The Whale Bone Arch
We seriously toyed with doing a post on the infamous Whale Bone Arch of Whitby, but considering this is such a famous oddity to be found within the town, we couldn't resist sharing about it.
The arch can be found on the West Cliff and serves as a memorial of Whitby's maritime heritage, but also the history behind the town and the outdated whaling industry. Back in the 19th century the practise was rife and Whitby was a major whaling port, so naturally the town was thriving with people who wanted to get their hands on the goods. Whales were hunted for pretty much everything and while it brought a great wealth to Whitby, it wasn't so good for the poor sea creatures. They harvested their blubber, the oils, and they loved their bones which were great for corsets and umbrellas! But we can't help but think back to that poor young girl who's spirit still wanders a street in Whitby, she lathered her shiny hair in whale oil and went up like a candle when she lent into the baker's oven!
The arch was made out of Whale jaw bone and was erected around 1853 as a decorative feature that welcomed in sailors from the sea and visitors from the harbour. It was symbolic, the whaling had made the town popular and so it seemed perversely fitting to have those who wished to benefit from the creatures visit through them.
The original bones obviously could not withstand the test of time and the diverse weather conditions and so they were removed in the early 20th century and replaced with replicas made from metal. Both Norway and Alaska have donated replicas of the arch to Whitby, Norway presented theirs in 1963 and the current ones were donated in 2003. The originals are kept in the Whitby Archives & Heritage Centre as a homage to the past, we very much prefer the metal versions, the whales can keep swimming!
Nowadays, this haunting oddity is a keepsake from Whitby's past, but also a reminder that we have a responsibility to look out for our sealife. The town can be thankful for what it was brought, but the whales have a lot more to be thankful for now we've left those times behind.
DISCLAIMER: Now for the official bit. This blog does not receive any paid promotions from the places mentioned above. We have not been approached to promote or act as spokespersons for any attraction mentioned within this post and this is simply a post intended to act as a day in the life of a couple on a cute date. All photos included are taken by ourselves and as such the rights for these images are ours, no links, brands, or companies mentioned otherwise belong or are associated with Phantom Adventures UK. We are responsible only for this blog. Opinions are our own and not influenced by any third party source..
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