Once upon a time in Whitby…
“Tell me the facts and I’ll learn. Tell me the truth and I’ll believe. But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever”. (Ancient proverb)
Storytelling is at the heart of what we do. Whitby is a town like no other and the folklore of Whitby and the surrounding area is a rich seam of magical and mythical tales that beg to be told. We’ve selected a few of these Peculiar Tales to retell in our very own way. So step outside the familiar and suspend disbelief as we reveal some of the weird and wonderful stories that we believe make Whitby the Jet Black Jewel of the Yorkshire coast.
St HILDA & THE SNAKESTONES
In the year 657, a virtuous nun travelled to Whitby (then known as Streoneshalh) with the mission to establish an Abbey on the cliffs above the town. After a long and perilous journey, she arrived at the site and found it plagued with serpents of all kinds.
All initial attempts to clear the infested ground failed, so she fervently prayed to purify the land, but her prayers went unanswered. Not deterred from her higher calling, she obtained a whip and, channelling all her divine power, cracked the whip, whereupon the terrified snakes threw themselves over the cliff tops, recoiling and turning to stone.
Hilda (for that was the nun’s name) went on to build a great Abbey that was to become instrumental in the founding of the Christian faith and was the forerunner to the ruined building that stands today. Her wisdom was sought out by Kings and her kindness was known throughout the land. The ‘snakes’, or ammonites as we now know them to be, can still found today on the beaches below the cliff tops. If you’re lucky, you may find one hidden in a nondescript rock, still recoiling from St. Hilda’s wrath.
THE MAHARAJAH OF MULGRAVE
There once was a child king of the Punjab who had land and riches beyond compare and anything his heart desired. Until one day, at the age of just 11, he was dispossessed of all his worldly goods by the British and exiled to England.
His good looks, charm and exoticism established his place in the highest of society and he became a firm favourite of Queen Victoria herself even becoming godfather to some of her children. The restless prince travelled around the country and in 1855, he rented the majestic Mulgrave Estate, not far from Whitby town.
He quickly settled in as a rather eccentric country squire who partook in gentlemanly British pursuits, whilst still dressed in full Sikh regalia befitting his royal birth. Legend has it that the Maharajah kept elephants that were trained to trumpet to announce the commencement of dinner each evening. It is also said that he built the road that connected Whitby and Sandsend purely to accommodate his pet elephants as they so disliked walking on the sandy beach.
Could the sight of a Maharajah parading along the seashore on his majestic elephant really be true - or just a very peculiar Whitby tale?
THE SCORESBY POLAR BEAR
Once upon a time in Whitby a farm boy named William Scoresby, being dissatisfied with feudal life, decided to find his fortune at sea. He travelled far and wide to exotic lands, plotting daring escapes from capture and mastering the skills of the seafaring trade. So adept of body and brain was he, that the ship’s lookout known as the ‘crows nest’ can be attributed to his inventive mind, and his innate ability to navigate meant every whaling ship he commanded was safely led through calm waters, abundant with whales and often returned home full of bounty.
On one such whaling voyage, his crew captured a polar bear cub and brought it back to the ship. Scoresby, enchanted by the bear, spent the voyage home taming and befriending the beast. On his return to Whitby, he tethered the bear to some railings, much to the bemusement of the local people. Being in such a strange environment, the startled cub one day broke free of its tethers and ran amok through the terraces and yards, terrifying the residents. Much to everyone’s surprise, Captain Scoresby calmly approached the rampaging bear, who, on seeing his master, was instantly pacified and proceeded to lick his hand and be led away, much to the relief of the townsfolk.
This peculiar tale, I’m sad to say, does not have a happy ending. The bear was deemed too dangerous after the incident and spent his remaining days in a zoo. The sight of a polar bear swimming in Whitby harbour would never been witnessed again
ROBIN HOOD’S PILLAR
In a time of great hardship there lived an outlaw named Robin Hood. He was beloved by the common folk for his generosity, but pursued by the rich from whom he plundered and stole to give to the poor. Residing in Nottingham, the outlaw decided to travel north with his companion, Little John, to evade capture and ‘lie low’ for a time.
His travels took him to Whitby and, with his fame preceding him, was invited to dine at the Abbey by the Abbot, Richard de Waterville. After a hearty meal and much merriment, the Abbot challenged the pair to pit their archery skills against each other. He desired them to stand atop the Abbey tower and each fire an arrow to see whose could reach the farthest. The guests, feeling most gratified after their feast, agreed to the challenge, with Robin taking up his longbow and firing his arrow with a display of great virtuosity so that it landed at Whitby Laithes, over a mile away.
Unperturbed by such a demonstration, Little John took aim and fired his arrow, which superseded his companion’s by 100 feet, much to the Abbot’s amazement. Legend states that 2 stones we’re erected to mark the point where each arrow struck and remained until the late 1800’s. Today, you can take a stroll down Robin Hood’s Close or nearby Little John’s Close in Laithes and marvel at this very peculiar feat of superhuman swashbuckling skill.
THE MONKEY PUZZLE
The dark and lustrous jet stone is not just an attractive trinket. To some, it is a powerful material that once carried life. The product of the fossilised wood of the ancient Araucaria tree, similar to the Monkey Puzzle trees of today, some believe that jet has the power to attract wisdom and make your life’s meaning more profound, as well as having powerful protective properties against negative energy.
