A fishing village in Yorkshire was our next stop on our tour of England. From the moment we pulled into the car park in Whitby, the charm was overwhelming. I reminded me of the quintessential English village.
On the hillside overlooking this bustling canal sits the Whitby Abbey. One of Yorkshire's most remarkable sights stands on a cliff overlooking the sea. Since it is visible for miles from land or sea, it had been a signal station for centuries.
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| Whitby Abbey stands a magnificent reminder of all that have stood and worshiped on that land. |
While the ruins we visited date back to the 13th century, this area was inhabited as early as the eighth century by a strong Anglican community of nuns and monks. Mystery continues to surround this religious community even in the mist of significant archaeological evidence of their presence. This community was invaded and destroyed when the Vikings conquered the coast and raided the abbey.
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| The High Altar in the Presbytery of Whitby Abbey where mass was celebrated. |
After the Viking conquest, Danish settlers established Whitby in tenth century. This settlement remained for centuries. The Whitby Abbey was rebuilt on this site in the late 1220s based upon the mature Early English Gothic architecture. This abbey became a Benedictine monastery. As we strolled the grounds, the grandeur of the abbey was evident. The Benedictines had a reputation for demolishing smaller churches to erect colossal structures to display their wealth.
The Gothic-style architecture is evident in all aspects of this abbey. This architecture was influential as Bram Stoker was writing
Dracula.
My favorite time of this outing was our walk along the bluffs. The fields were beautiful as were the rustic doors along the path.
We ended the trip by walking out on the piers where the lighthouses stand watch over the sea. The lighthouses against the sunset and sea were serene and breathtaking. I fell in love with the charming seaside and rustic bluffs of this town. This seaside village has found its way onto my list of favorite places to visit. As I plan my next visit, remember the lights are always on!
