How Whitby has changed through the ages

With a wealth of history dating back to the Vikings, here's a brief look at how Whitby's changed through the ages

While you’re enjoying a short break in one of our Whitby holiday cottages, you’re likely to get distracted by the local activities and sites. You might spend a day on the beach, enjoying donkey rides, playing in the sea and building sand castles. You might make your way to the arcades and enjoy the video games or try your luck on the 2p machines. For many, simply walking round the town, taking in the sights and sounds is enough. Enjoying these activities is perfectly fine, but you might be surprised as to how they link in with Whitby’s wealth of history.

How Whitby Has Grown 

Although Whitby dates back to around the year 656, it wasn’t until the middle ages that Whitby really started to grow as a town. In fact Whitby’s growth arguably emerged and grew thanks to having a thriving fishing port and was home to many whaling and herring fishing fleets. Through the port, Whitby has been home to many famous names, but perhaps one name stands out amongst the rest and is now synonymous with Whitby. That person is of course the renowned explorer Captain Cook.  In fact, Whitby was the port where Captain Cook learnt his trade in seamanship. Enjoying a growing community, Whitby’s true success and tourism came as a by-product of the new railway. The railway was built in 1839 and for the first time granted easy access into the town. A combination of the North Yorkshire Moors, association with Bram Stocker’s Dracula and Captain Cook has made it an ideal location for holiday makers, of all ages.

Building On Success

While many coastal towns have struggled in recent times, Whitby continues to move from strength to strength. With historic attractions, such as the famous Abbey and the huge Whale Bone arch, combined with museums, arcades, restaurants and vibrant night life Whitby truly caters for everyone. There’s so much to see and do that in fact, taking the time to stay in one of our Shoreline Holiday Cottages is the best way to see everything.

For more information about Shoreline Holiday Cottages please contact us on 01947 668888 or email us at enq@shoreline-cottages.com