Fitz

Or is that just a convenient story to explain the odd appearance of the house he used to live in?

Or is that just a convenient story to explain the odd appearance of the house he used to live in?

Andrew White, in his A History of Whitby, writes of the legend that it was a whole house at the corner of Baxtergate that was pulled down to put an end to the appearances of a ghost that had crowds gathering in the garden to catch a glimpse of it, and that the materials of this demolished house were reused to build a series of smaller ones. But what of the oddly truncated house we can see today?

Andrew White, in his A History of Whitby, writes of the legend that it was a whole house at the corner of Baxtergate that was pulled down to put an end to the appearances of a ghost that had crowds gathering in the garden to catch a glimpse of it, and that the materials of this demolished house were reused to build a series of smaller ones. But what of the oddly truncated house we can see today?

For all we know, they could both be true. Maybe the terraced row of houses standing today were built of the reused materials from the original haunted house, and that haunting just transferred to the new buildings, leading to one owner taking the same drastic measures all over again.

For all we know, they could both be true. Maybe the terraced row of houses standing today were built of the reused materials from the original haunted house, and that haunting just transferred to the new buildings, leading to one owner taking the same drastic measures all over again.

We may never know, but ask the ghost tour guides of Whitby, and they will tell you that those weird half-windows are the result of a man of science ending the reign of a frightful phantom who liked to terrify the onlookers of Brunswick Street.

We may never know, but ask the ghost tour guides of Whitby, and they will tell you that those weird half-windows are the result of a man of science ending the reign of a frightful phantom who liked to terrify the onlookers of Brunswick Street.

We'll return to this street, packed as it is with the historical buildings, before too long, to dive into the history and hauntings of a 16th century building just across the road. But first, I want to take you a little further down the narrow street of Baxtergate to hear more about Whitby's history of smuggling.

We'll return to this street, packed as it is with the historical buildings, before too long, to dive into the history and hauntings of a 16th century building just across the road. But first, I want to take you a little further down the narrow street of Baxtergate to hear more about Whitby's history of smuggling.

And nothing brings to mind this checkered past more than a tiny squat little building on Baxter Gate, tucked away between a muddle of bigger buildings from a muddle of historical periods. Some tall and square with sash windows and four floors, some ornately decorated premises in Victorian red brick, others the modern, long and low buildings we're used to seeing on high streets around the country.

And nothing brings to mind this checkered past more than a tiny squat little building on Baxter Gate, tucked away between a muddle of bigger buildings from a muddle of historical periods. Some tall and square with sash windows and four floors, some ornately decorated premises in Victorian red brick, others the modern, long and low buildings we're used to seeing on high streets around the country.

Even an 18th century chapel is thrown into the mix. But I would bet that the oldest building on this street is the quaint little place known as the Old Smuggler, or these days, the Smuggler's Café.

Even an 18th century chapel is thrown into the mix. But I would bet that the oldest building on this street is the quaint little place known as the Old Smuggler, or these days, the Smuggler's Café.

The Saltersgate Inn is actually just outside Whitby, in the wild and epically beautiful landscape of the Yorkshire Moors. Of course, once smuggled goods had been clandestinely ferried away from the harbour, that wasn't the end of their journey.

The Saltersgate Inn is actually just outside Whitby, in the wild and epically beautiful landscape of the Yorkshire Moors. Of course, once smuggled goods had been clandestinely ferried away from the harbour, that wasn't the end of their journey.

because it wasn't just Whitby folk who wanted to partake of the black market luxuries, and there was wealth to be made at neighbouring towns inland, such as the market town of Pickering. We've heard in previous episodes how isolated Whitby was from the rest of the country, due to being surrounded by extensive rolling moorland, which could be difficult and dangerous to traverse.

because it wasn't just Whitby folk who wanted to partake of the black market luxuries, and there was wealth to be made at neighbouring towns inland, such as the market town of Pickering. We've heard in previous episodes how isolated Whitby was from the rest of the country, due to being surrounded by extensive rolling moorland, which could be difficult and dangerous to traverse.

So, roadside inns where weary travellers could find food, shelter and rested horses were crucial, which, since 1648, is exactly what the Saltersgate Inn did. But those same coaching inns could also serve as a very handy staging post for smugglers, if the landlord could be persuaded to participate, of course.

So, roadside inns where weary travellers could find food, shelter and rested horses were crucial, which, since 1648, is exactly what the Saltersgate Inn did. But those same coaching inns could also serve as a very handy staging post for smugglers, if the landlord could be persuaded to participate, of course.