81-625: Whitby Museum is an independent museum in Whitby , North Yorkshire , England , run by Whitby Literary and Philosophical Society, a learned society and registered charity, established in 1823. It is located in a building opened in 1931 in Pannett Park, Whitby, which also contains the Society's Library and Archive. The museum contains a wide range of material relating to the history of Whitby, and has specialist collections relating to: The museum also contains
162-443: A Hand of Glory , the dried and pickled hand of a hanged man, said to have magical powers. The museum has a reference library and archive documenting the industries and social history of the town and area. This is used as a research facility. Between the 1890s and 1930 the museum collection included the mummy of an Egyptian man who had died around 300 BC. The mummy had previously been owned by Sir George Elliot, 1st Baronet and
243-681: A Christian ministry and has a chapel, reading room and recreational facilities. The Bishop of Whitby is a suffragan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of York , in the Province of York . The town lies within the Central Vicariate of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Middlesbrough . Whitby is situated on the east coast of Yorkshire facing the North Sea in a deep valley at the mouth of
324-559: A coastal route and was built in 1885. It required construction of the red brick Larpool Viaduct across the Esk Valley into Whitby. The line closed as a result of the Beeching cuts in 1965; the trackbed is now used as a footpath, bridleway and by cyclists. The Whitby, Redcar and Middlesbrough Union Railway had a station at Whitby West Cliff and ran close to the cliffs to the north of the town. It opened in 1883 and closed in 1958. Whitby
405-495: A few companions, she learned the traditions of Celtic monasticism , which Bishop Aidan brought from Iona . After a year Aidan appointed Hilda as the second abbess of Hartlepool Abbey . No trace remains of this abbey, but its monastic cemetery has been found near the present St Hilda's Church , Hartlepool . In 657 Hilda became the founding abbess of Whitby Abbey , then known as Streoneshalh ; she remained there until her death. Archaeological evidence shows that her monastery
486-503: A nun at Chelles Abbey in Gaul (modern France ). Bede resumes Hilda's story at a point when she was about to join her widowed sister at Chelles Abbey. At the age of 33, Hilda decided instead to answer the call of Bishop Aidan of Lindisfarne and returned to Northumbria to live as a nun . Hilda's original convent is not known except that it was on the north bank of the River Wear . Here, with
567-412: A reputation for wisdom that kings and princes sought her advice. However, she also had a concern for ordinary folk such as Cædmon . He was a herder at the monastery, who was inspired in a dream to sing verses in praise of God. Hilda recognized his gift and encouraged him to develop it. Bede writes, "All who knew her called her mother because of her outstanding devotion and grace". The prestige of Whitby
648-449: A result of a strike at Hull docks in 1955, when six ships were diverted and unloaded their cargoes on the fish quay. Endeavour Wharf, near the railway station, was opened in 1964 by the local council. The number of vessels using the port in 1972 was 291, increased from 64 in 1964. Timber, paper and chemicals are imported, while exports include steel, furnace-bricks and doors. The port is owned and managed by Scarborough Borough Council since
729-464: A two tier council system by Scarborough Borough Council , one of the seven district councils in North Yorkshire . For borough council purposes the town comprised three wards: Mayfield, Streonshalh and Whitby West Cliff. The borough council was a non-metropolitan district , responsible for housing, planning, leisure and recreation, waste collection, environmental health and revenue collection. Above
810-543: A whalebone arch on the West Cliff. Whitby featured in literary works including Bram Stoker 's novel Dracula . Whitby is 47 miles (76 km) from York and 22 miles (35 km) from Middlesbrough . Whitby was called Streanæshalc , Streneshalc , Streoneshalch , Streoneshalh , and Streunes-Alae in Lindissi in records of the 7th and 8th centuries. Prestebi , from Old Norse býr ( village ) and presta ( of
