Buildings trace the history and development in this area as clearly as documentary evidence. Overlooking the sea at Robin Hoods Bay and elsewhere are numerous Bronze Age burial mounds, evidence of early settlement in the area. Saxon churches dot the region and later the Vikings invaded and eventually settled leaving a legacy of village sites with names such as Boulby, Whitby and Scalby. The next important invasion came in the 11th century and left its mark with impressive castles and abbeys. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 16th century there followed a period of relative quiet with the next boom arriving with the Victorians.

The beginning of the industrial age led to the development of railways and an extensive building programme, particularly along the coastline. Tourism had arrived!

The last threatened invasion of the coast also left its mark with the remains of wartime defence structures such as concrete pill boxes.

As well as buildings, each age also leaves a legacy of art and craft. This can be seen in such diverse situations as the carved crosses and gravestones in local churches to the paintings of the Staithes group of artists. Modern examples are the various sculptures sited along the coast.

• The Natural World
• Buildings and Architecture
• Working Now and Then
• Historic Routes
• Culture & Traditions