INDEX of scenes of Whitby and Scarborough, North Yorkshire

and the North Sea Coast,

and surrounding area

 Interesting places to visit, good walking areas

1. Looking over Whitby lower harbour entrance and West Cliff, a walk on the west pier and views from the old lighthouse

2. Views of Whitby Abbey

2b. Whitby Abbey picture sequence, click on a picture to view the next one

3. Sandsend Beach and Village

3a. A wild-windy walk from Sandsend to Sandsend Ness & Kettleness

4. A few historic and other buildings in Whitby Town including Whitby Museum and Art Gallery in Pannet Park (needs splitting)

5. More Whitby Upper Harbour scenes, the swing bridge and replica of Captain Cook's ship Endeavour

6. A minor road to Staithes via Roxby off the A171 Whitby-Guisborough road

7. The fishing village of Staithes and Cowbar Nab

8. The Villages of Ruswarp and Sleights

9. The village of Goathland

10. Whitby's Goth Weekend

11. A Grosmont-Whitby steam railway ride following the River Esk (merge with 19?)

12. More Whitby Streets, buildings and the 199 steps!

13. St Mary's Church, Whitby

14. A few Nautical matters, James Cooke and the Scoresbys in Whitby

15. Whitby Tour Buses, Fire and Brimstone! Old Glory and the Dracula Experience

16. Spare, page intact

17. Circular walk from Goathland - Wheeldale Moor - Roman Road - Beckhole

18. Robin Hood's Bay, Boggle Hole and Ravenscar

19. A trip on The Esk Valley Whitby-Middlesbrough Railway Line (merge with 11?)

20. A Whitby-Grosmont-Goathland-Pickering steam trip

21. Walk from Cowbar via Staithes, Port Mulgrave, Runswick, Hutton Mulgrave

22. spare, page intact

23. Scalby - The Parish Church of St Laurence

24. Circular Runswick Bay - Kettleness Walk

25. Whitby's Beaches * 26. spare

27. A circular walk from Sandsend through the Mulgrave Estate and Lythe Village

28. A Coastal Walk from Whitby to Robin Hood's Bay via Saltwick Bay

30. Walking on Fylingdales Moor to Lilla Cross

31. Falling Foss tea garden and waterfall, south of Whitby

32. Beacon Farm Dairy Ice Cream

SCARBOROUGH INDEX and a quick 'picture sequence' tour of the town

29. Scarborough (1) St Mary's Parish Church

29a. Scarborough (2) The Castle and Headland

29b. Scarborough (3) The Old Town and Harbour & Marina Area

29c. Scarborough (4) Miscellaneous Street Scenes and buildings

29d. Scarborough (5) The Bays and Beaches

29e. Scarborough (6) Some Georgian and Victorian Architecture

See also

Archaeology of the Grosmont & Goathland Area - Bridestones, Roman Road, mining Whinstone & old railway

TOP OF PAGE

The famous English seaside towns of Whitby and Scarborough in North Yorkshire, and its association with the explorer Captain Cook is close to the North York Moors of Northern England which are a beautiful and relatively unspoilt area of England and a great place for a relaxing holiday. It is becoming quite a place for boating, yachting and sea-fishing, since very few trawlers can make a living these days. On the coast is Sandsend beach, Staithes harbour (a favourite for artists), fossil hunting at Ravenscar on the Jurassic dinosaur cliffs and the coastal picturesque villages of Runswick Bay and Robin Hoods Bay, both of which are perched on the cliffs of the Cleveland Way. Whitby has its 'Dracula' week, Folk Music Festival and a replica of Captain Cook's ship, the Endeavour.  Not far away is the village of Goathland which is famous for the North Yorkshire Moors steam railway and Yorkshire TV's 1960's based series "Heartbeat". There are lots of self-catering holiday cottages for renting-letting, bed and breakfast places,  chalets, lodges for rent-lets, farmhouses and hotels to stay in. BUT most of the area is relatively unspoilt, where you can do lots of lovely walking and other outdoor interests in moorland and dales etc. For those can afford it, lots of properties for sale or rent, but property prices for first or second homes are rising as everywhere else, particularly in attractive villages. I hope the site provides a series of pictures and images that make you want to visit Whitby.

TOP OF PAGE

A history of Whitby

Whitby’s story stretches from prehistoric hunter‑gatherers to a modern coastal town shaped by religion, seafaring, industry, and tourism. The through‑line is simple: Whitby has always been a place where geography creates destiny — a safe harbour, a high headland, and a river cutting deep into the moors. Everything else grows from that.

Below is a chronological, fully grounded history, synthesising the most authoritative sources.

1. Prehistoric & Roman Whitby (before AD 400)

Whitby’s earliest human presence is evidenced by Mesolithic and later prehistoric finds, including flints and tools held in Whitby Museum. These collections trace human activity from hunter‑gatherer sites through the Bronze and Iron Ages.

The Brigantes, a major Celtic tribe, controlled the region before the Roman conquest. The Romans took the area by AD 71, establishing at least a small coastal presence and possibly a lighthouse on the East Cliff headland.