891-516: A year later the harbour was silted up. On 30 October 1914, the hospital ship Rohilla was sunk, hitting the rocks within sight of shore just off Whitby at Saltwick Bay . Of the 220 people on board, 74 died in the disaster. In a raid on Scarborough, Hartlepool and Whitby in December 1914, the town was shelled by the German battlecruisers Von der Tann and Derfflinger . In the final assault on
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#1732902688787972-662: Is a seaside town, port and civil parish in North Yorkshire , England. It is on the Yorkshire Coast at the mouth of the River Esk and has a maritime, mineral and tourist economy. From the Middle Ages , Whitby had significant herring and whaling fleets, and was where Captain Cook learned seamanship. He first explored the southern ocean in HMS Endeavour , built there. Alum
1053-603: Is a terminus of the Esk Valley Line from Middlesbrough , operated by Northern . It was formerly the northern terminus of the Whitby, Pickering and York Line. In 2007, the North Yorkshire Moors Railway began a summer service on that line between Pickering and Whitby operated by steam locomotives, as an extension of their long-standing Pickering- Grosmont service. The Scarborough and Whitby Railway followed
1134-693: Is an Anglican boarding school for girls in Brown's Town, St. Ann, Jamaica , founded by Canon James Philip Hall, Rector of St. Mark's Anglican Church in Brown's Town 1906-07. St. Hilda's College in Buenos Aires, Argentina was founded in 1912. There are two schools situated in Australia in recognition of St. Hilda. They are both 'St. Hilda's Anglican School for Girls' which is an independent, girls' school in Southport , Queensland and Mosman Park , Western Australia . On
1215-508: Is an ancient foundation, St Ninian's opened in Baxtergate in 1778 and St John's, also on Baxtergate, was consecrated in 1850. St Michael's was opened in 1856 and St Hilda's on the West Cliff was built in 1885. The Roman Catholic church dedicated to St Hilda was built in 1867 on Baxtergate. There are places of worship for nonconformists including a United Reformed Church; two Methodist chapels are no longer used. The Mission to Seafarers maintains
1296-523: Is considered one of the patron saints of learning and culture, including poetry, due to her patronage of Cædmon. Saint Hilda is the patron saint of the National Cathedral School for Girls in Washington, D.C. In addition, St Hilda's College, Oxford , established in 1893 for female students, remained with that status for more than 100 years, before turning co-educational when it was deemed that
1377-634: Is held there every Sunday. Several small streets in the immediate area are named after the church -- St Hilda's Mount, St Hilda's Road, among them. A community of Anglican sisters, the Order of the Holy Paraclete was founded in 1915 at St Hilda's Priory, on the western edge of Whitby town. More recently, the Community of St Aidan and St Hilda has been founded on Lindisfarne . A group of Anglo-Catholic deaconesses founded in 1910 by Fr Frederick Burgess lived on
1458-603: Is reflected in the fact that King Oswiu of Northumberland chose Hilda's monastery as the venue for the Synod of Whitby , the first synod of the Church in his kingdom. He invited churchmen from as far away as Wessex to attend the synod. Most of those present, including Hilda, accepted the King's decision to adopt the method of calculating Easter currently used in Rome , establishing Roman practice as
1539-608: Is said to be the wraith of St Hilda, who appears in the ruins wrapped in a shroud, and the bells of the abbey can be heard ringing under the water, where they sank with the ship taking them to London after the abbey was dismantled. Two churches in Whitby ( Roman Catholic and Anglican ), have been dedicated under her patronage and another, in Bilsborrow , Lancashire . Other Anglican Churches dedicated to St Hilda in Northern England include St Hilda's Church, South Shields , one in
1620-465: Is set into the wall by the entrance to the former chapel of St Hild's College, Durham, which later became part of the College of St Hild and St Bede. The coat of arms of St. Hilda's College, Oxford , includes a curled snake, and the ammonite is used by the college as a symbol. The veneration of Hilda from an early period is attested by the inclusion of her name in the calendar of Saint Willibrord, written at
1701-813: Is situated on the A171 road from Scarborough to Guisborough, which originally passed over the swing bridge . A high level bridge over the Esk Valley was built in 1980 to avoid the bridge and ease congestion in the town centre. The A174 accesses coastal towns to the north and the A169 crosses the North Yorkshire Moors to Pickering. Whitby is on the Yorkshire Coastliner bus route to Leeds , Tadcaster , York, Scarborough, Bridlington , Pickering and Malton . Arriva North East runs bus services connecting Whitby to Scarborough and Middlesbrough. The coastal section of
