Editing Whitby (section)

==Landmarks==
[[File:Swing bridge over the River Esk (geograph 7150984).jpg|left|thumb|Whitby Bridge, spanning the River Esk, opens to allow shipping access to the upper harbour.]]
The swing bridge spanning the Esk divides the upper and lower harbours and joins the east and west sides of the town. Whitby developed as an important bridging point of the River Esk and in 1351 permission was granted for [[toll bridge|tolls]] to be taken on the bridge for its maintenance. In 1609 a survey for a new bridge was commissioned while in 1628 it was described as a drawbridge where men raised planks to let vessels pass and tolls were collected. The bridge posts were rebuilt in stone at a cost of £3,000 in 1766. This structure was replaced by a four-arched bridge between 1833 and 1835, one arch made of [[cast iron]] swivelled to allow vessels to pass.<ref name=vch/><ref name = tde/> This bridge was replaced between 1908 and 1909 by the current electric swing bridge.<ref>{{cite web |title=Whitby Bridge |url=http://yorkshireports.co.uk/content/whitby/bridge.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070124072938/http://www.yorkshireports.co.uk/content/whitby/bridge.aspx |archive-date=24 January 2007 |access-date=19 July 2011 |website=Yorkshire Ports |publisher=Scarborough Borough Council}}</ref>

The bridge allowed the town to spread onto the west bank, whilst the east bank, the Haggerlythe, is dominated by St Mary's Church and the ruins of Whitby Abbey which is owned by [[English Heritage]]. St Mary's Church is a grade I [[listed building]] on the site of a Saxon church. The church's ancient foundation dates from the 12th&nbsp;century. Over time it has been extensively altered and enlarged but retains several features including [[box pews]]. The East Cliff is quite a distance by road from the church, the alternative is to climb [[Whitby 199 steps|the 199 steps]] of the "Church Stairs" or use the footpath called "Caedmon's Trod".<ref>{{cite web |title=Background Information: Whitby Abbey |url=http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.17365 |access-date=1 December 2009 |publisher=English Heritage |archive-date=5 September 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090905122548/http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.17365 |url-status=live }}</ref> The stone stairs, which replaced the original wooden steps, were built about 200 years ago and renovated between 2005 and 2006. There are landings originally assisting coffin bearers on their journey to the graveyard on the cliff top.<ref>{{cite web |title=199 Steps Church Stairs |url=http://www.whitbysights.co.uk/whitby-history/199stepschurchstairs.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120117062109/http://www.whitbysights.co.uk/whitby-history/199stepschurchstairs.html |archive-date=17 January 2012 |access-date=22 July 2011 |publisher=Whitby Sights}}</ref>
{{Infobox lighthouse | qid = Q26545458
| mapframe = no
| location = Whitby<br />[[North Yorkshire]]<br />England
| shape = cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern<ref name="Whitby East Pier">{{cite rowlett|engne|access-date=7 May 2016}}</ref>
| characteristic = occasionally F G
| fogsignal = 1 blast every 30s
| heritage = [[Grade II listed]]<ref name="NHLE 1253731"/>
| module = {{Infobox lighthouse | qid = Q28465912 | embed = yes
| shape = cylindrical lantern on a four legs skeletal structure| managingagent = [[North Yorkshire Council]]}}
}}
{{Infobox lighthouse | qid = Q26552565
| mapframe = no
| location = Whitby<br />[[North Yorkshire]]<br />England
| shape = cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern
| fogsignal = 1 blast every 30s
| heritage = [[Grade II listed]]<ref name="NHLE 1261631"/>
| module = {{Infobox lighthouse | qid = Q28465913 | embed = yes
| shape = cylindrical lantern on a four legs skeletal structure
| managingagent = [[North Yorkshire Council]]}}
}}
The harbour is sheltered by the grade II listed east and west [[pier]]s each with a lighthouse and beacon.<ref name="NHLE 1253731">{{NHLE|num=1253731|desc=West Pier Lighthouse|access-date=21 May 2021}}</ref><ref name="NHLE 1261631">{{NHLE|num=1261631|desc=East Pier Lighthouse|access-date=21 May 2021}}</ref> The west lighthouse, of 1831, is the taller at {{convert|25.5|m|ft|order=flip}} and the east lighthouse, built in 1855, is {{convert|16.5|m|ft|order=flip}} high. On the west pier extension is a foghorn that sounds a blast every 30&nbsp;seconds during fog.<ref>{{cite web |year=2011 |title=Whitby – History |url=http://www.yorkshireports.co.uk/content/whitby/history.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110830040603/http://www.yorkshireports.co.uk/content/whitby/history.aspx |archive-date=30 August 2011 |access-date=21 August 2011}}</ref> New lights were fitted to both the lighthouse towers and the beacons in 2011.<ref>{{cite web |title=Whitby harbour operations and performance report Oct 2011 |url=http://democracy.scarborough.gov.uk/ |access-date=20 January 2015 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> [[Whitby Lighthouse]], operated by [[Trinity House]], is south-east of the town on Ling Hill.

On the West Cliff is a statue of Captain [[James Cook]] who served his apprenticeship in the town, and a whalebone arch, commemorates the whaling industry.<ref>{{cite web |title=Whitby's West Cliff |url=http://www.wonderfulwhitby.co.uk/westcliff.html |access-date=21 August 2011 |archive-date=25 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110625105925/http://www.wonderfulwhitby.co.uk/westcliff.html |url-status=live }}</ref> It is the second such arch, the original is preserved in Whitby Archives Heritage Centre. By the inner harbour is a statue commemorating William Scoresby Sr. (father of [[William Scoresby|William Scoresby Jr.]]), designer of the [[crow's nest]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Whitby Harbour |url=http://www.wonderfulwhitby.co.uk/harbour.html |access-date=7 June 2020 |archive-date=4 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200204151932/http://www.wonderfulwhitby.co.uk/harbour.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

On the outskirts of town to the west is the 19th-century Sneaton Castle built by James Wilson who sold his sugar plantation where he had over 200 slaves and moved to Whitby.<ref>{{cite web |title=James Wilson – Whitby and Sneaton Castle |url=http://www.open2.net/historyandthearts/history/map_james_wilson.html |access-date=19 July 2011 |publisher=Open2 |archive-date=16 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100616054327/http://open2.net/historyandthearts/history/map_james_wilson.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Alongside it is St Hilda's Priory,<ref>{{cite web |title=Sneaton Castle |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-326805-st-hildas-priory-whitby |access-date=9 August 2011 |website=British Listed Buildings Online |archive-date=18 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240418145036/https://c.disquscdn.com/get?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk%2Fimg%2Fprofile.png&key=dumte0ZHE7AE-f6VALgcpQ&h=200 |url-status=live }}</ref> the mother house of the [[Order of the Holy Paraclete]]. The castle was used as a school and is now a conference centre and hotel in association with the priory.