International Day for Monuments and Sites

Today we are celebrating International Day for Monuments and Sites also known as World Heritage Day. With so much history and intriguing places to visit on the Yorkshire coast, we thought we’d share a list of places that might peak your interest!

Monuments

Now you may have seen some of our historic monuments in images across our website or perhaps social media, but the question is, do you know what they represent? Time to take a little walk through history and discover the story behind the statue...

Situated in People’s Park on West Cliff you’ll find the famous Captain Cook Memorial Monument. With its location offering one of the best viewing points of the whole town; it is definitely worth a visit during your trip. The 7ft 6inch bronze statue commemorates the men who built the four ships that Captain Cook used on his voyages. To find out more about Captain Cook and his legendary expeditions check out the Captain Cook Memorial Museum.

Also located on West Cliff is Whitby’s Whale Bone Arch. The original whale jaw bone arch was erected sometime after 1853 and is now in the Whitby Archives & Heritage Centre. A replica was presented to Whitby by Norway in 1963. The current replacement was donated by Alaska in April 2003. The arch itself also creates the perfect picture framing the iconic Whitby Abbey and St Mary’s Church. Trust us – the views are definitely worth the steady climb!

If you’ve visited Scarborough before, you may have noticed a rather large man perched on a rather large bench looking out to sea, he’s pretty hard to miss but if you’ve not seen him before let us introduce you to Freddie Gilroy. You’ll find Freddie at the northern end of the marine drive, he’s pretty friendly so feel free to sit next to him and enjoy gazing out at the waves! The statue is based on a former miner who was one of the first allied soldiers to enter Belsen concentration camp on its liberation in World War II.

Located at Scarborough’s Oliver’s mount you’ll see the impressive 75½ foot War Memorial. The memorial names 241 individuals who died in World War II, the 53 civilians of Scarborough who were killed in World War I, the 42 civilians who died in World War II and 70 who died in the Korean War. The monument towers over Scarborough’s South Cliff and offers a viewing point of Scarborough Castle and South Bay.

Enjoy a walk along Filey's beach and say a quick hello to this thoughtful looking chap. This sculpture of a fisherman by Ray Lonsdale is named "High Tide and Short Wellies" and looks over the crazy golf course and out to sea from The Beach, Filey.

Heritage Sites

Ok, so now we’ve had a tour of some of the monuments you can find during your visit to the coast – let’s take a look at some of our heritage sites...

Castle Howard is one of Britain’s finest historic houses, situated just outside York in the Howardian Hills, a National Landscape. Built over 300 years ago by Sir John Vanbrugh, today it remains home to the Howard family. A great day out for all ages whether you want to take a tour of the beautiful home interiors, acres of stunning parkland and gardens or both!

All aboard!!! If you love trains then The North Yorkshire Moors Railway is a MUST while visiting the Yorkshire coast. Discover one of the railway's classic steam or heritage diesel trains and experience 24 miles of Yorkshire’s amazing scenery.

Pickering Castle is a classic 12th century motte-and-bailey castle. The grassy mount and the curtain walls punctuated by tall towers are the most prominent features of this royal fortress. The mound was raised by William the Conqueror, and the stonework added for Henry III as a necessary defence against the Scots.

Whitby Abbey is arguably one of the Yorkshire coast’s most well-known historic sites that attracts visitors year after year. With its connection to the famous Bram Stoker’s Dracula and gothic appearance we can certainly see why these intriguing ruins attract so much attention! The abbey was also once names Britain’s most romantic ruin with its cliff-top location offering stunning views of the seaside town.

Sitting high upon the cliffs looking over both Scarborough’s north and south bays you’ll see the magnificent Scarborough Castle. Over the years the castle has endured attacks from many including the odd seagull or two! A great spot for all ages to visit offering open spaces, amazing views and of course a wealth of history!