Photographs of Whitby

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Whitby is a small seaside fishing town at the mouth of the River Esk and spreads up the steep sides of the narrow valley. It is dominated by the cliff-top ruins of the beautiful 13th century Whitby Abbey. This traditional maritime town, with its old cobbled streets, picturesque houses and sandy beach. There are 199 steps lead up to the Abbey from the old town. Whitby was founded in 656 when the first monastery was built. The name Whitby comes from "white settlement" in Old Norse. The crumbling cliffs are a great source of fossils and jet. The town has always been a fishing town and was the home of Captain James Cook who was the first European to sail to Australia - there is a replica of HMS Endeavour in the harbour.