White Horse and Griffin Church Street

Built in 1681 by Sir Hugh Cholmley, in 1788 the first stagecoach from Whitby to York and London operated from here. It was operated as an Inn until 1939.

It was also used as a meeting place for explorers Captain James Cook and William Scoresby who hired and fixed their crews from the building. Charles Dickens also stayed here. The White Horse & Griffin closed in 1939 on the day of the Battle of the River Plate, the first major Naval Battle of the Second Wold War. Having fallen into dereliction in post war years when it was predominantly used as storage for the nets and pots of local fishermen, the building was acquired and extended by local builder Stewart Perkins in 1982.The sympathetic restoration process took 11 years to complete. 

white-horse-griffin-hotel-in-whitby

Source: White Horse and Griffin