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#17329026887871782-514: Is the mainstay of Whitby's economy in an isolated community with poor transport infrastructure and restricted by building constraints in the surrounding North York Moors National Park . The economy is governed by the changing fortunes of fishing, tourism and to some extent, manufacturing. Structural changes have led to concentrations of deprivation, unemployment and benefit dependence. A narrowing employment base and dependence on low wage and low skill sectors has resulted in younger age groups leaving
1863-436: Is used for shipping to Europe, especially Scandinavia, and mainly handles grain, steel products, timber and potash . Vessels limited to 3,000 tonnes deadweight tonnage can dock at the wharf, which is able to load or unload two ships simultaneously. As of 2004 , 54,000 square feet (5,000 m ) of dock space is used to store all-weather cargo, with a 17,000-square-foot (1,600 m ) warehouse. Whitby railway station
1944-579: The Bible and do good works. Five men from this monastery later became bishops . Two, John of Beverley , Bishop of Hexham and Wilfrid , Bishop of York, were canonized for their service to the Christian church at a critical period in its fight against paganism. Bede describes Hilda as a woman of great energy, who was a skilled administrator and teacher. As a landowner she had many in her employ to care for sheep and cattle, farming, and woodcutting. She gained such
2025-725: The Domesday Book was compiled in 1086, Whitby was recorded being partially waste and a small settlement lying within the Langbaurgh Wapentake of Yorkshire. Further details reveal the state of Whitby's economic and agricultural decline (when compared with its pre-Conquest state under Earl Siward ) which were due to the depredations of William the Conqueror 's army during the Harrying of the North in 1069–70. In about 1128 Henry I granted
2106-608: The Papal States where he observed that the rock being processed was similar to that under his Guisborough estate. At that time alum was important for medicinal uses, in curing leather and for fixing dyed cloths and the Papal States and Spain maintained monopolies on its production and sale. Chaloner secretly brought workmen to develop the industry in Yorkshire, and alum was produced near Sandsend Ness 3 miles (5 km) from Whitby in
2187-428: The River Esk . It has been a bridging point since at least medieval times and several bridges have spanned the river. The current bridge, built in 1908, is a swing bridge with a 75-foot (23 m) span that separates the upper and lower harbours which have a total area of around 80.1 acres (32.40 ha). The houses are built of brick or stone, often with red pantiled roofs, in narrow, steep streets, on both sides of
2268-417: The pagan king of Mercia . At its foundation, the abbey was an Anglo-Saxon 'double monastery' for men and women. Its first abbess, the royal princess Hild , was later venerated as a saint. The abbey became a centre of learning, and here Cædmon the cowherd was "miraculously" transformed into an inspired poet whose poetry is an example of Anglo-Saxon literature . The abbey became the leading royal nunnery of
2349-576: The ratepayers . A Local Board was formed in 1872, and lasted until Whitby Urban District Council was formed under the Local Government Act 1894 . The townships of Whitby, Ruswarp and Hawsker-cum-Stainsacre were formed into a Parliamentary borough under the Reform Act of 1832 returning one member until the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 . From 1974 to 2023 Whitby was administered as part of
2430-452: The whaler , the Resolution' s catch produced 230 tons of oil. The carcases yielded 42 tons of whale bone used for ' stays ' which were used in the corsetry trade until changes in fashion made them redundant. Blubber was boiled to produce oil for use in lamps in four oil houses on the harbourside. Oil was used for street lighting until the spread of gas lighting reduced demand and
2511-526: The 110-mile (180 km) Cleveland Way National Trail passes through Whitby. Hilda of Whitby Hilda of Whitby (or Hild of Whitby) (c. 614 – 680) was a saint of the early Church in Britain. She was the founder and first abbess of the monastery at Whitby which was chosen as the venue for the Synod of Whitby in 664. An important figure in the Christianisation of Anglo-Saxon England , she
