Somewhere on the coast of Yorkshire, about five miles south of Whitby, lays one of the most charming villages in all of England. Once a flowering fishing-based community, Robin Hood’s Bay is nowadays a top tourist destination. The town is attractive not just for it’s picturesque scenes, but also for the many fossil samples on the beaches nearby.
Although it may appear to be an obvious connection between the name of the village and legendary Robin Hood, there is no concrete evidence of such a link. One of the myths say that the town was built in the same place where an arrow was shot by Robin Hood. Despite all these, the origin of the name is still unknown. There is an idea that the name is an inference of more than one legend. Still, the name might be an interpretation of the story of an early forest spirit, that is very common in the area, similar to Robin Goodfellow.
Another myth is the one about the unknown maze of subterranean routes linking the houses. It is said that this system was built in the smuggling era of the town. Smuggling was, indeed, the main occupation in the 18th century, and documents attest that it was the most active community on the Yorkshire coast.
The lands of the town was once a deep sea and the fossils you can see in the town’s museum and, if you look attentively, even on the seashore, specimen of prehistoric sea animals. Fylingdales Museum and Library Trust holds the most notable findings in this area and other local farming, shipping and geological exhibits.
And if you’re really into geology or just willing to find out more about the evolution of the nearby landscape, the North East Yorkshire Geology Trust office in the town offers a series of events in the surrounds. Other major attractions are the Old Coastguard Station and the Old St. Stephen’s Church, built in 1821-2, unique for its interior furnishing and plan.

Image credit: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

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