Museum in London, England. (c) Tim Whitby/Getty Images

#Prince William #Duke of Cambridge #Prince of Wales #Catherine #Duchess of Cambridge #Princess of Wales #Britain #2012 #Tim P Whitby #Getty Images

[astrangergivingthestrangewelcome]

Rip Mina Harker you would have loved the Hand of Glory on display at the Whitby museum.

#legends say that you took a hanged man's hand and did elaborate rituals and then you put a candle on the hand and when you lit the candle #it would put everyone in the house asleep and it could crawl around and unlatch locks etc. #help thieves and whatnot

[paxoculi]

great britain trip plan:

- british museum

- piss break (margaret thatcher grave)

- whitby

- fish and chips

- another piss break (margaret thatcher statue)

follow for more roadtrips ideas

#great britain #fuck margaret thatcher #dracula #meme

[fransopdefiets]

4-7 Whitby

Ik kreeg gisterenochtend een tip in Danby. Naast de ruïne van de abdij zit een kleine brouwerij. Daar ging ik naar toe voor een pint IPA en een pizza. Ik zat even te denken of ik die bestelling nog een keer zou herhalen, want die

pizza was wel erg dun, maar ik vond dat het zo genoeg moest zijn. En anders zijn er altijd nog brood, yoghurt, appels en mueslirepen.

Die gedachte bleef ongeveer tien minuten hangen, terwijl ik nog een beetje rondkeek in een oud straatje en toen stapte ik een restaurantje binnen om een zeebaars naar binnen te werken met vooraf een pint pale ale. En toe een panna cotta met vers fruit, curd van citroen en rozemarijn en lemongelly geserveerd in een citroenschil. Heel bevredigend allemaal.

Het was overigens echte touristenchique waar ik at, met speciale aanbiedingen als zes oesters met drie soorten prosecco. Maar dat kon mij niet zoveel schelen.

Ik eet natuurlijk altijd alleen op vakantie en dan zit ik ook nog vaak te lezen op mijn ereader of te schrijven op mijn telefoon. En nooit iemand die zegt, leg die telefoon toch eens weg. Ik moet opeens denken aan die geweldige film van Peter Greenaway: The cook, the thief, his wife and her lover. De lover zit ook altijd alleen lezend in het restaurant waar zij ook komt met haar man, the thief. Voor wie het verhaal niet kent, the wife raakt geïntrigeerd door die lezende man en begint een affaire met hem, the thief komt er achter en laat the lover vermoorden, waarna the wife wraak neemt door the cook het lijk te laten bereiden en door the thief te laten opeten.

Dus nu weet je hoe ik de andere eters in een restaurant inschat, zie ik de hoofdpersonen van deze film om mij heen? Dan is het oppassen geblazen! Deze avond was de kust veilig trouwens, veel mannen op leeftijd met wilde t-shirts en sikjes in het gezelschap van vrouwen die minstens twee keer zoveel wegen als ik, geen kans op stille romances dus.

Het was overigens uitstekend eten, maar vanuit economisch oogpunt beschouwd, had ik beter een tweede pizza in de brouwerij kunnen nemen.

Na een beetje uitslapen, lees ik, totdat de abdij opengaat, wat in de nieuwe essaybundel over het Nederlands slavernijverleden, zo ben ik in augustus voorbereid op mijn aandeel in het onderzoek naar het Zaanse slavernijverleden. Of nou ja, abdij, wat er van overgebleven is dan, want het is een grote ruïne. Tot mijn schrik krijg ik bejaardenkorting en van de weeromstuit koop ik de bezoekersgids erbij. Daar heb ik vijf minuten later al weer spijt van, want dat is extra gewicht op de fiets. Het is maar goed dat ik vroeg in de abdij ben, want Whitby blijkt een groot toeristenfeest. Je struikelt er over de echte bejaarden met Nordic walking sticks, bejaarden met poedeltjes in kinderwagentjes, bejaarden die zo weggelopen lijken uit Britse televisieseries van vijftig jaar geleden. Heel bijzonder allemaal. Naast de abdij is ook een krankzinnige kerk met binnen een groot doolhof van kerkbanken, die in groepjes om en om door elkaar staan. Langs alle wanden staan geschilderde borden met stichtelijke teksten, duidelijk 19e eeuws.

Rondom de kerk liggen natuurlijk honderden graven met verweerde onleesbare stenen. Op de deur van de kerk een briefje met het vriendelijk verzoek niet te vragen waar Dracula begraven ligt. Dat doet een beetje denken aan Bakerstreet 224, waar nog altijd post voor Sherlock Holmes naar toe gestuurd wordt.

Onderaan de trappen (199 steps) naar de abdij lunch ik met soup en sandwiches met harde sixties en seventies muziek. Dat past dan ook wel weer in het hele concept.

