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About Whitby
Whitby is located in the borough of Scarborough on the North Yorkshire coast. It is situated 230 miles from London and 45 miles from York. Whitby Harbour, the town's centerpiece, is often brimming with colourful vessels including trawlers, cobles and pleasure-craft. Much of the town that surrounds the harbour, is ringed by cobbled, medieval streets, lined with pubs, restaurants and little shops.
The town of Whitby is divided in two by the harbour and the River Esk Estuary. The older part of the town, which crowds together in a jumble of narrow streets, is located on the east bank, while the newer town is found on the other side, West Cliff. An interesting feature of these old streets, is that some are named twice, such as Abbey Tce and Hudson Street, which are actually opposite ends of the same street. The same is true of West Street and The Esplanade.
A history of Whitby
Whitby has a long and proud history which can be traced back to the 7th century. It was founded in 656 by Oswy, the King of Northumbria, with the construction of Whitby Abbey. Originally named Streonshal, the town became known as Whitby during the late 10th century, which means 'White Settlement' in the language of Old Norse.
Whitby flourished as a centre of culture and learning during the 7th century, with poets such as Caedmon producing some of the finest examples of early Anglo-Saxon literature. A cross commemorating him, stands in the nearby St Mary's churchyard. Despite its reputation, Whitby remained a small fishing town right up to the 18th century. However, Whitby grew significantly with the discovery of alum in local rocks, by Sir Thomas Chaloner. The compound was used extensively during the 16th century for a variety of purposes, including the treatment of leather and dyed clothes. A number of production centres were quickly established and Whitby soon became a centre for alum production. Shipbuilding also became and important industry during this period, with the construction of Whitby's unique 'cats', unique flat-bottomed boats used to carry coal to London from Newcastle. Whaling would also play a major role in the growth of Whitby, during the mid-17th century.
The completion of the railway network between Whitby, York and East Riding in 1839, heralded the advent of tourism. For the first time, Whitby was within easy access to people from York and further afield. It soon became a major tourist destination on England's east coast - a reputation it maintains to the present day.
Captain CookAlthough Captain James Cook wasn't born in Whitby, he was nevertheless adopted as Whitby's son. This is largely due to the important role the town played in the design of his ships, in particular the Endeavour. These awesome vessels were based on the designs of flat-bottomed boats built in Whitby. (See above). The young Cook actually served his apprenticeship on one.
Unsurprisingly, his legacy has been cashed in on by local entrepreneurs and visitors will find countless Captain Cook themed cafes and shops, scattered throughout the town. The most authentic Captain Cook experience is offered by the Memorial Museum on Grape Lane, which was at one time the house of a local ship-owner to whom Cook was apprenticed. The museum exhibits original maps and sketchings by Cook himself as well as an impressive model of Endeavour. Find out more ing the Whitby Visitor Attractions section. There's also a monument of the great man looking out to sea, which stands atop a cliff near East Tce.
Bram Stoker's Dracula
Bram Stoker wrote the famous story of Dracula, while staying in a B & B in Whitby in 1897. Although most remakes portray the infamous vampire as a resident of Transylvania, much of the original book was set in Whitby. Many of the sites remain to this day, such as the stone jetty upon which the boat Dracula chartered was wrecked. Visitors can also climb the 199 steps that the book's heroine Mina, ran up in an effort to save her friend Lucy. St Mary's Church which also featured in the book stands at the top.
Whitby today
Fishing is still an integral part of Whitby's economy, with its fishing fleet renowned for harvesting high quality fish. A great amount shipped to the famous Billingsgate Fish Market as well as France, where Whitby fish is held in very high regard. It is also extremely popular in Whitby itself, with a plethora of pubs, restaurants and cafes serving the nationally renowned, Whitby fish and chips.' Whitby Fish Market is also a major supplier of local seafood with over 100 different types of fish products.
Whitby's port also remains important, due largely to its proximity to Scandanavia. It is capable of accommodating a diverse range of cargo such as grain and steel and can handle vessels of up to 3000 tonnes. In addition, the wharf can load and unload ships, two-at-a-time and there's over 50,000 square feet of dock space. See Coastal Connect for more information about coastal cottages, self catering properties and holiday accommodation.