Ten of the UK’s spookiest literary locations for Halloween
2022 marks the 125th anniversary of Bram Stoker’s gothic novel Dracula which famously features Whitby, just one of the terrifying tales that have been inspired by places in the UK.
With Halloween just around the corner it’s the perfect time to seek out these wonderful literary locations so travel experts Gorgeous Cottages have compiled ten of the spookiest spots that have featured in some of the creepiest classic books.
Our own website data shows that September searches for Whitby cottages were up 50% compared to last year so it looks like visiting the UK’s gothic hotspots has never been so popular.
Ready for a scare? Here are the best spooky spots to visit:
Whitby, Yorkshire – Dracula, by Bram Stoker
Bram Stoker spent time in Whitby and was inspired by the sweeping headland and gothic abbey. You can follow in the footsteps of Dracula and climb 199 steps to Whitby Abbey where there’s a fascinating museum to explore.
Ripon, Yorkshire – Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte
Charlotte Bronte stayed at Norton Conyers near Ripon in 1939 and was inspired to write Jane Eyre after hearing the woeful tale of a lunatic woman who was confined to an attic during the 1700s. This medieval manor house and garden are open to the public on set dates throughout the year.
Bodmin, Cornwall – Jamaica Inn, by Daphne du Maurier
Jamaica Inn is a real life place that Daphne du Maurier stayed at in the 1930s and the pub has a rich history of smuggling dating back to the 18th century. It’s said that things regularly go bump in the night here if you fancy hunting for ghosts.
Oundle, Northamptonshire – The Woman in Black, by Susan Hill
Set in the Edwardian era but written in 1983, the novel, inspired by Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw, is predominantly set in Oundle, Northamptonshire, which doubles as the sleepy village, Crythin Gifford.
Dartmoor, Devon – The Hound of the Baskervilles, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Conan Doyle was inspired by the then editor of Vanity Fair who spun yarns of his spooky home in Dartmoor. Locations were scouted and the ever wet and swampy Fox Tor Mire was chosen – a bleak and fog-covered area that would become Grimpen Mire in the unsettling narrative.
Edinburgh, Scotland – Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner, by James Hogg
This horror classic was published in 1824 and it’s a dark, gothic tale about the mental decline of Robert Wringhim which leads him to kill his brother. The terrifying final act takes place in the gloomy wilderness of Salisbury Crags which leads down to Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh.
Aldeburgh, Suffolk – A Warning to the Curious, by M.R. James
This tale of a malevolent supernatural presence unearthed by an archaeologist is set in the fictional village of Seaburgh, which is based on Aldeburgh. You can visit the White Lion Hotel (The Bear in the story) and see the beach, church and cemetery in Aldeburgh which all also feature.
Twickenham, London – The Castle of Otranto, by Horace Walpole
Walpole, the son of Britain’s first prime minister, was said to have been inspired to write the novel after enduring a nightmare at his Gothic home, Strawberry Hill House. Not only did the book inspire a whole genre of gothic tales but the house and gardens are open to the public.
London, Greater London – Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson
The story tells of a kind and good-natured doctor, Henry Jekyll, who takes a potion which metamorphosises him into Edward Hyde. It’s set in London and you can take a guided tour of the streets around Covent Garden and Soho that were described in the novella.
Bath, Somerset – Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley
Although Frankenstein wasn’t actually set in Bath, this Somerset city was where Shelley started penning the frightening fiction at the fresh-faced age of 19. The house where Shelley lived was demolished in the 1890s but a plaque at the Pump Room marks the spot where it once stood.
