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

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

From the February 2026 newsletter In the fiercely independent seafaring community of Staithes, survival at sea was never taken for granted. To navigate the treacherous North Sea, fishermen relied on more than just their legendary seamanship; they carried traditions intended to ward off misfortune. Among the most enduring of these was the practice of fastening a "lucky stone" to the inwire of a coble. The Lore of the lucky stone Locally known in the dialect as a "lucky-steean"