Whitby

Whitby

Whitby VM IJ

 Whitby lies on the North Yorkshire Coast at the mouth of the River Esk and flanked by the North York Moors.

Whitby Location

Whitby map

Whitby Abbey stands on a cliff overlooking  the harbour. It was originally founded as a monastery in the 7th century. Whitby was subject to Viking raids from 867 to 870 and the monastery destroyed.  It would be 200 years later, under Norman rule, before another monastery was founded in 1078.  The buildings were expanded in the 1220's and the Abbey in it's current configuration built. 

Whitby Abbey pre Reformation

The Dissolutions of the Monasteries under King Henry VIII saw the Abbey destroyed in 1540.

Whitby Abbey post Reformation

Whitby Abbey June 2023

Adjacent to the ruined abbey is St Mary's Church which was founded in 1110 and is reached by climbing 199 steps from the town.

Whitby St Mary's Church

Whitby Abbey and St Mary's Church

The town grew in size as result of shipping locally mined Alum which was used in leather and textile trades. This drove the need for coal from the Durham Coalfield and the expansion of the port including the building of twin piers. Whitby also built ships  and by the end if the 18th century was the largest shipbuilder outside of Newcastle and London.

Whitby Market Place

Whitby

Whitby VM IJ

Whitby became a centre for the Whaling industry, the first whaling ship setting sail to Greenland in 1753. 

Whitby Whaling Fleet

Whitby Whalers

Whitby Whaling

Whitby Whaling Jaw Bones

Whitby Whaling Jaw Bones

Whitby Whaling Jaw Bones  VM IJ

The coaling trade and the colliers shipping coal between London and Newcastle would see James Cook apprenticed in Whitby learning his seamanship on collier ships. Cook would progress in his profession, joining the Royal Navy, serving in the Seven Years War. Cook would become famous for his three voyages of scientific exploration.

Whitby Captain Cook Memorial 

Cooks first voyage to the Pacific Ocean was in command of HMS Endeavour, a replica of which is located in Whitby.

Whitby HMS Endeavour

The advent of iron ships in the later part of the 19th century would bring an end to Whitby's shipbuilding industry. The decline of the demand for whale products would see the demise of the whaling industry. Whitby declined as a port and it's main maritime activity became fishing.

Whitby Harbour

Whitby Harbour  June 2023

The two parts of Whitby are connected by a Swing Bridge over the River Esk.  The first bridge over the River Esk was constructed in 1351. A wooden Swing Bridge was first constructed in 1835 being replaced by the current iron bridge in 1908.

Whitby Swing Bridge - Closed Position

Whitby Swing Bridge - Open Position

Whitby Swing Bridge - View Down River

Whitby Swing Bridge - View Up River

Whitby features in Bram Stoker's novel Dracula. The Transylvanian Count is on a ship that runs aground at Whitby. He escapes the ship in the form of a black dog and ascends the 199 steps from the harbour to St Mary's Church. 

Dracula St Mary's Graveyard

The first railway came to Whitby in 1839, being re-sited to it's current location in 1847.  This helped develop Whitby as a tourist destination. 

Whitby Railway Station

Whitby Station also serves as a terminal for the North York Moors Railway (NYMR), which runs between Whitby and Pickering. The steam trains run on Network Rail as far as Grosmont where they join the preserved railway to Pickering. 

Whitby Station IJ
Repton Schools Class Steam Engine

Whitby Station IJ
Repton Schools Class Steam Engine

Whitby Station Wating Room Micro Pub VM IJ

Whitby Station Wating Room Micro Pub VM
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