WHITBY, a parliamentary borough and seaport town of England, in the north riding of Yorkshire, on both sides of the Esk, at its mouth in the German Ocean, 45 miles N.E. of York, and 236 N.W. of London. The river is crossed by a handsome iron drawbridge, admitting vessels of 500 tons to the inner harbour. On both sides, especially on the E., the ground rises steeply from the river; and the best and largest part of the town is built on the W. bank, where the streets have been carried over the ridge of the hill. On the other side there is only a narrow stripe of houses along the bank. The streets in both parts are narrow, and many of the houses are old and indifferently built, partly of stone and partly of brick. Recently, however, several new and handsome streets have been added to the town, and some of the old ones improved and widened. The parish church is not very conveniently situated on a cliff on the E. side of the river, about 350 feet above the sea, and it is reached by a flight of steps from the town. It was originally a Norman building, but has been very much altered at various times since its first erection. Near it stand the ruins of the ancient abbey, which was originally founded by Oswy, king of Northumberland, in the seventh century; and after having been destroyed by the Danes, was restored on the Norman conquest. These ruins comprise parts of the cruciform church of the abbey, the beautiful tower of which fell in 1830. Whitby has also a chapel of ease, erected in 1778, two other churches in the early English style, and Presbyterian, Independent, Methodist, Quaker, Roman Catholic, and Unitarian places of worship. There are also a town-hall, custom-house, baths, library, museum, mechanics' institute, national, British, and infant schools, alms-houses, and a sailors' hospital. Whitby rose into commercial importance in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, when the working of the alum-mines in the vicinity formed the most important branch of industry. During the last French war, seven dock-yards were kept in constant employment for ship-building; and sail-cloth, ropes, cordage, &c., were also made here; but since that time these manufactures have considerably declined, and some of the dock-yards are now entirely disused. Whitby is still, however, an important seaport. The harbour is formed by a pier projecting from each side of the river; that on the west being about 1000 feet long, and having a light-house at the end. Two inner piers protect the harbour from the waves of the German Ocean. There are commodious quays, and wet and dry docks. The number of sailing vessels belonging to Whitby, at the end of 1858, was 455, tonnage 74,387; of steamers 3, tonnage 60. In the same year there entered the port 842 sailing vessels, tonnage 42,835; and 2 steamers, tonnage 40; and there cleared 140 sailing vessels, tonnage 7601; and 19 steamers, tonnage 516. Whitby returns one member to Parliament. Pop. (1851) of the borough, 10,989.