Brilliant Bookshops: The Whitby Bookshop

Whitby is a seaside town in North Yorkshire at the mouth of the River Esk. A popular location for tourists, it is well known for its connections to Captain Cook and Dracula! Cook moved to Whitby in 1746 when he became an apprentice to John Walker, living at Walker's house in Grape Lane when he was not at sea. This house now houses the Captain Cook Memorial Museum. The atmospheric Abbey standing on the cliffs above the town was the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s novel, ‘Dracula’.

The famous 199 steps lead down from the graveyard by St Mary’s Church and the Abbey to Church Street (formerly known as Kirkgate), with cobbled streets and many buildings dating from the 15th century, when the numerous narrow alleyways and yards provided escape routes for smugglers. On this picturesque street, you can find The Whitby Bookshop, as charming and quirky as the street outside. A family bookshop since 1985, this is a lovely place in which to spend time browsing the shelves.

As you enter, a curving staircase leads to ‘more books upstairs’ and an arched doorway leading through to the children’s area. The building is full of character and made all the more appealing by welcoming, helpful staff with a genuine interest in books!

The shop is extremely well stocked, paying homage to the Gothic connection with an excellent range of related texts. Whilst we were there, a constant stream of customers came and went, proving the shop is popular with both locals and tourists. Although when we went Whitby was unbelievably busy, the shop is well worth going out of your way for a visit!

The Whitby Bookshop

88 Church St,

Whitby

YO22 4BH