History of Robin Hood's Bay
According to the Fylingdales Local History Group, the land upon which Robin Hood's Bay is now situated was once deep under the sea. Millions of years ago sea animals died and were buried in the mud, they became fossilised, and today, they provide one of Britain’s best sources of fossils. Some can be seen on display in the museum, and, if you look carefully you can find more on the beach
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Today, Robin Hood's Bay lies in the ancient parish of Fylingdales. The name itself is believed to be derived from the Old English word “Fygela” which meant “marshy ground”. The discovery of Bronze Age burial grounds suggests humans occupied the area some 3000 years ago. Certainly, the Romans were here, as soldiers built a stone signal tower at Ravenscar in about the 4th Century. The first regular settlers however were probably Saxon peasants, followed by the Norsemen.
After the Norman Conquest, one of William the Conqueror’s relatives, Hugh of Chester was given the Manor of Fyling. Eventually, it passed to the Percy family who gave the land to Whitby Abbey.
The first recorded reference to Robin Hood’s Bay was in 1536 by King Henry VIII’s topographer, Leland, who described “a fischer townlet of 20 bootes with Dok or Bosom of a mile in length”. By then the cliff settlement had grown larger than the inland settlement, probably because they felt more secure from piracy and because it would be more convenient to walk from the boats.
By 1540, the village was said to have fifty cottages by the shore (a large settlement at that time). At that time, the chief tenant was Matthew Storm and his descendants still live in the area. At the dissolution of the monasteries in 1539, the land passed to the King who sold it to the Earl of Warwick. The Cholmleys and then the Stricklands became the final ‘Lords of the Manor’.
It appears that in the 16th century, Robin Hood’s Bay was far more important than Whitby. In a series of Dutch sea charts published in 1586, Robin Hood’s Bay is indicated while Whitby is not even mentioned.
The actual origin of the name ‘Robin Hood’s Bay’ remains a mystery. There is not a scrap of evidence to suggest that Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest folklore visited the Bay. The name is more likely to have grown from legends with local origin and probably from more than one legend. ‘Robin Hoods’ was the name of an ancient forest spirit similar to Robin Goodfellow and the use of the name for such an elf or spirit was widespread in the country. The traditional anecdotes probably go way back in time but as to their origin – who knows? Even today you will see that sometimes ‘Robin Hood’s Bay’ is spelled without the apostrophe ‘Robin Hood's Bay’, as to which is correct – who knows?
What we are more certain of is that in the 18th century, Robin Hood’s Bay was reportedly the busiest smuggling community on the Yorkshire coast. Its natural isolation protected by marshy moorland on three sides, offered a natural aid to this well-organised business which, despite its dangers, must have paid better than fishing.
Smuggling at sea was backed up by many on land who were willing to finance and transport contraband. Fisherfolk, farmers, clergy and gentry alike were all involved. Fierce battles ensued between smugglers and excise men, both at sea and on land, and Bay wives were known to poor boiling water over excise men from bedroom windows in the narrow alleyways. Hiding places, bolt holes and secret passages abounded. It is said that a bale of silk could pass from the bottom of the village to the top without leaving the houses.
The threat of the excise men was not the only danger to Bayfolk. In the late 18th century and early 19th century, the Press Gangs were feared and hated. Sailors and fishermen were supposed to be exempt but, in reality, rarely were, and once they were ‘Press Ganged’ their chances or returning to their homes were not high. Village women would beat a drum to warn the men folk that the Press Gangs had arrived and it was not unusual for the Press Gang to be attacked and beaten off.
Robin Hood’s Bay began to attract visitors from the outside and this has continued to the present day.
