Another day in gothic paradise (or is that hell?) I am learning a lot about this little shipbuilding and fishing port nestled at the mouth of the River Esk in North Yorkshire... This place is more Goth than Gotham City. With the constant drizzle, dark skies and the regular whistle of the steam trains from the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, Whitby could be the setting for any Tim Burton movie.
Whitby Abbey was founded in the seventh century on cliffs by the sea; its haunting remains can still be seen from the sea and are a testament to the Golden Age of Northumbria. The Abbey and its 199 steps down to the harbour were the inspiration for Bram Stoker using Whitby as the setting for his novel Dracula. There are plenty of reminders that Whitby is the place where Dracula came ashore all those years ago and there are plenty of museums dedicated to the neck-biting vampire. It is also a busy fishing and tourist town and if you’re a fan of Heartbeat (eh Bill?) you’ll probably recognise a lot of the places in Whitby as they quite often film parts of the programme here. The town itself is a former whaling port built at the mouth of the river Esk and rises steeply from the river on both banks.
Who's heard of Whitby Jet ? (no not the local basketball or american footbal team). All you old buggers will have - because your parents probably hankered after some of it, or may even have been fortunate enough to own some (usually in the form of jewellery or ornaments.) Whitby Jet is known the world over for its beautiful soft texture, dense black colour and very high polish. The Victorians were apparantly great 'mourners' and the black art of mourning was symbolised by the wearing of jet - usually in the form of broaches or pendants. There are two theories how jet was formed. The first is that jet is a form of carbon - a coal, not unlike lignite. The second, more widely accepted theory, is that in the days of the Saurians, the Dinosaur, Tyrannosaur and others, trees grew to great heights and the sap from some of them flowed down the trunks and filled hollows nearby. Covered by earth, leaves and other natural debris, these seams of sap hardened over millions of years until they were exposed as jet or amber.The Cook Museum recalls the life and times of Captain Cook, the explorer who lived here from 1746 to 1749. There are a few slot machine arcades, but nothing too tacky. The end of this walkway opens out onto the jetty, which curves out to sea to protect the harbour from the elements. On the top of the cliffs there is the famous Whitby landmark of two whalebones made into an arch.
I am now running the risk of sounding like that flowery shirted, white suited, Lawrence Llywelyn 'big cuffs, girlie hair' Bowen. But with no boating again today, I feel compelled to give you my impressions of Whitby and what has made this place so popular over the years.
I shall sign off now as my brother Chris is due to arrive any second to take me for fish and chips... (last of the big spenders). Very kind of him to pop-over as I have been companionless for 24 hours now... Forecast is improving tomorrow... here's hoping. Speak soon.... Tim
