Whitby Abbey is perhaps best-known today for its association with Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula published in 1897.
When James Edward Ellam (1857-1920) visited the abbey ruins with his stereoscopic camera in 1893, it was already a popular tourist destination.
His stereo taken through the West Window acts as a frame for the view beyond creating a strong 3D effect.
Adding to this are the assorted pieces of stone that appear to have been strategically placed at the bottom of the window.
This creates a miniature time capsule of sorts for a building which dated back to the 13th century.
In the far distance, there is evidence of what appear to be a number of wooden beams, helping to support the structure.
The verso of James’s stereo features the same style of sticker as “The Flood, Yarm October 1893” (5th September 2023) crediting “J.E. Ellam, Yarm” accompanied by the title in his distinctive handwriting.
Whitby Abbey was only a few miles south of Runswick Bay (“On The Look Out” – 1st September 2023) on the Yorkshire coast, offering the inhabitants of Yarm an attractive set of locations for visits and holidays.
As we’ll see in future posts, James, a keen churchgoer, Sunday School teacher and choir member, was particularly drawn to religious buildings as subjects for his stereoscopy.
Tomorrow: “Furness Abbey.”
Pressphotoman 
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