Church Street by suvanki
Church Street was originally made up of several short streets, and it's irregular plan, that can still be recognised today, dates back from medieval times. Church Street played an important role as part of the commercial centre of Whitby. The Market Place was built in 1640, with a toll booth.
Records show that fishing vessel owners lived here around 1400. Development in the herring trade, resulted in a growth in population and housing. (About 3,000 lived here in 1700, and upto 4,938 in 1816)
The jet industry also meant that workshops were a common sight around Church Street, with shops and a few workshops continuing today.
Public Houses were to be found here, with at least 20 at one time.
The White Horse & Griffin was a meeting place for Whale Boat captains, and Charles Dickens dined here in 1884.
It was also important as a staging Inn, developing the horse drawn goods trading centre for the area, as the owners, and their horses had somewhere to eat, drink and rest.
Walking along Church Street, you can see evidence of its history, by the buildings and cobbled roadway. 188 buildings on this street are listed as national or historical interest.
Narrow ghauts (passageways) and yards lead off the Street. Some with interesting names, such as Arguements Yard! A popular photo opp!
Nowadays, there are many interesting shops and cafes to keep the visitor busy.
It can become quite crowded during the summer months, but out of season, early morning, or late evening, you can imagine life during earlier times.
