Whitby Abbey Audio Guide
Explore Whitby Abbey with Stanza's GPS-triggered offline audio guide.
About the Tour
Whitby Abbey is a ruined Benedictine abbey located on the East Cliff above Whitby, North Yorkshire, England. It boasts a rich history dating back to the 7th century, serving as a significant religious and cultural center.
What you will hear
The Gothic West Front
The main entrance to the 13th-century church, showcasing the elegant lancet windows characteristic of the Gothic style.
The Gothic West Front
The 13th-century West Front showcases the elegant pointed arches and decorative trefoil openings of the Gothic style that replaced earlier Romanesque structures.
The Nave and Massive Pillars
Exploring the scale of the monastic church through the surviving clustered columns of the nave.
Clustered Sandstone Pillars
These massive clustered columns were engineered to support a heavy stone roof, though centuries of salt spray have softened their once-sharp edges.
The North Transept and War Scars
This section of the ruins still bears the marks of the 1914 bombardment by German battlecruisers during World War I.
The Shelled North Transept
On December 16, 1914, German battlecruisers shelled this headland, leaving permanent scars on the North Transept that became a symbol of national resilience.
The East End and Chancel
The most complete section of the ruins, featuring intricate stonework and the towering East Window.
High Lancet Windows
These slender, pointed lancet windows exemplify the 13th-century transition from heavy stone bases to the delicate, light-filled architecture of the High Gothic era.
Evidence of the Dissolution
The visible scars and internal structures revealed when the abbey was stripped and abandoned under Henry VIII in 1538.
Scars of the Dissolution
The abbey's life as a monastery ended abruptly in 1538 when Henry VIII seized its assets and stripped the lead from its roof.
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