Legend tells us that when jet is worn or carried on the body continuously, it is thought to absorb the bearers soul. It is considered to be a stone of sympathy that can alleviate the suffering of the death of a loved one. Queen Victoria must have believed so, as she took to wearing jet after visiting Whitby whilst in mourning for her beloved Prince Albert.
The Whitby coastline is a rich source of this wondrous natural gemstone and the town is now synonymous with its history. Like the stone itself, Whitby shares many of its characteristics. It is more than just a seaside resort or day trip distraction. Look beyond the lustre, and the town has the ability to make your life’s meaning more profound. It is a wonderful mix of the traditional and the obscure. Where the best of the Great British holiday blends with the alternative, artistic and sometimes bizarre.
THE HAND OF GLORY
When smuggling was Whitby’s stock- in-trade but robbery was punishable by death, thieves would go to great lengths not to be caught in the act and risk their fate at the gallows. The Hand of Glory was a means of avoiding capture for thieves and evil-doers with witchcraft.
A magical charm made from the severed hand of a man hanged for stealing, it was prepared and preserved according to a lengthy ritual. A candle was made using the fat from the corpse and placed in-between the fingers, or the fingers themselves were set alight. Once in possession of such an item, a thief could enter the building they wished to loot, light the candle and recite an incantation to cast the spell which rendered any inhabitant incapable of awaking while the flame still burned. The criminal would then be free to go about their dastardly crime without fear of discovery or capture. The light could only be extinguished and the spell broken by pouring skimmed milk, or blood over the flame.
This may sound too fantastical to be true, but a trip to Whitby Museum will prove this peculiar tale. It’s home to the only known surviving Hand of Glory. Who knows what heinous crimes it has played a part, or in whose possession it has been. Its secrets are safe from us, as are its malevolent powers…for now at least.
THE SOUTH SEA SHILLING
In the village of Staithes, there once lived a promising boy of humble beginnings who worked as an apprentice in Mr Sanderson’s haberdashers, but had bigger dreams of adventures at sea. The boy was forever getting into trouble for his stubborn temperament and restless ways. When he should have been serving customers and learning his trade, he would instead be found daydreaming whilst gazing out to sea, or listening to the local sailors tales of far-off lands and seafaring adventures.
One fateful day, the boy happened to see a bright newly-minted South Sea shilling in the till. He took a shine to the coin and promptly swapped it for one of his own tarnished shillings. Unfortunately, Mr Sanderson had also noticed the attractive coin and on finding it gone, accused the boy, searched his pockets and found it on his person. The boy, naturally claimed his innocence, but was declared guilty by mere possession of the shilling. His temper took the better of him and, angered by the injustice and fuelled by his ambition to go to sea, he ran from the shop and signed up aboard the trading ship, Freelove.
The boy did indeed prove himself to be someone of great promise and one who was destined for a life at sea, as his name was James Cook and his adventures had only just begun…
THE ROHILLA RESCUE
One stormy day in 1914, the newly reconditioned hospital ship, the Rohilla, set off on its maiden voyage from Saltwick Bay bound for Dunkirk, to tend to the wounded of the Great War. But in the early hours, violent storms had run the steamer off-course and at 4am it ran into jagged rocks off the Whitby coast.
Lifeboats from local towns were brought in, but unable to launch boats from the shore, an ambitious plan was hatched. Hundreds of local men attempted to lower a lifeboat from the towering cliffs of the Abbey down to the seas far below. But the prevailing winds prevented them from achieving their objective. Fearing the lives of those on board the sinking ship, the people of Whitby formed a human chain in the waves off the coast to rescue those who had jumped into the sea in a desperate attempt to swim to shore.
After the failed attempts of the brave local rowing boats, it was the newly-purchased motorised lifeboat, the Henry Vernon, that finally rescued the remaining 50 survivors, including the Captain who, true to his station, was the last man to leave the sinking ship with his black cat tucked under his arm. The highest honour of the RNLI, The Gold Medal, was later awarded to the brave lifeboatmen who risked their lives to save those on board the Rohilla. The heroic deeds of the Whitby community can only be rewarded by the retelling of this inspiring tale.
THE PENNY HEDGE
During the reign of King Henry II, three noblemen partook in a wild boar hunt in woods belonging to the Abbot of Whitby. Their great hounds were closing in on their prey when the poor creature happened upon a hermitage occupied by a local monk. The hermit took pity on the boar and allowed him shelter, whereupon the beast laid down and died of exhaustion. The noblemen, much excited by their pursuit, were furious at the discovery of the dead boar and, in their anger, charged the hermit with their staves. As he lay dying, the hermit called for the Abbot. He offered his forgiveness to his murderers on some unusual conditions of penance to absolve their souls.
That is why, every year to this day, on the Eve of Ascension, the ceremony of the Penny Hedge is performed under the supervision of the Bailiff of Fyling on the east bank of Whitby’s upper harbour. At 9am, a ‘hedge’ is constructed using 9 hazel stakes driven into the mud with an ancient mallet and 9 ‘yethers’ or branches interwoven and secured with ‘stout-stowers’. Once completed, there follows 3 blasts on a rams horn and 3 cries of ‘Out on ye’ by the Bailiff. The hedge must remain standing for three tides to comply with the hermit's conditions.
Nobody knows truly how long this ancient ceremony has been taking place, but the residents of Whitby and Fyling are resolute in continuing the tradition to ensure the hermit’s peculiar wishes are are consistently and continuously carried out every year on the alloted day.