Churches in the benefice of The Coastal (Mulgrave) Parishes in Whitby Deanery

Hinderwell St Hilda

(N 54.5425, W -0.77844) Post Code: TS13 5JP

Hinderwell lies between 7 and 8 miles WNW of Whitby. It was part of the ‘liberty of Whitby Abbey’ in the heyday of the first abbey; and there was probably a cell there at the time of Abbess Hilda who is said to have blessed and used the famous well in the churchyard. The present Grade II listed church was rebuilt in 1773 on a twelfth century site, and Norman and Saxon stonework can be seen incorporated into the walls. The tower was added in 1817 and there were further modifications in the late nineteenth century. Other than St Hilda’s Well, notable features are the organ, once in Selby Abbey, Victorian stained glass, and a beautiful mosaic triptych designed by Derek and Helen Gaunt and made by the local community in 2012 and 2013.

The Deanery Synod Representatives are Ian Dobson and Mrs Anne King.
More information may be found at:
http://www.acny.org.uk/19378

Staithes St Peter the Fisherman

(N 54.553979, W -0.794630) Post Code:

The ancient fishing village of Staithes lies 9 miles NW of Whitby at the foot of steep cliffs and at the end of a steep-sided valley. The Mission Church of St. Peter the Fisherman can be found half way up Church Street. The simple building was a school until 1874. Since then it has been used as a church for people in the village who were primarily Anglicans. Until then Anglicans who lived in Staithes had to undertake an arduous walk to the Parish Church at Hinderwell about a mile and a half SE as the crow flies. St. Peter’s remains a daughter church of St. Hilda’s, Hinderwell and today the building has two main rooms. The upper room is used as a church and for other meetings and the ground floor is run by the Staithes Arts and Crafts group as a gallery and shop specialising in local arts and crafts. There is also a lovely courtyard garden to the side of the property with locally crafted sculptures which is well worth a visit.

The Deanery Synod Representatives are Ian Dobson and Mrs Anne King.
More information may be found at:
http://www.acny.org.uk/19378

Roxby St Nicholas

(N 54.536667, W -0.825833) Postcode: TS13 5EE

The ancient village of Roxby (pop. 223) lies 9 miles WNW of Whitby at the head of the valley which reaches the sea at Staithes. In the seventeenth century the church which had then stood for at least four centuries was modified. It stood a further two centuries before being largely destroyed in a reconstruction in 1818. It is Grade II listed. The font is probably from the first church, but its base is modern. There are interesting floor slab monuments: to Thomas Boynton, Lord of the Manor (d. 1523) taking credit for first hallowing the church; to Frances Lady Boynton (d. 1634) and to Katherine Lady Ingram (d. 1666) who was a daughter of General Thomas Fairfax, victorious commander at the battle of Naseby. The church contains two examples of the work of stained glass artist Alan Davis of Lythe (1998 and 2003): one single light depicts St Mary and Jesus.

The Deanery Synod Representatives are Ian Dobson and Mrs Anne King.
More information may be found at:
http://www.acny.org.uk/19379

Lythe St Oswald

(N 54.506458, W -0.68855) Post Code: YO21 3RW

The village of Lythe (pop. 377) lies about 3½ miles WSW of Whitby on top of and about a mile and a half from the edge of the 400 foot cliffs of Sandsend Ness. There had been a church here for at least six centuries when it was renovated, twice in the nineteenth century — much of the structure of the ancient building being lost in the process. The present Grade I listed church was beautifully rebuilt by the Gothic Revival architect Sir Walter Tapper in 1910. Carved Saxon fragments can be seen in the tower and the North aisle masonry is original. The church hosts a small museum displaying the numerous funeral monuments found locally. Here, clues can be found to the religious importance of the site for over a thousand years. Other notable features are the Lady Chapel with its beautiful vaulted roof and window depicting Saint Oswald, seventh century King of Northumberland.

The Deanery Synod Representative is Mrs Sue Mason.
More information may be found at:
http://www.stoswaldslythe.org.uk
http://www.acny.org.uk/19381

Sandsend St Mary

(N 54.502522, W -0.676508) Post Code: YO21 3TQ

The church can be found 200 yards upstream of Sandsend bridge and the foot of Lythe Bank. It was built in 1869, in early fourteenth century style, as a chapel of ease to St Oswald’s, Lythe (for those unable to climb the bank?). Its setting is idyllic and it has been well redecorated in an earlier style.

The Deanery Synod Representative is Mrs Sue Mason.
More information may be found at:
http://www.stoswaldslythe.org.uk
http://www.acny.org.uk/19382

Ugthorpe Christ Church

(N 54.48889, W -0.76806) Post Code: YO21 2BH

Ugthorpe (pop. 225) lies about 6 miles almost due West of Whitby. For centuries its people worshipped at St Oswald’s Lythe, which was three or four miles away. This changed in the 1850s when they raised the funds by public subscription to build their own church. It was designed by Coe and Goodwin of London in the Early English Style (Coe, who had been a pupil of George Gilbert Scott, went on to design the War Office). The font and hexagonal pulpit are made of Caen stone. The original stained glass by William Wailes of Newcastle is beautiful and interesting.

The Deanery Synod Representative is Mr Joe Jefferson.
More information may be found at:
http://www.acny.org.uk/19385

The Coastal Parishes