Staithes - Out & About
Staithes is a charming picturesque fishing
village, which has remained unspoilt by time. Its cobbled streets,
narrow alleyways, pantile roofed houses and fishing cobles moored
in the beck, attract artists from far and wide.
An important artist's colony, The
Staithes Group of Artists, began to form in the village,
including the whole Parish of Hinderwell cum Roxby, from the early
1880s. Many of the artists trained in Paris and Antwerp
at the height of the Impressionist movement, bringing to Staithes
the use of blunt-ended brushes, plein air painting, an obsession
with light and atmosphere and their own interest in social realist
subjects. They were at the forefront of British
Impressionist painting at the turn of the last century and
their work can be seen in major public collections, including a
permanent exhibition at The Pannett Art Gallery in
Whitby.
Captain Cook, the famous 18th century explorer
came to live in Staithes when he was sixteen, as a shop apprentice
and it was here, listening to the tales of local fishermen, that
his fascination for the sea began.
The Captain Cook and Staithes Heritage Centre on the high
street, contains treasures from his entire life.
There is a regular bus service through this village, Arriva bus
number 5 and 5a. (please check details).
Return to the map