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2592-581: The Anglican Church of Australia, it is on 17 November. In the Church of England however, it is kept on 19 November. In the calendar approved for formerly Anglican Personal Ordinariate and Pastoral Provision parishes in the Roman Catholic Church, the feast day of Saint Hilda is celebrated on 23 June, together with those of Saint Ethelreda , Abbess of Ely (died 679), and Saint Mildred , Abbess of Minster-in-Thanet (died ca. 700). Hilda of Whitby
2673-510: The Borough council was North Yorkshire County Council, which was a non-metropolitan county providing education, transport, highways, fire, waste disposal, social and library services. In April 2023 both councils were replaced by North Yorkshire Council along with all district councils in North Yorkshire. The unitary authority now provides all the services previously provided separately by
2754-497: The Conquest, the area was granted to William de Percy who, in 1078 donated land to found a Benedictine monastery dedicated to St Peter and St Hilda. William de Percy's gift included land for the monastery, the town and port of Whitby and St Mary's Church and dependent chapels at Fyling , Hawsker , Sneaton , Ugglebarnby , Dunsley , and Aislaby , five mills including Ruswarp , Hackness with two mills and two churches. When
2835-721: The Cross Green area of Leeds, one in the Prestwich Area of Manchester, one in the Stretford Area of Manchester, and another in Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne. It was opened in September 1882. There is a statue of St Hilda in the nave, depicting her as the Mother of her Abbey at Whitby. She also appears in a stained glass window at the east end of the church. The church still is active and a sung mass
2916-531: The Harbour Commissioners relinquished responsibility in 1905. A marina was started in 1979 by dredging the upper harbour and laying pontoons. Light industry and car parks occupy the adjacent land. More pontoons were completed in 1991 and 1995. The Whitby Marina Facilities Centre was opened in June 2010. By an Act of 1837 government of the town was entrusted to a board of Improvement Commissioners, elected by
2997-619: The Monastery of Streoneshalh c. 657AD was donated to St Hilda's College (University of Melbourne) by the Whitby Urban Council. This stone is located at the college entrance. St. Hilda's College, University of Toronto is the women's college of University of Trinity College . Saint Hilda is honoured as co-patron (with Our Lady ). Daily services are held in the Lady Chapel by Trinity's Faculty of Divinity. St Hilda's Diocesan High School
3078-647: The Whitby Whale Oil and Gas Company changed into the Whitby Coal and Gas Company. As the market for whale products fell, catches became too small to be economic and by 1831 only one whaling ship, the Phoenix, remained. Whitby benefited from trade between the Newcastle coalfield and London, both by shipbuilding and supplying transport. In his youth the explorer James Cook learned his trade on colliers , shipping coal from
3159-570: The Whitby and Pickering Railway, was the Conservative MP for the town promoted by Hudson as a fellow protectionist . The black mineraloid jet , the compressed remains of ancestors of the monkey-puzzle tree , is found in the cliffs and on the moors and has been used since the Bronze Age to make beads. The Romans are known to have mined it in the area. In Victorian times jet was brought to Whitby by pack pony to be made into decorative items. It
3240-463: The Yorkshire coast, the ships aimed their guns at the signal post on the end of the headland. Whitby Abbey sustained considerable damage in the attack, which lasted ten minutes. The German squadron responsible for the strike escaped despite attempts made by the Royal Navy. During the early 20th century the fishing fleet kept the harbour busy, and few cargo boats used the port. It was revitalised as
3321-464: The abbey burgage in Whitby and permission to hold a fair at the feast of St Hilda on 25 August. A second fair was held close to St Hilda's winter feast at Martinmas . Market rights were granted to the abbey and descended with the liberty . Whitby Abbey surrendered in December 1539 when Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries. By 1540 the town had between 20 and 30 houses and a population of about 200. The burgesses , who had little independence under
