Whitby Abbey

A visit to Whitby is not complete without seeing the dramatic and iconic medieval ruins of Whitby Abbey. They stand on a headland overlooking the harbour. The original Saxon buildings have long vanished. The more recent church building was constructed between the 12th and 15th centuries, and was dedicated to St Peter and St Hild, the latter being the name of the first Saxon abbess. History and stories ooze out of the ground hereabouts. The ruins inspired Bram Stoker, when he was writing Dracula. The Synod of Whitby in 664 decided the fate of the English Church. The Germans shelled it in 1914. The abbey was dissolved in 1539 and the property was acquired by the Cholmley family, who demolished most of the buildings.  In the 17th century, the old abbot’s house was refurbished into a family home and part of that now forms the interesting visitor centre. Mostly, thought, it’s just great strolling through the abbey. Inevitably, there’s at least one ghost – the most famous is known as ‘the white lady’.