Attraction Details (return to list)
Whitby Abbey
LOCATION
Whitby Abbey,Whitby Abbey, YO22 4JT map
www: www.english-heritage.org.uk/whitbyabbey 
DESCRIPTION
Whitby Abbey, probably the towns most visited attraction, due to its historical significance and its heritage. The Abbey is one of the most atmospheric locations in England. The desolate ruins stand stark above steep cliffs overlooking the old whaling village of Whitby. It stands proudly above the picturesque seaside town, a testament to the town's former religious significance. Perched high on a cliff, the haunting remains of this once magnificent abbey, a town that Bram Stoker knew well and used as a backdrop for parts of his famous Gothic novel, Dracula.
The first abbey was founded in 657 by the formidable St Hilda, a princess of the Northumbrian royal house, whose Saxon name Hild means ‘battle’. St Hilda became a focus for folklore and legend through the centuries and tradition grew that she walked the abbey as a phantom. Other Whitby traditions include: a phantom coach and horses, which thunders to a halt outside the church, a headless spectre at Fitzsimmon's steps, and a mischievous sprite called Hob (which is a generic name for a mischievous goblin), who haunts the dark country lanes around the town, and associates with the giant Wade who lived nearby.
Recent archaeological research undertaken suggests that it was once the burial place of the Northumbrian royal family, the setting of an epoch-making international meeting between Celtic and Roman clerics, and the home of saints such as the poet Caedmon.
Please note: from the Whitby harbour area, the abbey can only be directly reached on foot via the 199 ‘abbey steps’ (or Caedmon’s Trod): alternatively a well-signposted road leads from the town outskirts to the cliff top abbey.
OPENING TIMES
1 Apr-30 Sept 10am-6pm Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun 1-31 Oct 10am-5pm Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun 1 Nov-20 Mar 10am-4pm Mon Thu Fri Sat Sun Closed 24-26 Dec and 1 Jan
ADMISSION
Adult £4.20 Children £2.10 Concession £3.20 Family £10.50 English Heritage members Free
