|
Whitby town photographs (part three)
Whitby Abbey, town views and the 199 steps.
(Photos © urban75, July 2010)
To get to the Abbey, you can climb the 199 steps to the summit or to use an adjacent footpath called 'Caedmon's Trod.'
There's some amazing views to be had as you climb up to the top, assuming you don't collapse from a surfeit of pies and ale on the way up.
Looking across the harbour at dusk.
The graveyard of St Mary's Church.
The picture may look quite ordinary, but it took some major faffing about with manual controls on my Lumix LX3 camera to get both the stones and the sky exposed. It's an *ace* camera.
Watching the sunset.
St Mary's Church graveyard with Whitby Abbey in the distance.
The twin piers at sunset.
Memorial to Cædmon, St Mary's Churchyard, Whitby.
The inscription reads, 'To the glory of God and in memory of Cædmon the father of English Sacred Song. Fell asleep hard by, 680.'
I'm not sure what falling asleep 'hard' means. Perhaps he had a few ciders too many and banged his head going to bed?
An absolutely stunning sunset greeted us when we walked back into the town.
The sky was blood red and perhaps a little ominous. We're dooooomed!
Walking along one of Whitby's many narrow (and steep) passageways.
Bloke enjoying a cup of tea outside Whitby Market Hall, where there's a small farmers' market.
Craft sale inside the Wesley Hall. There was a till in the pulpit!
Looking out to Whitby.
The
Banqueting House, a former dwelling of Lord Cholmley (built 1669-72), now houses a visitor centre.
Perched on the eastern headland overlooking River Esk and the sea is St. Mary's Church and the famous ruins of Whitby Abbey.
The Abbey was founded in 657 AD by the Anglo-Saxon era King of Northumbria, Oswy (Oswiu) as Streoneshalh (as Whitby was once known). Ol' Oswy appointed Lady Hilda, abbess of Hartlepool Abbey and niece of Edwin the first Christian king of Northumbria, as founding Abbess.
The abbey fell to Viking attack in 867,and remained abandoned until William de Percy rocked into town in 1078 and ordered that the abbey be refounded by Regenfrith (Reinferd) a soldier monk, with the new structure dedicated to St. Peter and St. Hilda.
According to  Wikipedia, it was then called Presteby (meaning the habitation of Priests in Old Norse) then Hwytby; next Whiteby, (meaning the 'white settlement' in Old Norse, probably from the colour of the houses) and finally Whitby.
The second monastery lasted until it was Henry VIII smashed it up in 1540 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, with the abbey buildings falling into ruins and stones scavenged over the centuries.
The ruins are now owned and maintained by English Heritage.
Old houses at the foot of the Abbey steps.
Top notch cake!
Dracula rock.
Weird thing outside a chip shop.
The steam powered bus!
The gang at Whitby platform, waiting for the train back.
« Yorkshire photos home Whitby harbour and piers »
|
|
Whitby Abbey
Camera: