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Explore Staithes
There’s more to our village than meets the eye.
The narrow streets, old cottages, harbour and surrounding landscape all have stories to tell. Staithes Museum can help you discover some of them.
Here you'll find stories, films, photographs and research from the museum's collections — giving you a little more context for the places you're seeing when you explore the village.
Walk Around Staithes
Take a walk through the village with us. Discover the places, buildings and corners of Staithes that have a story to tell, including our walking tours and films featuring local voices.
Explore Staithes with Bill Hinchley
Staithes has plenty of picturesque cottages, narrow lanes and lovely views — but look a little closer and almost every corner of the village has a story attached to it. Bill Hinchley was born in Staithes and has spent his life collecting those stories. In this heritage walking tour, created by the North York Moors National Park, Bill takes us around the village, sharing memories, local history, old photographs in our minds, and quite a few entertaining tales along the way. Th
Can you spot in Staithes...? Local Voices, Local Objects, Local Stories.
This February half term, we set ourselves a simple but meaningful challenge: how can we help people see Staithes not just as a picturesque seaside village, but as a place layered with stories — stories that live in its cottages, ginnels, harbour walls, and in the objects carefully preserved in the museum? This project was designed to connect local people with local history in a fresh and accessible way. By sharing selected objects from the museum’s collection alongside their
Meet the artists
Why did artists come to Staithes? Discover the artists, paintings and stories that helped make the village an artistic destination, and see Staithes through the eyes of the people who painted it.
What a secret diary uncovered about an artist's life in Staithes
In this blog post, I'll tell you a bit about my favourite romance in the history of Staithes. The Secret Staithes Diary of Enid Lucy Pease Robinson, edited by James Hart and published in 2010, is a unique first-hand account of life in Staithes during the summer of 1901. Written by a 20-year-old woman from the prominent Pease family of Darlington, the diary was discovered at an auction in West Sussex nearly a century after it was written. The "Secret" Nature of the Diary The j
What about Harold Knight?
A painting of Grief Among the paintings that capture the soul of Staithes, few convey its emotional depth as powerfully as Harold Knight’s Grief - on display in the museum in the form of a poster advertising a Staithes Group exhibition at Nottingham Castle. Though the painting itself is no longer in the village, its story is rooted here - in the same landscape, people, and tragedies that shaped both Harold and Laura Knight during their years in Staithes. The woman at the hear
Discover the Artistic Legacy of Staithes: A Brief Guide
This brief guide was originally written by Al Milnes from the gallery for our volunteers to help them share Staithes’ artistic history with visitors. However, it’s such a fascinating read that we wanted to make it available to everyone. We hope you enjoy learning more about the artists who have been inspired by Staithes over the years. Art in Staithes in the 19th and 20th Centuries: A Brief Guide The Weatherill Family: The first artist we know of painting in Staithes was Geor
Fishing & the Sea
Fishing has shaped Staithes for centuries. Explore stories about cobles, lobster pots, lifeboats, fishermen and life on the coast — and discover the people and objects behind Staithes' maritime history.
Bill Hinchley's Staithes Memorial Board
Forget-me-not ring donated to Jane Harrison, donated to Jane Harrison by a Birmingham Jeweller, after the 1815 fishing disaster which claimed the lives of 29 fishermen, leaving 16 widows—seven of whom were pregnant—and 48 children fatherless. This Memorial Board display is shown each year during the Staithes Festival of Arts and Heritage. It was created by local historian Bill Hinchley to honour the memory of the Staithes fishermen who drowned at sea. The memorial board is th
"Discover Staithes’ Fishing Heritage: Watch What the Sea Saw on YouTube"
We are thrilled to present "What the Sea Saw," a captivating short film that delves into the rich maritime heritage of Staithes, Yorkshire. This film showcases archival footage and personal memories from the local fishing community, offering a poignant glimpse into their lives and traditions. Digital Drama Produced by Digital Drama, "What the Sea Saw" is now available for viewing on our YouTube channel. We invite you to immerse yourself in this evocative portrayal of Staithes
Stories of Staithes
Meet some of the people who have shaped Staithes, and discover the stories that don't always make it into the history books. From fishermen and artists to shopkeepers and visitors, these are stories of the people who made the village what it is.
“It was like going into a dream”: Anne King remembers growing up around Staithes
What was Staithes like when the village was still a close-knit fishing community, when chapels were packed on Sundays, families knitted and sang together, and the carnival could seem almost magical to a child who had never seen anything like it before? This is the sort of question behind a new oral history project at Staithes Museum, which aims to record the memories of local people: the everyday stories, memorable characters, customs, family traditions and little details tha
The Great Grandfather, the Gamekeeper and the Genealogist’s Nightmare
A family story, a shooting in the woods, a murder trial, a mysterious death – and four years of research in the archives of North Yorkshire One of the pleasures of working with an archive is discovering that the most interesting family history stories are the ones that start and end with questions that are left unanswered... Sometimes you get a photograph, a name, a date and a family story. Then you start pulling at the threads – and discover that the story is simultaneously
From Toffee to Ghost Stories: Marie Lowden, the Toffee Crackle Lady of Staithes
For generations of people in Staithes, Marie Lowden was simply “the Toffee Lady”: the woman on the High Street who made and sold her own crackly toffee. But behind that familiar village memory was a woman who had already lived several lives before she began selling sweets — and who, in later life, became a remarkably prolific published writer. There are some people who become part of a place so completely that their names almost become attached to the landscape. In Staithes,
What a secret diary uncovered about an artist's life in Staithes
In this blog post, I'll tell you a bit about my favourite romance in the history of Staithes. The Secret Staithes Diary of Enid Lucy Pease Robinson, edited by James Hart and published in 2010, is a unique first-hand account of life in Staithes during the summer of 1901. Written by a 20-year-old woman from the prominent Pease family of Darlington, the diary was discovered at an auction in West Sussex nearly a century after it was written. The "Secret" Nature of the Diary The j
What about Harold Knight?
A painting of Grief Among the paintings that capture the soul of Staithes, few convey its emotional depth as powerfully as Harold Knight’s Grief - on display in the museum in the form of a poster advertising a Staithes Group exhibition at Nottingham Castle. Though the painting itself is no longer in the village, its story is rooted here - in the same landscape, people, and tragedies that shaped both Harold and Laura Knight during their years in Staithes. The woman at the hear
The Gentleman from Staithes: Rediscovering Thomas Kirton and His Lost Longitude Invention
Staithes Museum's replica of the Harrison Clock At Staithes Museum, we often think of Captain Cook’s voyages as the height of 18th-century maritime exploration — voyages that depended not only on courage and seamanship but also on advances in navigation. Among the most pressing questions of the age was how to find a ship’s longitude at sea — a problem so difficult it spawned a royal reward and centuries of effort. Most people have heard of John Harrison’s marine timekeepers.
Bill Hinchley's Staithes Memorial Board
Forget-me-not ring donated to Jane Harrison, donated to Jane Harrison by a Birmingham Jeweller, after the 1815 fishing disaster which claimed the lives of 29 fishermen, leaving 16 widows—seven of whom were pregnant—and 48 children fatherless. This Memorial Board display is shown each year during the Staithes Festival of Arts and Heritage. It was created by local historian Bill Hinchley to honour the memory of the Staithes fishermen who drowned at sea. The memorial board is th
Mining & Industry
Fishing wasn't the only industry that shaped Staithes. Discover the area's mining, quarrying and other industries, and the people whose working lives were connected to them.
The Black Gold of Staithes: The Story of Jet
Look closely at a piece of jet and it doesn’t look particularly impressive at first. Fresh from the cliff, it is not the deep, glossy black that we associate with Victorian jewellery. It is often brownish-grey, dull, and easy to mistake for an ordinary lump of coal. But polish it, and something remarkable happens. The surface transforms into a deep, velvet black that catches the light like glass. For centuries, this strange little piece of fossilised woodland has been pulled
Religion & Belief
Religion has been part of village life for centuries. Explore Staithes' churches, chapels, religious traditions and the beliefs and customs of the people who lived here.
Methodists, Superstitions, and the Wesleyan Hammer: Inside 1970s Staithes
David Clark’s book, Between Pulpit and Pew, is a study of how religion actually worked in Staithes during the mid-1970s. Instead of just looking at what ministers preached, Clark looked at the "folk religion"—the local traditions, superstitions, and habits that really mattered to the villagers Here are the main ideas he discusses: 1. Official Religion vs. Folk Religion Official Religion: This is the formal stuff—the rules of the Methodist or Anglican church and what the minis
Singing the Sea: The Musical Life of Old Staithes
When we think about history, we often think about what was written down — records, diaries, official documents. But in Staithes, much of the village’s past was sung. Songs carried stories. Hymns carried grief. Choruses carried community. And for generations, the people of Staithes filled chapels, cottages, pubs, hillsides and even the open seafront with music. Just recently, we shared a Victorian Staithes cricket song on this blog (here) — full of local jokes and references —
Methodism in Staithes: A Pillar of Village Life and Identity
Welcome to the Staithes Museum blog! As you stand within our walls, you're not just in a building, but within a cornerstone of Staithes' vibrant social and religious history: the former Primitive Methodist Chapel [Staithes Now and Then, c.1990-95, p. 271-272]. Staithes, a village clinging to the North Yorkshire coast, has a rich and complex past, where fishing, industry, and faith were deeply intertwined. Religion, particularly Methodism, has played a pervasive role in shapin
Folklore & Local Stories
Not every story about Staithes is found in a history book. Discover local legends, superstitions, ghost stories, customs and other tales that have been passed down through the village.