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3402-572: The abbey, tried to obtain self-government after the dissolution of the monasteries . The king ordered Letters Patent to be drawn up granting their requests, but it was not implemented. In 1550 the Liberty of Whitby Strand , except for Hackness, was granted to the Earl of Warwick who in 1551 conveyed it to Sir John York and his wife Anne who sold the lease to the Cholmleys. In the reign of Elizabeth I , Whitby
3483-585: The area. Smaller fossils include numerous species of ammonites , or "snake stones", from the Whitby Mudstone Formation (Alum Shale Member) and at Whitby Scar nautiloids in the lower beds of the lias strata. The town's folklore (similar to Keynsham 's in Somerset) has it that fossils were once living serpents that were common in the area. This was until the 7th century AD when Anglo-Saxon Abbess St Hilda of Whitby (614–680), first had to rid
3564-554: The area. There are few business start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises. Older people who make increasing demands on the area's health and social care capacity have moved into the area. Demographic changes, Whitby's relative isolation from the region's main growth areas and decline in traditional employment sectors pose an economic challenge. The town has a variety of self-catering accommodation, holiday cottages, caravans and campsites, and guest houses, inns, bed & breakfast establishments and hotels. The jet industry declined at
3645-460: The beach. The rock strata contain fossils and organic remains including jet. Fossils include the petrified bones of an almost complete crocodile and a specimen of plesiosaurus measuring 15 feet 6 inches (4.72 m) in length, and 8 feet 5 inches (2.57 m) in breadth was discovered in 1841. The Rotunda Museum in Scarborough has a comprehensive collection of fossils from
3726-524: The beginning of the 8th century. According to one tradition, her relics were translated to Glastonbury by King Edmund; another tradition holds that Saint Edmund brought her relics to Gloucester. In the Roman Catholic Church , the feast day of Saint Hilda is 17 November. In some parts of the Anglican Communion , her feast , a Lesser Festival , is on 18 November, while in some others, such as
3807-464: The coast. Lobsters, brown and velvet crabs are important to the local fishery. From May to August, salmon is found in the Esk, and small open boats are licensed to net these off the harbour entrance. There are around 40 licensed angling party boats. The commercial catch is no longer herring but has been replaced by cod, haddock, and other fish caught within 12 miles (19 km) of the coast. A fish market on
3888-522: The end of the 19th century, but eight shops sell jet jewellery, mainly as souvenirs to tourists. In 1996, Whitby West Cliff qualified for a 'Tidy Britain Group Seaside Award'. The town was awarded "Best Seaside Resort 2006", by Which? Holiday magazine. The harbour has a total area of about 80 acres (32 ha) and is used by commercial, fishing and pleasure craft. Inshore fishing, particularly for crustaceans and line fish, takes place along
3969-417: The grounds of Christ Church, New Haven, Connecticut, in a house they called St Hilda's House. The deaconesses of St Hilda's House served the church, the children of the church school, and the poor and orphaned of New Haven until the early 1970s operating a free medicine clinic, soup kitchen and many other ministries. Today, St Hilda's House- Episcopal Service Corps program at Christ Church New Haven has retained
4050-645: The kingdom of Deira , and the burial-place of its royal family. The Synod of Whitby , in 664, established the Roman date of Easter in Northumbria at the expense of the Celtic one. The monastery was destroyed between 867 and 870 in a series of raids by Vikings from Denmark under their leaders Ingwar and Ubba . Its site remained desolate for more than 200 years until after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. After
4131-455: The local economy. The remaining shipbuilding firm, Parkol Marine , is a family-run business on the east side of the river. Founded in 1988, the boatyard has two berths for new build and a dry dock for repairs. St Hilda's Business Centre provides office space for a range of businesses. Whitby Business Park is a 49-acre (20 ha) site located by the A171 road, 2 miles (3 km) from the harbour on