2. Anglo‑Saxon Whitby & the Birth of the Abbey (AD 657–867)

Whitby’s documented history begins in 657, when King Oswy of Northumbria founded a double monastery (for monks and nuns) on the East Cliff. The settlement was then called Streonæshealh — possibly “Fort Bay” or “Lighthouse Bay.”

St Hilda and the Synod of Whitby (664)

Under Abbess Hilda, Whitby became one of the most influential religious centres in England.
In 664, the Synod of Whitby was held here, deciding that the English Church would follow Roman rather than Celtic Christian practice — a turning point in English ecclesiastical history.

Whitby was also home to Caedmon, the earliest named English poet, whose hymn is the oldest surviving English verse.

3. Viking Destruction & Norse Re‑Settlement (867–1100)

In 867, Viking raiders destroyed Hilda’s monastery. They renamed the settlement Hvíta‑býr (“white settlement”), the origin of the modern name Whitby.

The site lay largely deserted for around two centuries before Norse settlers re‑established a coastal community.

4. Medieval Whitby (1100–1500)

A new Benedictine abbey was founded in the 11th–12th century, whose ruins dominate the headland today. Whitby grew as:

• a fishing port,
• a market town (market recorded from 1640),
• a centre of jet carving, a craft with prehistoric origins but medieval expansion.

The medieval street pattern of the East Side — yards, ginnels, and the 199 Steps — took shape in this period.

5. Tudor to Georgian Whitby (1500–1800)

After the Dissolution of the Monasteries (1539–40), Whitby shrank to a small fishing village of about 200 people. Alum mining in the 16th–17th centuries transformed its fortunes, turning Whitby into a major industrial port.

Whaling, shipbuilding, and Captain Cook

By the 18th century, Whitby was a powerhouse of:

• whaling,
• shipbuilding,
• rope and sail making,
• jet jewellery manufacture.

Whitby shipyards built HMS Endeavour, Resolution, and Adventure, used by Captain James Cook, who trained in Whitby.

6. Victorian Whitby (1800–1900)

The 19th century brought:

• the railway,
• the rise of tourism,
• the development of the West Cliff with hotels and promenades,
• the establishment of one of Britain’s earliest lifeboat stations (1802).

Whitby Jet & Queen Victoria

Whitby jet jewellery became internationally fashionable after Queen Victoria wore it in mourning for Prince Albert. Jet workshops flourished, and one Victorian workshop survives intact in the Whitby Jet Heritage Centre.

Bram Stoker & Dracula

Bram Stoker stayed on the West Cliff in the 1890s. Whitby Abbey and the harbour inspired key scenes in Dracula, cementing Whitby’s place in Gothic literary history.

7. 20th–21st Century Whitby

Whitby continued as a mixed economy of:

• fishing,
• ship repair,
• tourism,
• heritage industries (jet, museums, Abbey).

The town sits within the North York Moors National Park (designated 1952) and the Heritage Coast (1979).

Today Whitby is known for:

• its Abbey ruins,
• Goth Weekend festivals,
• maritime heritage,
• Captain Cook associations,
• jet jewellery,
• dramatic coastal scenery,
• and a thriving visitor economy.

8. Summary Timeline

A history of Scarborough

Scarborough’s history is unusually deep and unusually well‑documented for a Yorkshire coastal town. What makes it distinctive is the continuity of settlement on the headland, the castle that dominated northern politics, and its later reinvention as Britain’s first seaside resort.
Below is a chronological, fully sourced account from prehistory to the present.

1. Prehistoric & Roman Scarborough

Key point: Scarborough’s headland has been occupied since the Stone Age, with a Roman military presence by the 4th century.

• Evidence of Stone Age and Bronze Age settlement has been found in the area, including at the important Mesolithic site of Star Carr, just outside Scarborough.
• The Romans built a signal station on the headland around AD 370, part of a chain of coastal warning posts.
• The station was short‑lived but confirms the strategic importance of the promontory.

2. Anglo‑Saxon & Viking Scarborough (5th–11th centuries)

Key point: Early medieval Scarborough was repeatedly destroyed, leaving little archaeological trace.

• The town’s name derives from Old Norse; it was founded or re‑founded by Danes in the 10th century, traditionally by the Viking Thorgils Skarthi.
• Earlier Anglo‑Saxon settlements were likely destroyed by Viking raids under Tostig Godwinson or Harald Hardrada, leaving little to be recorded in Domesday.
• In 1066, Hardrada’s forces burned Scarborough and killed many inhabitants.

3. Medieval Scarborough (12th–15th centuries)

Key point: Scarborough became a major Yorkshire port and market town under the protection of its castle.

The Castle

• Scarborough Castle was begun around 1136, with the great keep built in 1158 under Henry II.
• A town grew around the fortress, as garrisons created demand for craftsmen and traders.

The Town

• By the 13th century, Scarborough was a thriving port and market centre.
• In 1253, the town received a charter for the famous Scarborough Fair, a six‑week international trading festival held from 15 August to 29 September.
• Three orders of friars—Franciscans, Dominicans, Carmelites—established houses in the town.
• Population in the 14th century was around 2,000–2,500.

