Crowds of visitors flock to Whitby to explore the ancient abbey, walk
the narrow streets, pass Captain Cook's home and see the replica of his
ship Endeavour, but the history of Whitby is much richer, as revealed in
this tour of its significant, interesting and unusual buildings. After
the Dissolution of the Monasteries the Cholmley family took over much of
the abbey's lands, building a grand home and developing the port and
local industries. Whitby became one of the busiest ports in the land and
magnificent Georgian buildings testify to the wealth brought into the
town, not least through whale hunting. Other grand buildings of this
time were constructed on wealth from the elsewhere, including slave
plantations in the Caribbean. The town has also preserved the more
modest homes of sailors and fishermen, including charitable housing, and
the continuing connection with the sea is also represented by
lighthouses, the foghorn station and lifeboat stations. More recently
Whitby has become a holiday destination, with Victorian and more recent
hotels, cinemas and a lido built for the use of visitors and local
inhabitants. Whitby in 50 Buildings explores the history of this
fascinating Yorkshire coastal resort through a selection of its most
interesting buildings and structures, showing the changes that have
taken place over the years. The book will appeal to all those who live
in Whitby or who know it well.