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#17329026887874212-412: The moment of her death the bells of the monastery of Hackness tolled. A nun there named Begu claimed to have witnessed Hilda's soul being borne to heaven by angels. A local legend says that when sea birds fly over the abbey they dip their wings in honour of Saint Hilda. Another legend tells of a plague of snakes which Hilda turned to stone, supposedly explaining the presence of ammonite fossils on
4293-423: The name, and part of the legacy of the St Hilda's deaconesses. St Hilda has become the patron of many schools and colleges all over the world. The College of St Hild and St Bede , Durham, St Hild's Church of England School , Hartlepool , St Hilda's College, Oxford and St Hilda's Collegiate School , Dunedin are named after Saint Hilda. A stone from the 13th century ruins of Whitby Abbey where St Hilda founded
4374-468: The norm in Northumbria. The monks from Lindisfarne , who would not accept this, withdrew to Iona , and later to Ireland . Hilda suffered from a fever for the last seven years of her life, but she continued to work until her death on 17 November 680 AD, at what was then the advanced age of sixty-six. In her last year she set up another monastery, fourteen miles from Whitby, at Hackness . She died after receiving viaticum , and her legend holds that at
4455-571: The occasion near the site of the present York Minster . In 633, Northumbria was overrun by the neighbouring pagan King of Mercia, at which time King Edwin fell in battle. Paulinus accompanied Hilda and Queen Æthelburh and her companions to the Queen's home in Kent. Queen Æthelburh founded a convent at Lyminge and it is assumed that Hilda remained with the Queen-Abbess. Hilda's elder sister, Hereswith , married Ethelric, brother of King Anna of East Anglia , who with all of his daughters became renowned for their Christian virtues. Later, Hereswith became
4536-478: The percentage of women studying at Oxford had risen to near 50 per cent. The symbol of the college is the ammonite of St Hilda and during the centenary, 100 silver ammonites were created; now proudly owned by alumnae of the college in honour of St. Hilda's achievements - and those of the first 100 years of female students at the college. Saint Hilda is generally depicted with a pastoral staff and carrying an abbey church. Often, there are ammonites at her feet. Hilda
4617-422: The port. HMS Endeavour , the ship commanded by Cook on his voyage to Australia and New Zealand, was built in Whitby in 1764 by Tomas Fishburn as a coal carrier named Earl of Pembroke . She was bought by the Royal Navy 1768, refitted and renamed. Whitby developed as a spa town in Georgian times when three chalybeate springs were in demand for their medicinal and tonic qualities. Visitors were attracted to
4698-417: The priests ), is an 11th-century name. Its name was recorded as Hwitebi and Witebi , from the Old Norse from hvítr ( white ) and býr ( village ), in the 12th century, Whitebi in the 13th century and Qwiteby in the 14th century. A monastery was founded at Streanæshealh in 657 AD by King Oswiu or Oswy of Northumbria , as an act of thanksgiving, after defeating Penda ,
4779-401: The quayside operates as need arises. The ready supply of fresh fish has resulted in an abundance of " chippies " in the town, including the Magpie Cafe which Rick Stein has described as the best fish and chip shop in Britain. The Whitby Marina project, jointly funded by Scarborough Borough Council, Yorkshire Forward and the European Regional Development Fund , was developed to diversify
4860-427: The region of snakes. She did so by casting a spell that turned them to stone and then threw them from the cliff tops. Local collectors and dealers in fossils often carved heads on ammonites to increase curiosity value and improve sales. Since 1935, the Whitby Coat of Arms incorporates three snakestones due to this folklore. The Hildoceras genus of ammonite is named in St Hilda's honour. Tourism supported by fishing
4941-477: The reign of James I . Once the industry was established, imports were banned and although the methods in its production were laborious, England became self-sufficient. Whitby grew significantly as a port as a result of the alum trade and by importing coal from the Durham coalfield to process it. Whitby grew in size and wealth, extending its activities to include shipbuilding using local oak timber. In 1790–91 Whitby built 11,754 tons of shipping, making it
