The oldest part of Whitby is the East Side, and home to many Whitby Cottages. The founding point for the town is Whitby Abbey, built from 657 AD, indeed on the headland near the Abbey there are indications of a modest settlement. Leading from the Abbey to Church Street (formerly Kirkgate AD 1318) are the 199 steps down the cliffside . Church Street has a cobbled street and many cottages with houses dating from the 1600's. Houses have even been documented at the foot of the 199 steps as early as 1370! You can reach the Abbey on foot from Church Street, via the 199 Steps or the steep cobbled Donkey Path.
Whitby Market Place is a lively place with markets held on a Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday. It dates back to 1640, with the Town Hall dating from 1788 built by Nathaniel Cholmley. There is a Farmer's market on a Thursday (please check days as there is a variation throughout the year). The old cobbled streets stretch from the bottom of the Abbey Steps along Church Street, Sandgate and to the north along Henrietta Street.
Henrietta Street, (named after Henrietta Cholmley) is only a short street in relation to its former glory in 1787, when upward of 1,000 residents lived there. A landslip in 1787, and a sequence of further landslips have led to its current length. At the northern end of the street is Fortune's Kipper House dating from 1872, founded by William Fortune. The kippers are smoked over oak and beech fires to give their distinctive taste and colour. Many of the Whitby cottages on Henrietta Street now are holiday lets, but several local Whitby people are still resident.
Whitby's East Side is a wonderful place to find a huge variety of interesting Whitby Shops. Around the Market Place, there are a number of shops and cafes. The Shambles, the old Burberrys Factory, is a public house with an indoor market underneath, selling a mixture of clothing and arts and crafts. Here too are the public conveniences. Alongside the Shambles, is the access to the Whitby Friendship Amateur Rowing Club. The Fishermans Amateur Rowing Club can be accessed here also at low tide.
Sandgate, so called because it leads to and borders on the east sands, leads off the Market Place. Sandgate is a vibrant and busy narrow street, with a wide variety of shops, including Whitby Jet jewellery shops, a fresh seafood shop, an olde English sweet shop, a café, a bakery and photographers. Probably the most well-known souvenior that visitors to Whitby take home with them is an item of Whitby Jet Jewellery.
Whitby Jet, made fashionable by Queen Victoria, who wore it in mourning of her beloved Prince Albert (died 1861) has been carved since the bronze age. It is thought that Jet is formed from fossilized monkey puzzle trees. There are quite a few seams of the natural jet along the shores on this coast and also inland as far as the Cleveland Hills. In its raw state it is more than likely to be a dull brown, but with polishing it will become the rich highly polished stone that we all recognise. An exhibition of the Victorian carved jet can be found in the museum in Pannett Park. A Jet workshop, which was found sealed in an old house in Whitby was removed and rehoused in the Whitby Jet Heritage Centre, at the end of Church Street.
Church Street has an amazing number of alleyways and yards which, in the past, provided escape routes from the customs men and press gangs in times gone by. Look at the strange names as you pass by!! There are a huge number of old fishing cottages leading off from the yards and alleyways, many of which are now self catering accommodation. The cottages nestle into the steep hillside, and are connected by a network of pathways and steep steps. Nowadays the yards house a number of shops, restaurants and craftware places. The old Wesley Hall is now home to a wool and craft shop.
Grape Lane, also leading off Bridge Street is perhaps one of the most aged streets. In 1595, there were houses on both sides of the narrow street, and it existed even before the dissolution of the Abbey. Along here is the Captain Cook Museum, cafes, Whitby Jet Jewellery shops, bookshops, antiques and a childen's clothing shop.
Whitby Cottages
Whitby Cottages
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