Yorkshire holiday 11
The headland above the fishing port of Whitby, North Yorkshire is home both to Whitby Abbey (see yesterday) and the ancient parish church of St Mary's. The church is a squat fortress, built to withstand the elements in its exposed position. Its history dates back to Norman times though the interior, with its box pews, wooden galleries and elaborate three tier pulpit, is mostly late 18th century.
The graveyard has memorials to sailors and fishermen, buried there and lost at sea, a tomb for the wealthy Cholmleys who lived in a mansion by the Abbey, and hundreds of ordinary folk from the old town below. Genealogists might have a hard time finding their forebears, since most of the gravestones are heavily weathered and largely unreadable. I was rather attracted to this carved face of what looks like a fisherwoman. Her expression, to me, bears witness to a hard life.
Some of the box pews are labelled. The congregation would have paid to use them, though there are pews 'For Strangers only' and one labelled 'Church Maid' and 'Sexton': the people who would have looked after the church and church yard and kept the pews clean, no easy feat when the heating was provided by an ancient, smoking wood stove.
No easy feat either to transport a coffin up the 199 steps from the old town to the church (see top picture) ... though the wealthy would have hired a horse and cart and used the steep road at the side.
The church is the setting for a scene in Bram Stoker's novel 'Dracula' and Whitby holds regular 'Goth weekends', being a magnet for those who enjoy Goth music, fiction and fashion.
When I was young Whitby harbour was jam-packed full of North Sea fishing boats. They were built of wood and had beautiful sea-friendly lines. I can still hear the sea-gulls. In a severe 1953 storm Whitby RNLI life-boat was thrown upside down onto the beach all crew members were lost at sea.
ReplyDeleteI can see that church having an unsettling effect at night.
ReplyDeleteA very practical building, it's place in the community being one that's high and hard to get to, but important!
ReplyDeleteYou had to work hard to get up the stairs for a service.
ReplyDeleteI smiled at the 199 steps Jenny, I could just imagine the stone mason getting to 199, so close to the 200, and going 'eh enough already' 😊 St Mary's is a lovely old church.. in the daylight, I can see it would be perfect for a scary movie in the dark of night 😊
ReplyDeleteThe carved face is evocative, indeed!
ReplyDelete