WHITBY, a seaport town of England in the North Riding of Yorkshire, is situated on opposite declivities on both banks of the river Esk, which forms the harbour, and divides the town into two equal parts connected by a draw-bridge which allows ships of 500 tons to pass. The streets are in general narrow and steep, and the houses crowd ed together, but many of the houses are good, and those of the wealthier inhabitants large and elegant. Two or three new and handsome streets have been recently built on the west side of the town. The principal buildings are the town hall, a heavy edi fice of the Tuscan order, a spacious poor's house, a dispensary, and a handsome school-house. The parish church stands on the verge of the cliff on the east side of the town, and is approached by 190 stone steps. There is a chapel of ease on the lower part of the town, and meeting-houses for the Metho dists, who have two chapels, Presbyterians, Inde pendents, Roman Catholics, and Quakers. There is also here a subscription library, and a commo dious reading room. The Union Mill, belonging to 800 proprietors, is an imposing building on the west side of the town. On a high cliff on the east side of the town stand the ruins of the church of the old abbey of Whitby.
The principal manufactures of Whitby are can vas and kelp. Its commerce is very extensive, the inhabitants being largely concerned in the Green land fishery, the coal trade, and the coasting and foreign trade. The quantity of alum rock, and the numerous alum works in the vicinity, alone support an extensive branch of trade. The harbour of Whitby, which is almost artificial, is formed by two stone piers, one of which extends 620 yards, and terminates in a rounded head with embrasures for a battery. In spring tides the depth of water is from 15 to 18 feet. The inner harbour above the bridge is secure and spacious. It is flanked with dockyards for building ships on both sides of the river, and has commodious dry docks. Ship building is carried on to a great extent.
The vicinity of Whitby abounds with numerous fossil remains of great interest, an account of which will be found in Young's History of Iflieby, 1816. Population in 1821 of the township; houses 1429, families 2131, ditto engaged in agriculture, 24, ditto in trade, 676. Total population, 8697.