Abbeys & priories · Yorkshire & the Humber
Whitby Abbey
In or near Whitby.
Whitby Abbey is a abbey in the United Kingdom.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
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Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 45 min–1.5 h
- Nearest railway station
- Whitby · 0.6 km
- Paid entry
- Family-friendly
- Wheelchair accessible
Getting there & planning your visit
Whitby Abbey is located at postcode YO22 4JT and is accessible via the nearest railway station, Whitby, which is 0.6 km away. Admission is paid, but the site is wheelchair accessible.
About
Whitby Abbey is an abbey, priory, or monastic site in the United Kingdom. Records date its origin to AD 657. Built in the Gothic architecture style. Heritage designation: scheduled monument. Affiliated with Catholicism. Owned by English Heritage. Managed by English Heritage. Address: YO22 4JT. Coordinates: 54.4880°, -0.6075°.
Photo gallery
Heritage listing
Whitby Abbey was a 7th-century Christian monastery that later became a Benedictine abbey. The abbey church was situated overlooking the North Sea on the East Cliff above Whitby in North Yorkshire, England, a centre of the medieval Northumbrian kingdom. The abbey and its possessions were confiscated by the crown under Henry VIII during the dissolution of the monasteries between 1536 and 1545. Since that time, the ruins of the abbey have continued to be used by sailors as a landmark at the headland. Since the 20th century, the substantial ruins of the church have been declared a Grade I Listed building and are in the care of English Heritage.
From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.
Summary from the official site
Whitby Abbey features the ruins of a historic abbey perched on a cliff overlooking the fishing port of Whitby. Visitors can explore the museum that showcases the area's rich history, including tales of St Hild and connections to Bram Stoker's Dracula.
Read more on the official property page.
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: Whitby-Saltwick SSSI
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: North York Moors SSSI
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Whitby Abbey was a 7th-century Christian monastery that later became a Benedictine abbey. The abbey church was situated overlooking the North Sea on the East Cliff above Whitby in North Yorkshire, England, a centre of the medieval Northumbrian kingdom. The abbey and its possessions were confiscated by the crown under Henry VIII during the dissolution of the monasteries between 1536 and 1545. Since that time, the ruins of the abbey have continued to be used by sailors as a landmark at the headland. Since the 20th century, the substantial ruins of the church have been declared a Grade I Listed building and are in the care of English Heritage. The site museum is housed in Cholmley House, a 17th-century banqueting hall repurposed by design studio Stanton Williams in 2002.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
- Coordinates
- 54.4880, -0.6075
- District
- North Yorkshire
- Parish
- Whitby
- Postcode
- YO22 4JT
- Parliamentary constituency
- Scarborough and Whitby
- Phone
- 01947 603568
- Established
- 657
- Nearest railway station
- Whitby — 0.6 km
- Opening
- Daily 10am - 5pm; last entry at 4.30pm
- Official site
- www.english-heritage.org.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q1469493 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Whitby Abbey (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Whitby Abbey (ruins) 2013-09-04 11-25-09.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Whitby Abbey?
- Whitby Abbey is in Yorkshire, United Kingdom (postcode YO22 4JT), in the parish of Whitby.
- What is Whitby Abbey?
- Whitby Abbey is a abbey in the United Kingdom.
- How do I get to Whitby Abbey?
- The nearest railway station is Whitby, about 0.6 km away. Drivers can use postcode YO22 4JT.
- When was Whitby Abbey built?
- Built or established in 657.
- Who runs Whitby Abbey?
- Whitby Abbey is operated by English Heritage.
- Is Whitby Abbey a listed building?
- Whitby Abbey is officially recognised as scheduled monument listed.
- Is Whitby Abbey a protected site?
- Yes — Whitby Abbey is part of the Whitby-Saltwick SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the North York Moors SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest.
- How do I get to Whitby Abbey?
- The nearest railway station is Whitby, about 0.6 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode YO22 4JT.