Historic churches · Yorkshire & the Humber
The Church Stairs
In or near Whitby.
The Church Stairs — a Grade I-listed church in england-yorkshire, United Kingdom.
John S Turner — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 30 min–1 h
- Nearest railway station
- Whitby · 0.5 km
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit The Church Stairs, the nearest railway station is Whitby, located 0.5 km away. Entry is free, but please note that the site is not wheelchair accessible.
About
The Church Stairs is a Grade I-listed building in england-yorkshire, United Kingdom. Grade I status is conferred by Historic England (or Cadw, Historic Environment Scotland or NIEA equivalents) on buildings of exceptional national interest. See the linked Wikipedia article for full historical and architectural details.
Photo gallery
Official information
Whitby Abbey is a historic 13th-century Gothic abbey located above the town of Whitby, offering visitors stunning views of the coastline and the opportunity to explore its extensive ruins. The site has a rich history, having been an important religious center since its founding in the 7th century, and features a visitor centre that showcases artifacts related to its long past.
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: North York Moors SSSI
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
The Whitby 199 steps (also known as The Church Stairs and Jacob's Ladder), is a grade I listed structure between the Old Town and St Mary's Church, in Whitby, North Yorkshire, England. The 199 steps have been recorded since at least 1370, and until the 1770s, were made of wood. The flight of steps was viewed as a measure of the Christian determination of pilgrims up to Whitby Abbey (and later, the church), and have also served as a tourist attraction being mentioned in the book Dracula, by Bram Stoker.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
The first mention of the steps is in a document from 1370, though it has been surmised that the pathway at least existed before this time as the Church of St Mary on the clifftop had been in existence since the 12th century. Sometimes referred to as Jacob's Laddera reference to a similar biblical allusionthe 199 steps were the most direct route from the town to the church for funeral processions. The steps were seen by some as the commitment of Christians in the town, having to travail to worship; however, some of the infirm were unable to climb the steps. This led to a new church being built on the west side of town in 1778, named St Ninians. In the 18th century, an act to bring all roads,…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 54.4888, -0.6112
- District
- North Yorkshire
- Parish
- Whitby
- Postcode
- YO22 4DP
- Parliamentary constituency
- Scarborough and Whitby
- Nearest railway station
- Whitby — 0.5 km
- Official site
- www.english-heritage.org.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q17526198 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Whitby 199 steps (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Donkey Road
Historic houses · 0.0 km
199 Steps
Natural landmarks · 0.0 km
Whitby Jet Heritage Centre
Museums · 0.1 km
Tate Hill Pier
Piers · 0.1 km
Church of Saint Mary, Whitby
Historic churches · 0.1 km
Tate Hill Beach
Beaches · 0.1 km
Garden walls and gatepiers to the Abbey House
Holy wells · 0.2 km
Whitby Abbey Cross
Abbeys & priories · 0.2 km
Hadleys Fish Restaurant
Restaurants · 0.2 km
Polar Bear
Public art & sculpture · 0.2 km
Bridgender
Public art & sculpture · 0.2 km
Cholmley House
Gardens · 0.2 km
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is The Church Stairs?
- The Church Stairs is in Yorkshire, United Kingdom (postcode YO22 4DP), in the parish of Whitby.
- What is The Church Stairs?
- The Church Stairs — a Grade I-listed church in england-yorkshire, United Kingdom.
- How do I get to The Church Stairs?
- The nearest railway station is Whitby, about 0.5 km away. Drivers can use postcode YO22 4DP.
- Is The Church Stairs a listed building?
- The Church Stairs is officially recognised as Grade I listed.
- Is The Church Stairs a protected site?
- Yes — The Church Stairs is part of the North York Moors SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest.
- Is The Church Stairs free to visit?
- Yes, The Church Stairs is free to enter.
- How do I get to The Church Stairs?
- The nearest railway station is Whitby, about 0.5 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode YO22 4DP.