Daarna naar het lokale museum, opgericht in de 19e eeuw met grote vitrines vol met curiosa. Vlinders en opgezette meeuwen, harpoenen, een gepatenteerd kraaiennest, experimentele kompasnaalden, een strijdbroek van kokosvezels van een eiland in de Stille Zuidzee en van datzelfde eiland prachtige strijdknotsen. Die zijn gesneden uit één stuk hardhout met een gebogen uiteinde waarop een puntige bol met een lange punt in het verlengde van de buiging. De kunst is, zo vertelt het bijschrift, om een mooi rond gat in iemands schedel te slaan zonder die schedel met de bol te verbrijzelen. Dat was alleen weggelegd voor de geoefende strijder, dat begrijp je wel. Ik denk dat je er na een man of tien wel handigheid in hebt gekregen. Verder hebben ze behalve veel 19e eeuwse foto’s van de strandbadende elite en vissersvrouwen op blote voeten ook een paar foto’s van in puin geschoten huizen.

Dat verhaal zit zo. In de eerste wereldoorlog voeren een paar Duitse kruisers naar de Engelse kust en beschoten een aantal dorpen, waaronder Whitby. De bewoonster van het betreffende huis kwam om en haar zoon schonk een door granaatscherven beschadigd schilderij aan het museum, op voorwaarde dat het nooit gerestaureerd zou worden, maar voor altijd zou getuigen van deze aanval.

Nou, genoeg verhalen verteld voor vandaag.

Gefietst: nee, alles gewandeld

[pestidunce]

The lore of "What's Happened To Soho": Places and history

I've been working on this project for a looooong time now, however feel like many people don't quite know what it is, so I'm making a lore post (art mode turned off for now).

So far, WHTS has a fixed setting with a few places that come up. This is a list of the basics:

The characters are in England, London to be exact. They live in Soho.

As the world is closely linked in with Lovecraft, Miskatonic University exists. They have a campus in Soho (fictional), as well as one further down the map which will be mentioned later. This campus has a lab and a library, in which Griffin works. Victor and Hyde study here. There is also a museum in close proximity, in which the events of issue 3 are going to happen with Elizabeth and a mystery character who I have not yet introduced. This museum is home to the famous portrait of Dorian Gray, a man found dead in his apartment, suspected suicide, Victorian era (hint). This portrait was lost for a long period of time, however was eventually recovered. This does not guarantee that it will not be lost again. The library contains a copy of the Necronomicon, however special access is required to this section due to the sensitive contents of the book.

There is a 3 hour drive from Soho to Little Innsmouth. Little Innsmouth started as a settlement of former Innsmouthians unhappy with the outdated system of the former town. Little Innsmouth is a popular holiday destination and has a rich culture. Innsmouthians have skills in fishing and jewelery making, just like their American counterparts. However, they are much more open and do not eat people. Some say that there is a religious cult at work underneath the tourist-friendly facade of beaches and seafood....but oh, don't take their word for it. The town is the current home of the ocean god Dagon, who the locals worship. Little Innsmouth is the origin town of Gylphie and Otto, who are 3rd generation settlers. The mass-movement occurred around the late 60s or early 70s. The townies do not like talking about it. Little Innsmouth is small, with only about 2 hotels available, yet somehow happens to be bustling with visitors and photographers during the season. The townies are overwhelmingly religious and devoted to Dagon.

The town is very close to New Arkham, which is also a very popular tourist attraction. The city offers an asylum, another campus for Miskatonic (with an even bigger library), a planetarium and a few factories. It is quite atmospheric, however very dangerous to be around at night. New Arkham have their own mayor.

The Red Rat is a popular pub in Soho, this is where Hyde and Lucy meet. Lucy works here as a waitress. It is 5 minutes away from the apartment in which Hyde, Jekyll, Griffin and Victor first live together. Their landlord is the Time-traveller. Justine lives in an apartment opposite the men. She lives with William, raising him due to Caroline's death. Sometimes she does odd jobs for the Time-traveller, intrigued by the concept of time travel. It is how she first met Hyde, however that was a long time ago. A lot has changed since then.

The Frankensteins (exc William, Ernest, Justine and Victor) reside in a large Chateau in Switzerland. This is where Justine, Elizabeth, Ernest and Victor were raised before moving. Ernest and Elizabeth are travelling characters. They move a lot, not staying in one place for too long. Ernest is a monster hunter in training, Elizabeth simply enjoys moving.

There is an unnamed acre of woods near Soho, which most people tend to avoid. There have been rumoured sightings of a Moth-man here, as well as "wolves". Lucius Moritz, one of the Moritz siblings, was last seen here after his return from a mysterious island. He has been missing since. Justine quite enjoys the forest. It is where she gathers herbs and plants for her teas as well as divination practices.

Whitby is a seaside town home to Mina Murray, Arthur Holmwood, Lady Westenra, Jack Seward and Jonathan Harker. It will be explored more in the near future.

#pestidunce #pest de la pest #what's happened to soho #lore #oc lore #places #webcomic #exploring #mapping out places #setting #whts #long post #long text #text post