Whitby Abbey set to open to residents free of charge

The festival will celebrate Whitby’s rich fishing heritage and will see the historic landmark open to the town’s residents this weekend.

Originally founded in the 7th century and later rebuilt as a Benedictine monastery, the Abbey has weathered centuries of history.

Shaped by religion, myths and stories, it notably served as the inspiration behind scenes from Bram Stoker’s Dracula – something which still attracts visitors from around the world today.

Whitby is set to host its Fish and Ships festival this weekend (Image: Tripadvisor)

Residents with YO21 AND YO22 postcodes can learn more about this and see the historic gothic ruins while enjoying the festival.

As reported by The Press, the two-day event, based at the Marina Front, will feature live music from local bands and iconic sea balladeers, along with marquees packed with entertainment, cooking demonstrations and great food.

At the heart of the festival is the Fish Craft Marquee, sponsored by Magpie Café, where chefs will showcase their expertise in filleting the day’s catch.

Professional chefs will be on hand to lead cooking demonstrations (Image: Whitby Fish and Ships)

Local fishermen will also demonstrate the true art of pot sewing and net mending – vital skills still used in their day-to-day work – and a giant fish display will be highlighting the variety of species caught off the coast.

Organisers said: “Visitors can find out what these fish and shellfish look like before they are process, and chat to experts from the industry who will answer any of our fishing questions.

“There are many hands-on activities to keep kids big and small entertained.”

Coastal communities will be deploying the Shannon-class-all-weather lifeboat to give visitors a taste of what it is like onboard the emergency service.

Tours will be limited to 12 people every half an hour, and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, with slots given on the day at the top of the gangway.

The lifeboat will be located on the Trident Pontoon, near the Marina Front Car Park, from 10am till 4pm on Saturday (May 16) – with the last tour starting at 3.30pm.

Recommended reading:

It comes as local fishermen gear up for the special Fishermen Olympics, a challenge which will see experts go head-to-head while performing nautical tasks.

This will be complete with a classic tug-o-war competition – a true test of visitor’s strength.

For more information on the weekend’s itinerary, please visit here.