Whitby

Let’s stand at the sash window of Alice Cottage, a once upon a time fisherman’s family home. We are on the second floor of three, with a room on each floor. The headland and the dramatic Saint Mary’s church with Whitby Abbey are at the top of the cliff, while the river Esk and the sea are all at low tide. The town follows the curve of the bay.

The first place to discover at the top of an impressive flight of stairs is Saint Mary’s with an 18th century interior but dating back to the 12th century.

Come inside.

Here is a large 3- decker pulpit. What could those tubes be for? The preacher’s wife was deaf. He spoke down those wide tubes and the sound of his words would get to her. Enlarge the photograph and read the story. Then the box pews…

People sat in groups. Each box had a door and a circle of benches. Each family could have their own box. The internal space of the church is vast and the ten commandments are written on large wooden boards.

Walking out of the church through the graveyard one is aware of the dramatic 13th century gothic ruins of Whitby Abbey.

It is a pleasure to see the daisies on the lawn and in this 13th century architecture.

The day is very warm almost 27ºC and we soon walk down the steps and into the town. There are fascinating antique shops, charity shops, herbal and health shops amongst outdoor clothes shops and speciality shops, but as we cross the bridge children are crabbing with bacon on hooks tied to fishing lines. They then use nets and carefully disconnect the claws from the holes of the net to place them in clear buckets of water. The children are doing really well with a few crabs in each bucket. My attention is then drawn by this shop I won’t take you in, I spent more time than Roy had patience for.

From a squirrel to teddies, dolls and…

…oh, look I did take you inside.

Whitby, so much to make you want more time in, it is located directly on the North Sea Coast of North Yorkshire, England. A port town, an historic fishing port where an important person lived a few doors down from Alice cottage. There is this plaque which reads: ” Dora Walker 1890-1980. The first female fishing boat skipper on the North East Coast. Lived here 1939.” Dora’s boat was called ‘Good Faith.’ She became an author, writing her memoirs and also the history and tales of the fishing community in Whitby, and the North East coast. Her father was a blanket manufacturer, her one sister became an artist the other a secretary to Ramsey Mac Donald, her brother was Sir Ronald Walker. A family with varying interests.

The gulls, crabs, fish, chips,

The sun, wind, sea, clouds and rain.

Whitby in April!

Take care,

Sandy 🙂

Five nights and four days to remember with affection I am now 70!