Methodists, Superstitions, and the Wesleyan Hammer: Inside 1970s Staithes
David Clark’s book, Between Pulpit and Pew, is a study of how religion actually worked in Staithes during the mid-1970s. Instead of just looking at what ministers preached, Clark looked at the "folk religion"—the local traditions, superstitions, and habits that really mattered to the villagers Here are the main ideas he discusses: 1. Official Religion vs. Folk Religion Official Religion: This is the formal stuff—the rules of the Methodist or Anglican church and what the minis
Headless Ghosts and Hob Hole Cures: A Victorian Visitor Explores Staithes
In 1889, the antiquarian journal Old Yorkshire published “A Ramble in North Yorkshire,” a vivid account of Staithes and the surrounding coast. Part travel writing, part folklore collection, and part social commentary, it captures how Victorian visitors viewed the village and its people. Some of the descriptions are wonderfully observant. Others are deeply patronising by modern standards. The anonymous author was fascinated by what they saw as the “quaintness” and superstition
Staithes: A History
A little bit of everything! Explore the story of Staithes from its early history to the village we know today, with an introduction to the people, industries, buildings and events that have shaped the village.
Explore Staithes with Bill Hinchley
Staithes has plenty of picturesque cottages, narrow lanes and lovely views — but look a little closer and almost every corner of the village has a story attached to it. Bill Hinchley was born in Staithes and has spent his life collecting those stories. In this heritage walking tour, created by the North York Moors National Park, Bill takes us around the village, sharing memories, local history, old photographs in our minds, and quite a few entertaining tales along the way. Th
Staithes History for Beginners (Art and Heritage weekend countdown)
If you’re new to Staithes, it can sometimes feel as though every cobbled street, old building, brick and bend in the Beck has a story to tell. And, frankly, it does! Staithes has a remarkably rich history for such a small village. For centuries, its people made their living from the sea, the cliffs and the land around them. Fishermen ventured out into the North Sea, miners worked the cliffs for alum, jet and ironstone, artists arrived with their easels, and generations of loc
Headless Ghosts and Hob Hole Cures: A Victorian Visitor Explores Staithes
In 1889, the antiquarian journal Old Yorkshire published “A Ramble in North Yorkshire,” a vivid account of Staithes and the surrounding coast. Part travel writing, part folklore collection, and part social commentary, it captures how Victorian visitors viewed the village and its people. Some of the descriptions are wonderfully observant. Others are deeply patronising by modern standards. The anonymous author was fascinated by what they saw as the “quaintness” and superstition
🌌 Darkness in Staithes: From Fear to Inspiration
Each year, International Dark Sky Week invites us to look up—to appreciate the beauty of the night sky and reflect on the importance of protecting it. But in Staithes, darkness has never been just a backdrop. It has shaped lives, guided fishermen, inspired stories, and even played a role in war. From the flicker of firelight to the glow of the stars, the history of this coastal village is deeply entwined with the night. 🔥 Fire in the Darkness: Burning Off the Fleet Before mo
Can you spot in Staithes...? Local Voices, Local Objects, Local Stories.
This February half term, we set ourselves a simple but meaningful challenge: how can we help people see Staithes not just as a picturesque seaside village, but as a place layered with stories — stories that live in its cottages, ginnels, harbour walls, and in the objects carefully preserved in the museum? This project was designed to connect local people with local history in a fresh and accessible way. By sharing selected objects from the museum’s collection alongside their
A Handwritten history of Staithes by Annie Weatherill Cole
Among the many treasures in Staithes Museum’s collection is a fascinating handwritten account of the village’s past, titled History of Staithes, by Annie Weatherill Cole (née Crispin). This document, found in a ring binder during our cataloguing process, provides a vivid, firsthand glimpse into the everyday lives, traditions, and industries of Staithes in the early 20th century. Annie’s history captures a time when fishing, shipbuilding, and mining were the backbone of the vi
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