Whitby is a coastal town on Yorkshire’s east coast. Whitby has a wonderful history, a ruined abbey, a working harbour, a delightful collection of red roofed pantile cottages, narrow cobbled streets, and claims to have the country’s best fish and chip shops! The town is also close to the scenic North York Moors National Park and the unspoilt fishing villages of Staithes and Robin Hood’s Bay.
The whale jaw bone arch Captain Cook’s statue on the West Cliff The Jolly Sailor public house Carvings showing Whitby’s long associations with the sea.
Whitby’s history includes connections with whaling and the explorer Captain James Cook. It was probably in the nearby fishing village of Staithes that Captain Cook decided to go to sea, before he subsequently became an apprentice to a Whitby ship owner in 1746. The town’s historical past is revealed in monuments that dominate Whitby’s east and west headlands and the harbour. For 80 years (1753-1833) Whitby’s fishermen were engaged in whaling. The whale jaw bone arch on the West Cliff , was presented to Whitby by Norway in 1963. The monument to Captain Cook includes a carving of the Resolution, one of Cook’s four ships. Other links with Whitby’s seafaring past are remembered in its pub signs and wooden carvings by the quayside.
The first attempt to catch whales by the English was in 1594 and whaling became the most important part of the fishing trade for Whitby.
Whaling was introduced to Whitby in 1752 and during its time there had many fluctuations to its success with only some years 1 or 2 ships sailing for Greenland or the Davis Straits. Others years there was as many as 20 ships whaling.
Pointing the way to the 199 steps leading to St. Mary’s Church The 199 steps to St. Mary’s church and Whitby Abbey The ruins of Whitby Abbey St. Mary’s churchyard and the ruins of Whitby Abbey.
Whitby is divided in two by the River Esk. St. Mary’s Church and Whitby Abbey are on the eastern headland and are visible through the whale arch in the picture sequence at the top of this page. Although the Abbey is accessible by road, the able bodied should experience climbing the 199 steps to the summit! As you return to the town you can always hear those on the ascent count each step, just to make sure that there really are 199. These steps have associations with Bram Stoker, as he based much of his Dracula novel here whilst staying in Whitby in 1890. Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (better know as Lewis Carroll) also set some of his work and poems in Whitby, as he was a regular visitor. The Abbey’s history dates back to AD675 when St. Hilda founded a monastery. The present structure is from 1078 and is now in the care of English Heritage.
St. Mary’s Church
Whitby The interior of St. Mary’s church A miniature whale jaw bone arch Whitby Abbey and St. Mary’s church from the West Cliff
The parish church of St. Mary has a Norman tower and an 18th century interior, the work of local shipwrights. Of particular note in the church are the box pews (some emblazoned with the words ‘For Strangers Only”), but equally impressive are the galleries and a three storey pulpit. The pulpit has built in ear trumpets that enabled the hearing impaired wife of a former rector to listen to her husband’s sermons! The miniature whale bone arch forms part of a nearby gate. There are good views of the abbey and St. Mary’s Church from the West Cliffs.
The original Whitby Jet shop Hadley’s Fish Restaurant Wooden stock anchor on the harbour quayside St. Mary’s church dominates the skyline
Whitby jet is a local, semi-precious stone, (formerly fossilized wood). When polished it is shiny black in colour – hence the phrase ‘jet black’. Whitby claims to have the best fish and chips in Britain. Those we had from Hadleys Fish Restaurant were delicious! The ancient wooden stock anchor was caught in the nets of a fishing vessel in 1981 and was presented to the town by its crew. St. Mary’s Church dominates the skyline above the harbour entrance .
Whitby harbour from the West Cliff Whitby quayside The Grand Turk and fishing boats in Whitby harbour A commemorative sculpture of the Scoresbys
All Captain Cook’s four ships – Endeavour, Resolution, Adventure and Discovery were built at Whitby. Whitby harbour is now home to commercial fishing boats and private yachts. An authentic replica of HM Endeavour (but only 40% of the ship’s original size) is berthed in Whitby Harbour. At the time of our visit the ship Grand Turk, used in the ITV “Hornblower” series was on the Endeavour’s moorings. Grand Turk is the yellow and black vessel.
