WHITBY – THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN OF NORTH YORKSHIRE

Whitby is a famous part of the Country, where many visitors flock to this unique seaside Town year after year, with its cobbled streets, unique quirky shops and fabulous bars and restaurants - here are a few reasons to visit:

BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA

Whitby was inspired by Bram Stoker for his novel and films of Dracula and the famous novelist stayed in the Town whilst writing the famous novel.

The Town has a Gothic vibe, and holds a bi-annual Goth weekend every year.  Whitby Abbey, St Mary’s Churchyard and the 199 steps were a huge inspiration for his novel.

There is a Dracula experience and many shops offering Goth Style clothes and historical mementos.

CAPTAIN COOK – The Famous Adventurer

Captain Cook was born near Whitby and he moved to the town to study his seaman's apprenticeship with John and Henry Walker. It was during the apprenticeship that Captain Cook found his love for the seas, sailing coal ships for the Walkers.  His monument stands on the West Cliff.

Cook went on to be one of the most decorated explorers of our time and set sail from Whitby during many of his voyages of discovery. There is a Captain Cook Memorial Museum located on Grape Lane which was once the house where Cook lived during his apprenticeship and in the Bay there is a replica of his famous Ship The Endeavour which is now a bar and restaurant.

WHALING

Whitby had a rich Whaling history.  Perhaps the most prominent reminder is the Whalebone Arch which can be found on the top of the West Cliff close to the Captain Cook Monument.

Between 1750 and 1840 Whaling was big business in Whitby, with over 50 Whaling ships operating from Whitby Harbour. Many local families became wealthy from the industry and many local men were employed on the Whaling ships.

WHITBY WAS BOMBED IN THE WAR

On 16 December 1914 Whitby was bombed by the German Navy as part of a coastal attack with also included Scarborough and Hartlepool. The attack resulted in 137 fatalities and 592 casualties, with the vast majority being civilians.

HAUNTED WHITBY

Whitby is a hotbed of paranormal activity, with ghost hunters from around the globe coming to the town each year to experience the paranormal activities which occur in the town. You only have to walk around Whitby alone at night to sample the ghostly atmosphere. Whitby even has a couple of people offering ghost walks around the town at night.

St Mary’s Churchyard in Whitby

There are stories of lost souls, witches, legendary beasts and even the devil - he is rumoured to have visited the area!

FISH AND CHIPS IN WHITBY

Whitby is famous for its fantastic fish and chip shops – the best in the UK they say!

Many of the takeaways and restaurants in Whitby have won awards from various different organisations over the last few years. Mister Chips and The Magpie Cafe are well known for the high quality of the fish and chips served. People travel from all over the UK to queue up outside the Magpie for a taste of their renowned fish and chips.

SMUGGLING in Whitby

Whitby and the surrounding villages were a hotbed for smuggling for generations, with tales of hidden tunnels where smuggles bought in their goods to avoid paying tax on them, Rum Sugar tea and jewels are amongst the smuggler’s fare

WHITBY JET JEWELLERY

Between 1850 and 1915 the Whitby Jet Jewellery industry was at its peak. Whitby Jet is a rare gemstone that is found on the coastline around Whitby. Even today, Jet can be found locally on the cliffs. During peak production, the industry employed around 1400 people in the area. Extremely popular in the Victorian era, Whitby Jet was seen as a statement item of luxury jewellery.

During the early 1900s, Whitby Jet was most commonly associated with memorial jewellery, simply because of its intense black colour.

There is many Whitby jewellers’ offering beautiful jewellery for sale.

DINOSAURS

One of my favourite pastimes while in Whitby is fossil hunting. Whitby yields excellent ammonite specimens and dinosaur/reptile remains.

Whitby and Robin Hoods bay was the Dinosaur Coast; there are daily pastimes in fossil hunting and many ammonite specimens and dinosaur and reptile remains

The best time to collect Fossils is during the winter storms or scouring conditions. You can have hours of fun searching for fossils along the Whitby coastline and there has even been a full dinosaur skeleton found along the Whitby coastline!