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#17329026887875022-462: The river. The town is surrounded on its landward sides by the moorland of the North York Moors National Park and the North Sea abuts it on the seaward side. The coastal areas are designated part of the North Yorkshire and Cleveland Heritage Coast . The harbour and the mouth of the River Esk are on a geological fault . On the east side the cliff is tall, 187 feet (57 m), and consists of alternating layers of shale, sandstone and clay . On
5103-416: The shore. Local artisans carved snakes' heads onto ammonites, and sold these as relics, "evidence" of her miracle. In fact, the ammonite genus Hildoceras takes its scientific name from St. Hilda. The coat of arms of nearby Whitby includes three such 'snakestones', and depictions of ammonites appear in the shield of the University of Durham 's College of St Hild and St Bede . A carved ammonite stone
5184-603: The southern outskirts of the town. Companies on the park include Supreme Plastics, Whitby Seafoods Ltd and Botham's of Whitby alongside major retailers, Homebase and Sainsbury's . The east coast has limited conventional energy generation capacity, but Whitby is the closest port to a proposed development on Dogger Bank , ideally placed to provide the offshore wind power industry with support vessel operations and logistics. The Dogger Bank wind farm could include up to 2,600 giant 400-foot (120 m) turbines covering more than 3,300 square miles (850,000 ha). Whitby's port
5265-411: The third largest shipbuilder in England, after London and Newcastle. Taxes on imports entering the port raised money to improve and extend the town's twin piers, improving the harbour and permitting further increases in trade. In 1753 the first whaling ship set sail to Greenland and by 1795 Whitby had become a major whaling port. The most successful year was 1814 when eight ships caught 172 whales, and
5346-502: The town leading to the building of "lodging-houses" and hotels, particularly on the West Cliff. In 1839, the Whitby and Pickering Railway connecting Whitby to Pickering and eventually to York was built, and played a part in the town's development as a tourism destination. George Hudson , who promoted the link to York, was responsible for the development of the Royal Crescent which was partly completed. For 12 years from 1847, Robert Stephenson , son of George Stephenson , engineer to
5427-422: The two councils. At the lowest level of governance Whitby has a town council which, for election and administrative purposes, is divided into six electoral wards represented by 19 councillors responsible for burial grounds, allotments, play areas and street lighting. Elections to the town council are held every four years. In the UK Parliament , the town is represented by Alison Hume of the Labour Party , who
5508-573: The upper west side of Manhattan in New York City is St Hilda's and St Hugh's School, an independent Episcopal day school that opened its doors in 1950. The school is coeducational and includes toddlers to grade eight. St Hilda is honoured in Singapore in the St. Hilda's primary and secondary schools. During the British Empire in India , Anglican missionaries built "St Hilda Boarding School" at Miri-Maka . There are two St Hilda's CofE Primary Schools in Manchester - one in Prestwich , one in Firswood . St Hilda's School, Ootacamund, southern India
5589-432: The west side the cliff is much lower and has a deep capping of boulder clay over a sandstone base making it less stable and liable to slippage. Both cliffs are being eroded quite rapidly. The town is a coastal stretch known as the Dinosaur Coast or the Fossil Coast, the area is around 35 miles (56 km) long and stretches from Staithes in the north and south to Flamborough . At Whitby dinosaur footprints are visible on
5670-431: The widowed Edwin married the Christian princess Æthelburh of Kent , daughter of King Æthelberht of Kent and the Merovingian princess Bertha of Kent . As part of the marriage contract, Aethelburh was allowed to continue her Roman Christian worship and was accompanied to Northumbria with her chaplain, Paulinus of York , a Roman monk sent to England in 601 to assist Augustine of Canterbury . Augustine's mission in England
5751-423: Was a small fishing port. In 1635 the owners of the liberty governed the port and town where 24 burgesses had the privilege of buying and selling goods brought in by sea. Burgage tenure continued until 1837, when by an Act of Parliament, government of the town was entrusted to a board of Improvement Commissioners, elected by the ratepayers. At the end of the 16th century Thomas Chaloner visited alum works in