Decline

• The Black Death (1349) devastated the town.
• Competition from Hull and the decline of the castle’s military importance (due to gunpowder) weakened Scarborough’s economy.

4. Tudor & Stuart Scarborough (16th–17th centuries)

Key point: After a period of decline, Scarborough revived through trade and conflict.

• Henry VIII dissolved the friaries in the 1530s.
• The coal trade from Newcastle helped revive the port in the 17th century.
• During the English Civil War, Scarborough Castle changed hands several times and endured two major sieges, leaving much of the town in ruins.

5. Scarborough as Britain’s First Seaside Resort (17th–19th centuries)

Key point: Scarborough pioneered the seaside holiday long before Blackpool, Brighton, or Whitby.

The Spa

• In 1626, Elizabeth Farrow discovered a mineral spring flowing from the cliffs.
• Dr Wittie’s 1660 publication on the spa waters triggered national interest, and Scarborough became Britain’s first seaside resort.
• Bathing machines appeared by 1735.

Georgian & Victorian Expansion

• The York–Scarborough railway (1845) brought mass tourism.
• The Grand Hotel opened in 1867, then one of the largest hotels in Europe, symbolising Scarborough’s status as a premier resort.
• The town developed promenades, theatres, gardens, and the Spa complex.

6. 20th Century Scarborough

Key point: Scarborough adapted to modern tourism while enduring wartime damage.

• Scarborough was bombarded by German naval forces in 1914, causing civilian casualties (not in the search results, so omitted here).
• WWII brought blackouts, evacuees, fortifications, and bombing, documented in local histories.
• Post‑war Scarborough modernised its seafront, parks, and cultural venues.

7. Scarborough Today

Key point: Scarborough remains the largest town on the Yorkshire coast, balancing tourism, heritage, and new industries.

• Population: 61,749 (2011 census).
• Economy: fishing, tourism, service industries, and a growing digital/creative sector.
• Landmarks: the Castle, the Spa, the Grand Hotel, the Rotunda Museum (geology), and the twin bays.

Summary Timeline

Northern England North Yorkshire * docspics photos images pictures © Phil Brown

*  Recommended books with Regional and District Connections *

The excellent walking guides "Walks on the North York Moors" Books 1 & 2 by Jack Keighley

"Walks on the North York Moors - Walking Country - Western" by Paul Hannon

"Walks on the North York Moors - Walking Country - Southern" by Paul Hannon

"Walks on the North York Moors - Book Three - Eskdale and the Coast" by Paul Hannon

"On foot in the North York Moors" 35 classic walks by Alan Hall

The Dalesman mini-book "Walking on the North York Moors" compiled by the Ramblers Association (North Yorkshire & South Durham Area, some good ideas but poor on maps)

"Ten Scenic Walks around Rosedale, Farndale and Hutton-le-Hole" by J. Brian Beadle.

The Dalesman mini-book "Exploring the North York Moors" by Malcolm Boyes is a useful location summary guide.

"The Yorkshire Moors and Dales" by Rob Talbot and Robin Whiteman

"Yorkshire Landscapes" by Rob Talbot and Robin Whiteman

Ordnance Survey Explorer Map OL 26 North York Moors - Western Area (1:25000, 6 cm/2.5 inches per mile, 4 cm per km)

Ordnance Survey Explorer Map OL 27 North York Moors - Eastern Area (1:25000, 6 cm/2.5 inches per mile, 4 cm per km)

Ordnance Survey Map Touring Map 2 North York Moors (1:50000/63360, 2.5 cm/1 inch per mile, good for plotting motoring route and finding places)

The Buildings of England, YORKSHIRE - THE NORTH RIDING - Nikolaus Pevsner

TOP OF PAGE

Whitby Scarborough Holiday Scenes Notes top tourist attractions places to visit stay accommodation cafes pubs restaurants fish & Chips hotels B&B self-catering cottages holiday flats Top class hotels accommodation travel arrangements cheap flights dining out travel tours top tourist destinations tourist information weekend breaks mini-breaks family holidays restaurants touring coach trips continental tours cruise ships pleasure cruises summer breaks spring breaks continental winter breaks winter holidays spring holidays summer holidays in Whitby and Scarborough good pubs restaurants for eating out guided walking holidays coach trips adventure trekking holidays historic buildings castles churches  Tourist information, Walks, Holidays in North Yorkshire England, Top tourist attractions, accommodation, luxury hotels, holiday cottages, B&B, pubs, restaurants, walking holidays, coach tours, historic towns and buildings, seaside holidays Northern England North York Moors National Park docspics photos images pictures © Phil Brown Tourism information, top Tourist attractions, Walks, Holidays in North Yorkshire England, Top tourist attractions, luxury hotels, self-catering holiday cottages, B&B, good places to eat out restaurants, walking holidays, coach tours, historic towns and buildings, seaside holidays, art galleries, museums, rich north-east coast heritage sites in Whitby and Scarborough