Whitby 199 steps
A twilight image of a steep staircase descending, with an old-style gas lamp lit beside it, with a harbour, headland and sea beyond
The 199 steps at Whitby
TypeStone steps
LocationWhitby, North Yorkshire, England
Coordinates54°29′19″N 0°36′40″W / 54.4887°N 0.611°W / 54.4887; -0.611
Listed Building – Grade I
Official nameThe Church Stairs
Designated23 February 1954
Reference no.1316348
Whitby 199 steps is located in North Yorkshire
Whitby 199 steps
Location of Whitby 199 steps in North Yorkshire

The Whitby 199 steps (also known as The Church Stairs and Jacob's Ladder), is a grade I listed structure between the Old Town and St Mary's Church, in Whitby, North Yorkshire, England. The 199 steps have been recorded since at least 1370, and until the 1770s, were made of wood. The flight of steps was viewed as a measure of the Christian determination of pilgrims up to Whitby Abbey (and later, the church), and have also served as a tourist attraction being mentioned in the book Dracula, by Bram Stoker.[1]

History

The first mention of the steps is in a document from 1370, though it has been surmised that the pathway at least existed before this time as the Church of St Mary on the clifftop had been in existence since the 12th century.[2][3] Sometimes referred to as Jacob's Ladder – a reference to a similar biblical allusion – the 199 steps were the most direct route from the town to the church for funeral processions.[3] Level platforms still exist in several locations on the ascent to afford mourners the chance to 'rest' the coffin they are carrying, and to get their breath back.[4] It is believed that the last coffin to be carried up the steps in this way, was a former rector of Whitby, the Reverend George Austen, whose funeral was in 1933.[5] The steps were seen by some as the commitment of Christians in the town, having to travail to worship, however, some of the infirm were unable to climb the steps. This led to a new church being built on the west side of town in 1778, named St Ninians.[6]

In the 18th century, an act to bring all roads, tracks and pathways under local authority responsibility, omitted the steps so they remain the responsibility of the parochial church council of the Church of St Mary.[7] Up until around 1774, the steps were made from wood and painted brightly. However, an act passed in 1764 required the owners to 'pave' the route, and so they acquired 103 tonnes (114 tons) of stone from a quarry at nearby Sneaton to improve the steps.[8][9] The steps connect the east side of the harbour to the churchyard and cliff.[10] The road at the bottom of the steps used to be called Henrietta Street, however, it has since been renamed Church Street.[11][12]

As the stairs were used by worshippers to get to and from the church, the sight of the congregation all ascending and struggling with the climb led to Sir George Head being reminded of Bunyan's Hill of Difficulty.[13] The number of steps was up for debate in the 18th and 19th centuries; John Wesley ascended the steps to preach at the top of the hill and proclaimed that they numbered 191, other historians claimed it was 190, and some guide books stipulated 194. This was settled in 1877 after a major restoration where the churchwardens entered into their records that the number was indeed 199.[8]

The tenth step, marked "X"

The 199 steps are mentioned in Dracula by Bram Stoker. Said to have been influenced by the wreck of the brigantine Dmitry (or Dimitry), which was stranded on Collier's Hope in the outer harbour,[14] in Stoker's novel a ship (Demeter) is wrecked off Whitby and a black dog comes ashore, and ascends the 199 steps up to the churchyard.[15][16][17] In his assessment of the Church of St Mary, Nikolaus Pevsner recommended climbing the steps to unfold the best view of the church and clifftop.[18]

The steps were renovated in 1988, at a cost of £12,485, which included a donation from the Prince of Wales.[19] In 2004 it was revealed that the lower end was sinking, and that they no longer were suitable for health and safety compliance.[20][21] A public appeal for another renovation found 199 donors, each contributing £1,000 towards the renovation.[22] The stairs and the adjacent road (known as the Donkey Road), are grouped together as grade I listed structures.[23][24] Every tenth step, and the final step, have been annotated with a small circular disc stamped with a Roman numeral to help people to keep count.[25]

References

  1. ↑ "The 18 best things to do in Whitby". Timeout magazine. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  2. ↑ Westhead 1974, p. 6.
  3. 1 2 Whitworth, Alan (2004). Round about Whitby. Whitby: Culva House Publications. p. 37. ISBN 1-871150-40-X.
  4. ↑ White 2004, p. 189.
  5. ↑ Barker, Malcolm G. (2006). Essence of Whitby. Ilkley: Great Northern. p. 43. ISBN 1-905080-11-5.
  6. ↑ Kitchen, Ruby (30 October 2021). "Hunt to find owners of ancient Yorkshire church crafted by Captain Cook's shipbuilders in bid to save it". The Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  7. ↑ "£150, 000 to restore steps". infoweb.newsbank.com. 23 May 2002. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  8. 1 2 Westhead 1974, p. 8.
  9. ↑ Robinson, Maureen (1 November 2014). "Stairway to Heaven". infoweb.newsbank.com. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  10. ↑ "Steps to preserve Whitby's heritage". BBC News. 21 March 2003. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  11. ↑ Barker, Rosalin (2007). Whitby : an extraordinary town. Pickering: Blackthorn Press. p. 11. ISBN 978-1-906259-05-1.
  12. ↑ Waters 2011, p. 30.
  13. ↑ White 2004, p. 31.
  14. ↑ "Dmitry". www.heritagegateway.org.uk. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  15. ↑ Wood, Alexandra (3 November 2021). "Harbour cash fight to go to court". The Yorkshire Post. p. 7. ISSN 0963-1496.
  16. ↑ Burrell, Ian (10 May 1997). "Spoilt for choice as Whitby's ship comes in". infoweb.newsbank.com. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  17. ↑ "How Dracula Came to Whitby". english-heritage.org.uk. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  18. ↑ Pevsner, Nikolaus (1966). Yorkshire: the North Riding. Harmondsworth: Penguin. p. 392. ISBN 0-14-071029-9.
  19. ↑ Whitworth, Alan (2004). Round about Whitby. Whitby: Culva House Publications. p. 37. ISBN 1-871150-40-X.
  20. ↑ Peachey, Paul (22 March 2003). "Vandals and subsidence endanger steps that carried Dracula to safety". The Independent. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  21. ↑ "Restoration appeal steps ever closer to its target". The Northern Echo. 13 April 2004. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  22. ↑ "199 steps to heaven!". Teesside Live. 1 July 2004. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  23. ↑ Historic England. "The Church Stairs (Grade I) (1316348)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  24. ↑ Historic England. "Donkey Road (Grade I) (1148374)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  25. ↑ "Whitby's 199 Steps, Why Are They So Famous?". thewhitbyguide.co.uk. 4 January 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2021.

Sources

  • Waters, Colin (2011). A history of Whitby & its place names. Stroud: Amberley. ISBN 978-1-4456-0429-9.
  • Westhead, Elisabeth (1974). Whitby Steps and Stones. OCLC 498225058.
  • White, Andrew (2004). A history of Whitby (2 ed.). Chichester, West Sussex: Phillimore. ISBN 1-86077-306-0.
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