Whitby Abbey, Gothic abbey ruins in Whitby, England
Whitby Abbey is a limestone monastic ruin on a cliff above the North Sea in Whitby, England. The twin towers and pointed arches remain visible from the water and shape the skyline along the coastline.
King Oswiu of Northumbria founded a monastery here in 657 and appointed Lady Hilda as abbess. The present ruins date from a later abbey built in the 13th and 14th centuries following the Norman Conquest.
This site hosted a major church gathering in the seventh century where King Oswiu chose between Roman and Celtic practices for calculating feast days. The decision shaped religious life across Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and brought England closer to continental church customs for centuries afterward.
English Heritage manages the site and offers guided walks, learning activities, and a museum inside nearby Cholmley House. The climb from town involves 199 steps, but a car park sits close to the entrance as well.
German warships shelled the ruin in 1914 during World War I while aiming at a signal post nearby. The damage to the already crumbling structure remains visible on some wall sections today.
Location: Whitby
Inception: 657
Founders: Oswiu of Northumbria
Architectural style: Gothic architecture
Website: http://english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/whitby-abbey
GPS coordinates: 54.48800,-0.60751
Latest update: December 13, 2025 16:40
Church of Saint Mary, Whitby
177 m
The Church Stairs
258 m
Cholmley House
72 m
Fortunes Whitby Kippers
250 m
Whitby Abbey Cross
126 m
16 And 18, Henrietta Street
260 m
No 17 White Horse Yard
232 m
No 16 White Horse Yard
238 m
12 And 14, Henrietta Street
261 m
28 And 30, Henrietta Street
251 m
Nos 4-6 White Horse Yard
232 m
The Abbey House
95 m
Whitby Youth Hostel
128 m
11, Borough Place
239 m
Garden walls and gatepiers to the Abbey House
103 m
20, Henrietta Street
255 m
Workshop Owned By Number 14 Blackburn's Yard
226 m
9 And 10, Borough Place
245 m
No 15 Blackburn's Yard
243 m
26, Henrietta Street
251 m
37, Henrietta Street
264 m
9, Clark's Yard, Church Street
226 m
35, Henrietta Street
266 m
No 14 Blackburn's Yard
245 m
Whitby Abbey
83 m
Scenic viewpoint
189 m
Scenic viewpoint
216 m
Scenic viewpoint
207 mVisited this place? Tap the stars to rate it and share your experience / photos with the community! Try now! You can cancel it anytime.
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