Whitby Through the Ages

Despite its remote location, surrounded by the high ground of the North Yorkshire Moors, Whitby has featured significantly in history throughout the years. One of the earliest records of Whitby is from AD 656, when Oswy, a Christian king of Northumbria, founded the first abbey there. In AD 664, the town was the setting for the famous Synod of Whitby. Other significant aspects of Whitby's legacy include: the role of Captain Cook, who learned seamanship when based in the town; its role as a fishing port, and its important as a base for whalers; and the jet jewellery industry, which flourished in the second half of the nineteenth century. Today, Whitby is a major tourist attraction, and people come from far and wide to visit this picturesque town. More recent events, festivals associated with the town's link to Dracula, and the 'Goth Weekend', have ensured the town continues to thrive. There have been some inevitable changes to the town and its architecture over the years, but Whitby continues to appeal to and spark the imagination of so many people.