Whitby Abbey
Whitby, North Yorkshire
Whitby Abbey is an iconic landmark in North Yorkshire, which was founded by Abbess Hild (a Christian saint) in around 657AD. The Benedictine Church was largely intact until the 18th and 19th century; due to its location on Abbey Headland it is very much exposed to harsh weather, which is the cause of its deterioration. Even though Whitby Abbey is in ruins, it still remains incredibly impressive and interesting.
The Abbey is well known for its association to Bram Stoker’s Dracula; the Gothic architecture and its surroundings inspired the popular novel. Bram Stoker even included some names from headstones in the graveyard as some of the Count’s victims.
Whitby Abbey can be accessed by car or on foot; you can drive up to the Abbey Headland car park, where it’s a short walk to the visitor centre entrance (parking details at the bottom of this post). You can also walk up to Whitby Abbey using the well known 199 steps; they begin at the bottom of Church Lane, near a little tea room, and will take you all the way up to St Mary’s Church and the Abbey itself. Don’t forget to count the steps though, as there is some differing opinions on the actual total.
Prices
- Adults – £10
- Children (5-17) – £6
- Children (5 and under) – FREE
- Students and Over 65s – £9 (with a valid ID)
- Family ticket (2 adults and up to 3 children) – £26
- Family ticket (1 adult and up to 3 children) – £16
If you want to include a donation, you will add 10% on to the cost of your ticket.
Entry is free to members of the English Heritage – find out more about becoming an English Heritage member here.
There is a public toilet available to use between the car park and the entrance, but will cost you 40p (you can pay by cash or card).
**Prices correct as of September 2020**
Parking
Postcode for the car park is YO22 4JT.
You can pay for parking with cash at a machine or using the RingGo parking app. The car park is open 24 hours and parking charges only apply between 9am and 6pm. Disabled parking spaces are available.
The car park code for the RingGo app is 4625.
- 1 Hour – £2.20
- 2 Hours – £3.30
- 6 Hours – £7.00
- 24 Hours – £9.00
- 24 Hours for Coach/Minibus – £10.00
