St Mary's Anglican Church Whitby

This church was a nice place on the walk to Whitby Abbey Just next door. We had walked up the 199 steps and had a nice view of Abbey in the graveyard. It has a very chilled vibe considering its a church with graves all around. Amazing views all around. Benches to sit on.

Free entry to charming church that sits above the east cliff of Whitby at the top of the famous 199 steps and just before the abbey. The design of pew boxes is the most noticeable aspect and there's plenty of information boards and friendly volunteers to explain about it's design and history. There's a little shop selling cards, gifts and second hand books etc. Include it in your must see list of Whitby as it really is rather special and tranquil place in the most beautiful of settings. Kudos to the volunteers who keep it in order and greet visitors with good cheer. I was very charmed by it all.

Impressive location top of hill, beautiful architecture. The church is on top of the 199 steps with a large old cemetery around it. The views of the landscape, the valleys, the town of Whitby, the cliffs are among the best I have seen in my life. A stroll at night through the cemetery was amazingly nice and eerie at the same time. It's safe and the views at night are incredible as well.

Interesting church. For some reason I’ve not felt like I am in the church. It looks interesting from outside, but inside something is not right. Don’t know why, when you inside you have a strange feeling. Outside the stones on the grave yard are really old, some names can’t be read as they worn out by the winds.

A beautiful church, surrounded by wind eroded grave stones making it extra spooky! Great at night or in the day! A picturesque walk up or down the 199 steps is a must!Visited onWeekdayWait timeNo waitReservation recommendedNo

Interesting church, very quirky. Great views over the town from the graveyard.Visited onWeekdayWait timeNo waitReservation recommendedNot sure

Interesting church Stunning views of the sea and harbour town from this location Visited onWeekendWait timeNo waitReservation recommendedNo

St Mary’s Churchyard helps to tell the history of Whitby. There are numerous tombstones, many of them weathered by the elements, covering several centuries. Ordinary folk, sailors and fishermen all have their final resting place in St. Mary’s. Its location at the top of 199 Steps means that it was quite an effort to carry a coffin up to its final resting place although wealthy families could use a horse and carriage to go up the track parallel to the steps. Tour guides have stories to tell though some are certainly fiction; Dracula is not buried in the Churchyard. Vlad Tepes, a 15th Century Prince, the ‘’real Dracula’’ is buried near his home in Transylvania, Romania at Lake Snagov. Dracula means son of a dragon and Tepes was known for his cruelty which included torturing and impaling enemies on stakes. Other exaggerations are the stories that graves with a skull and crossbones carved on the stone represent pirates who were buried in the Churchyard. The skull and crossbones in fact indicated that the deceased was a mason or freemason, much less ‘’romantic’’ a tale.

Great church very unusual and you can look for headstone mentioned in Dracula

An ancient and fascinating church which has been extensively developed over the centuries . Well worth a visit if you're interested in ecclesiastical architecture and local history . Don't go looking for literary charactersVisited onWeekdayWait timeNo waitReservation recommendedNo