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14 fang-tastic pix: Whitby Abbey sets a new world record for the largest gathering of vampires

Photographs by milnerCreative/Alan Milner

A bloodcurdling 1,369 vampires gathered at the Whitby Abbey yesterday (Thursday) to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the publication of Dracula.

Arranged by English Heritage, custodians of the abbey, the event broke the Guinness World Record for the largest assembly people dressed as vampires.

It was the perfect backdrop for such an historic achievement – as Bram Stoker’s Dracula was much inspired by the dramatic ruins of the 11th century gothic abbey.

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The previous record had been in place for over a decade, being set on 30 September 2011 when 1,039 people dressed as vampires attended an event organised by theme park Kings Dominion in Virginia, USA.

Mark Williamson, English Heritage’s site manager for Whitby Abbey, said: “We are so excited to have broken the world record for the largest gathering of vampires.

“Everything we do at English Heritage aims to bring history to life and make it fun, so what better way to mark this element of Whitby Abbey’s fascinating past?

“Since its first publication, 125 years ago, Dracula has had a phenomenal cultural impact and we get visitors from all around the world as a result. Just like Bram Stoker, they all fall in love with its incredible atmosphere, thousand-year history and stunning sea views.”

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The novel Dracula, first published on 26 May 1897, was inspired by Bram Stoker’s visit to the harbour town of Whitby in 1890.

The ruins of the town’s abbey, perched high on a windswept headland, and its church surrounded by swooping bats provided the perfect atmospheric locations.

The names of several of the count’s victims were taken from headstones found in the church, whilst Stoker found the name ‘Dracula’ perusing a book in Whitby’s public library, which mentioned a 15th century prince called Vlad Tepes who impaled his enemies on wooden stakes and was known as Dracula – the ‘son of the dragon’ or ‘Devil’.

Whitby Abbey’s record breaking vampire gathering was the first in a series of events planned by English Heritage in 2022 to celebrate the 125th anniversary.