5832-630: Was abbess in several convents and recognised for the wisdom that drew kings to her for advice. The source of information about Hilda is the Ecclesiastical History of the English People by Bede in 731, who was born approximately eight years before her death. He documented much of the Christian conversion of the English . According to Bede, Hilda was born in 614 into the Deiran royal household. She
5913-462: Was at the peak of its popularity in the mid-19th century when it was favoured for mourning jewellery by Queen Victoria after the death of Prince Albert . The advent of iron ships in the late 19th century and the development of port facilities on the River Tees led to the decline of smaller Yorkshire harbours. The Monks-haven launched in 1871 was the last wooden ship built in Whitby, and
5994-528: Was based in Kent, and is referred to as the Gregorian mission after the pope who sent him. As queen, Æthelburh continued to practise her Christianity and no doubt influenced her husband's thinking as her mother Bertha had influenced her father. In 627, King Edwin was baptised on Easter Day, 12 April, along with his entire court , which included the 13-year-old Hilda, in a small wooden church hastily constructed for
6075-707: Was donated to the museum on his death. The mummy was purchased for £15 by Thomas Sheppard, the then curator of the Hull Municipal Museum, in 1930 and is now at the Hands On History Museum in Kingston upon Hull . 54°29′08″N 0°37′18″W / 54.485430°N 0.621670°W / 54.485430; -0.621670 This article relating to a museum in the United Kingdom is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Whitby Whitby
6156-542: Was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Scarborough and Whitby constituency in 2024 . In the three wards that make up the Whitby district of North Yorkshire, out of a population of 13,596 there are 10,286 who stated that their religion was Christian in the 2001 UK census. There were 19 Muslims, 17 Buddhists, 12 Jews, 3 Sikhs and 499 people had no religious affiliations. St Mary's Church
6237-627: Was established by Church of England sisters in 1895. Hilda appears as a main character in the 1994 novel Absolution by Murder , the first book in Peter Tremayne 's Sister Fidelma mysteries . Hilda appears as a main character in Melvyn Bragg 's 1996 novel, Credo . The 2013 novel Hild and 2023 sequel Menewood by Nicola Griffith is based on the life of Hilda. Jill Dalladay 's 2015 novel The Abbess of Whitby combines historical record and fiction to imagine Hilda's life before she became
6318-652: Was in the Celtic style, with its members living in small houses, each for two or three people. The tradition in double monasteries, such as Hartlepool and Whitby, was that men and women lived separately but worshipped together in church. The exact location and size of the church associated with this monastery is unknown. Bede states that the original ideals of monasticism were maintained strictly in Hilda's abbey. All property and goods were held in common; Christian virtues were exercised, especially peace and charity . Everyone had to study
6399-667: Was mined locally, and Whitby jet jewellery was fashionable during the 19th century. Tourism started in Whitby during the Georgian period and developed with the arrival of the railway in 1839. The abbey ruin at the top of the East Cliff is the town's oldest and most prominent landmark. Other significant features include the swing bridge , which crosses the River Esk and the harbour sheltered by grade II listed east and west piers . There are statues of Captain Cook and William Scoresby , and
6480-629: Was succeeded as abbess by Eanflæd , widow of King Oswiu, and their daughter, Ælfflæd . From then onward we know nothing about the abbey at Whitby until it was destroyed by the Danish invaders in 867. After the Norman conquest that began in 1066 AD, monks from Evesham re-founded the abbey as a Benedictine house for men. Thus it continued until the Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII in 1539. There
6561-544: Was the second daughter of Hereric, nephew of Edwin, King of Deira and his wife, Breguswīþ. When Hilda was still an infant, her father was poisoned while in exile at the court of the Brittonic king of Elmet in what is now West Yorkshire . In 616, Edwin defeated Æthelfrith , the son of Æthelric of Bernicia , in battle. He created the Kingdom of Northumbria and took its throne. Hilda was brought up at King Edwin's court. In 625,
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