29/08/2025
WHAT IS WHITBY KNOWN FOR?
FISHING INDUSTRY
The fishing industry in Whitby is one of the oldest in the country and is still thriving today! Fishermen and their boats are recorded in historical archives dating back to the early 1500s when the fishing community was reported to be about 200 strong (a large proportion of the population at the time). Over the centuries the industry has remained a major source of income for the coastal town, and even though many of the supermarkets now source their seafood from abroad, several large manufacturers and most of the local eateries still rely on the daily supply of Whitby-caught seafood…especially the jumbo scampi!
WALES & DOLPHINS
Not many people know that the North Sea, just off Whitby, boasts such a rich variety of sea life below the surface.
During late Summer and Autumn vast shoals of herring migrate to the inshore waters off the Yorkshire coast to spawn. The herring attract cetaceans, sharks, birds and seals to feed.
Over the past few years, the whale watching trips onboard the Specksioneer, Summer Queen and Esk Belle III have spotted Minke, Fin, Sei and Humpback Whales, white-beaked and bottlenose dolphins, porpoise as well as thousands of seals!
CAPTAIN JAMES COOK
Captain James Cook was born in 1728 in Marton, Yorkshire, but became an inhabitant of Whitby at the age of 18 when he was apprenticed to local ship owners of the time, John and Henry Walker. Over the course of his three-year apprenticeship, Cook worked on trade ships but by 1755 he was ready to serve in the Royal Navy. During his time in the Navy Captain Cook made three major voyages, the first in his iconic ship HMS Bark Endeavour and the final two using HMS Resolution. Both of these ships were built by Thomas Fishburn in the shipyards of Whitby and originally were used as coal transporters.
The Endeavour was first launched in 1764 but was bought just 4 years later by the Royal Navy specifically for Cook’s voyage to Tahiti. The Resolution was built in 1770 and did just a year as a transporter ship before again being snapped up by the Navy. They obviously knew quality shipbuilding when they saw it.
The Captain Cook Memorial Museum is located in the house once owned by John and Henry Walker (Grape Lane, Whitby); the brothers credited with launching James Cook’s maritime career.
FISH & CHIPS
Located along Whitby's stunning harbour is the famous Magpie Café which has fresh seafood delivered directly from the boat to the table within 24 hours.
Everyone has their go-to favourite place for fish and chips in Whitby though, whether that be Mr Chips, Silver Street Fisheries, Trenchers, or Quayside!
It's quite the discussion but the most important thing you can't deny is how amazing fish and chips in Whitby is.
GOOD FOOD
Whether you're looking for a seafood feast or fish and chips in the paper on the pier. Whitby has a traditional coastal food to satisfy your hunger.
Whitby is blessed to have flavours from around the world; Italian, Indian, Thai, Chinese, British, home-cooked, seafood, Tapas, Full English.
There is a fantastic selection of restaurants in Whitby.
PUBS
No visit to Whitby would be complete without a visit to one of the many traditional watering holes used by sailors, smugglers, and sports fans for generations.
Whitby has a wide selection of real ale pubs, dog-friendly pubs, and pubs with accommodation.
From traditional Fisherman's inns to modern sports bars, Whitby has a pub for everyone!
WHITBY JET
Whitby Jet is a stunning semi-precious stone that has been used in the manufacture of fine jewellery since the Victorian age. The jewellery makers of the town still craft the stone into a range of exquisite items, although the experts in this trade are becoming few and far between. Whitby Jet can only be found along a 7 mile stretch of North Yorkshire coastline and is described as amongst the best quality jet available in the UK. Unfortunately, it’s incredibly hard to mine the stone straight out of a cliff face so the pieces of Whitby Jet used to create individual items of jewellery needs to be foraged for along the numerous stretches of beach. Hence, each item of Whitby Jet jewellery is seen as a prized possession.
THE 199 STEPS
The 199 steps, known as the Church Stairs, lead from the Old Town up to St. Mary's Churchyard. 1340 is the first known record of the 199 steps, however, it is believed the steps were actually made a long time before this. Believe it or not, the steps were actually originally made of wood and stood for hundreds of years that way until 1774 when the steps were replaced with Sneaton Stone.
Some historians believe that St Hilda would use the steps as a test to confirm the faith of her followers. This was a test of Christian faith to those who wished to worship in St Mary’s Church.
Despite their name, there is actually a lot of controversy over whether there is actually 199 Steps! Next time you're there you'll have to give them a count.
WHITBY ABBEY
The view of Whitby Abbey high upon the East Cliff has become one of the iconic landscapes of Yorkshire, known throughout the world and photographed regularly by photographers and visitors.
The founding of Whitby Abbey was a tribute of thanksgiving to God by King Oswui of Northumbria after defeating the Penda, the pagan King of Mercia.
Royal Princess Hild founded the ‘double monastery' in the Anglo-Saxon style to be used by both men and women. The Abbey became a centre of learning, a renowned nunnery and burial place for the royal family of Deira. It is through the contribution of Caedmon who is remembered at the Abbey and St Mary's Churchyard with a cross, that Whitby lays claim to a literary first. Caedmon was the first English poet and Whitby the birthplace of English literature.
The first Synod of Whitby took place to establish the date of Easter. The story goes that in a toss-up between the Ionan practice followed by Irish monks and the Roman tradition favoured by Rome, the decision was settled by Oswui. King Oswui asked both sides if they agreed that St Peter had been handed the keys to the kingdom of Heaven by Christ and pronounced as ‘the rock' on which the church would be built. Reasoning that St Peter was the highest authority in the Church it was conceded that the Roman tradition is kept. Easter was fixed to be held on a Sunday, the day of Resurrection.
DRACULA
Everybody has heard of Dracula but unless you have actually read the novel (or seen the film) you may not know that Bram Stoker, the author, set the story in Whitby. Stoker was sent to Whitby by his doctor as a ‘treatment’ for stress and while out walking in the West Cliff area he is reported to have got the idea for his famous novel.
From the West Cliff, you can see across the harbour to Whitby Abbey, the sands below and the 199 Steps that lead from one to the other. This sight sets the scene for the opening chapters of the Dracula novel, with Dracula coming ashore from his shipwrecked vessel just below the Abbey. The fact that Bram Stoker chose to have Dracula take on the guise of a large black dog is also a product of his time in Whitby; an idea given to him when listening to the fishermen retelling local legends. Over the years the novel has become a classic and as a result of its connection to Whitby, the town is now the venue for the world-famous Goth Festival Weekend.
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