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Whitby's 199 Steps restored
WHITBY's 199 Steps have been restored to their former glory thanks to the generosity of Whitby people.
More than 200,000 was raised to save the steps from closure in the Whitby Gazette's 199 Steps Appeal which was launched in March 2004.
The Gazette teamed up with Whitby Parochial Church to offer readers the chance to sponsor each step for 1,000.
Anyone donating 1,000 could choose a step to name and become part of Whitby's history.
Families, businesses and societies sponsored steps and pubs, schools and individuals clubbed together to raise enough money to get a step between them and all 199 were snapped up in just 14 weeks.
The Gazette led the way by sponsoring step 150 to mark its 150th anniversary and the Co-op quickly snapped up number 1 while the Priory Congregation got number 199.
But the most sort after number was 13, which was taken by Whitby Goth Weekend.
Although the names cannot be carved into each step - English Heritage would not allow it - they will be on display on a memorial plaque and in a book in the church.
The appeal was so popular that an extra 8,000 was raised to improve the path from the steps to the church and provide lamp posts to light up the churchyard.
A full survey was carried out on the steps by Pearce Bottomley Architects and work started in September 2005.
Some stones were turned others were replaced and the coffin platform was in such a bad state that it had to be almost totally rebuilt.
The steps are now fully restored and work has started on engraving the memorial.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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