Hi Everybody,Here I am home again from my lovely weekend away.
Of course a visit to Whitby would not be complete without the climb up 199 stone steps to the ruined Abbey and St Mary's Church at the top.
It is a long and steep climb and every so often along the route there are benches to rest on. These where called coffin stops as they where used to rest the coffin on as it was carried to the top for burials.
Now I know to some people it's just a ruin but it is so steeped in History and it is very beautiful even as a ruin.
So for my international visitors here is a little about the Abbey.
This is an artists impression of what it would have been like when built. It was a place of sanctuary for many.
Henry the 8th reigned at the time and he was a huge influence over his subjects.
But he was also a very selfish and cruel king and life had little value at that time.
He decided that he wanted to get rid of the wife he had because she had only produced a girl ... and he wanted an heir... and the Roman Catholic church wouldn't grant him a divorce.
So he changed the country from Catholic and made himself the head of the Church of England so that he could make his own rules and then divorce her.
He also decided that everything to do with Catholicism had to go and so he dissolved the monasteries and claimed all their wealth as his own to refill his dwindling bank balance.
The monks where executed if they didn't conform and the Abbey became unused.
The stone work was used to create this house that sits near the ruin.
I am sure there is a lot more to this story then I relate but that is just a little overview of the history of Whitby Abbey.
It is well worth a visit and if you can't face the stone steps then you can drive close to the ruin and walk the rest of the way from the car park.
More tomorrow ...
Hugs xx
Hi Christina, yes I have been here and what delightful place Whitby is. Hope you feel rejuvinated after your break and I am looking forward to seeing more of your wonderful creations.
ReplyDeleteWilma x x x
I would love to see these ruins, as you say they are so steeped in history. It dates back even before Henry 8th and was used to hold a huge religious conclave in the 7th Century when a controversial debate took place between various religious factions on whether to adhere to the catholic faith (with a small 'C') or the Roman Catholic faith which the King of Northumberland reluctantly favoured. It was decided to go with the R.C and many religious people were persecuted because they didn't agree. In the 7th Century that abbey was a mixed religious house - men, women and children and was ruled by a woman! That was is the days of true female equality in Ireland!!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you enjoyed your break and had lovely weather too.
Lynn xx