I would not find the name, Bay Town, intriguing enough to make a visit but with a bit of historic association, whether true or not, and a renaming to Robin Hood's Bay and you have a destination of choice and one of the most picturesque and characterful of villages in the UK.
If there off season it can be a mystical, eery scene in the cobbled lanes with a distinctive haze and mist from wood or coal fires.
Although bringing income and patronage to the locality for the peak months in any year the fact that a good proportion of the properties are holiday lets or second homes can accentuate that feeling of a ghost town after the main rush of temporary residents has dwindled to a trickle.
The quaint and rustic environment gives the impression that it has always been so, a bit of a timeless theme park but you would be completely wrong to think this.
In the 19th Century most of the population of around 1500 were dependent for their livelihoods in fishing. In 1816 Robin Hood's Bay had five large five man boats and thirty five cobles which were of three crew and thereby outnumbering both Whitby and Scarborough fleets. This added up to some 130 regular fishermen along with those servicing the catches as fishmongers and those employed in the herring season.
The older town families were of Danish origin, typically from migrants workers who followed the coastal work and then settled permanently. The commonest surname from this migration was at one time Storm pronounced with a modified 'o' so that it sounded more like Sterm.
All of this industrious occupation was honest and wholesome but any visitors to that stretch of Yorkshire Coast will appreciate the suitability of the rugged landscape for the activities of smuggling.
Much further back in history the local area was a haunt for outlaws and pirates before a good secondary source of income came from the running of rum and silk amongst the usual merchant goods.
Houses had hiding places and there is reputed to have been many pitched battles out in the Bay between those with the contraband and the men from the Revenue, or the forerunner of the modern day Customs and Excise.
A threat to the menfolk, if not victim to a maritime accident or in the course of other perilous work was from the Press Gangs who made a living out of seizing or coercing mariners into the service of The Crown. This was strongly resisted by being watchful for strangers and if anyone were targeted then there could be a rallying of the townsfolk, particularly wives and female relatives to deter this type of speculative foray.
By the mid 1800's the inhabitants of Robin Hoods Bay owned, mainly on a fourth or eighth share, as many as 173 sail ships and this saw a transformation of the village into more of an industrial outlet.
As with the Whitby fleets there were regular whaling ventures and other ships and boats plied a trade in general coastal transport and hauling coal amongst other activities. This meant that the male population from the age of fourteen were absent for around 9 months of the year but that would be common for communities relying on the sea.
The decline of wooden sailing ships and the dominance of steam power did affect the numbers involved in the industry as the investment required to take on a modern vessel was beyond most. An expected revival of the wooden shipping trade did not materialise at previous levels.
The economic ups and downs did not stop the growth of the village but possibly the topography threw up a few technical issues for the construction of foundations for homes and public buildings.
Many properties simply fell into the sea, some with little or no warning under the ravages of tide and landslip.
The cottages now so popular for holidays were on a simple model plan of three rooms and if occupation levels increased then a dividing partition was put up. Competition for building space led to a narrowing of streets into passages and pathways which the returning mariners paved with pebbles. All of this will have involved the manual movement of materials and labour down the very steep gradient into the village which will have been time consuming and arduous in the extreme.
Affluent locals and outsiders brought about the building of a new part of the village above the old and this included red brick villas and, to cater for the new trend of seaside vacations, a number of lodging houses serviced by the opening of the railway line which was relatively late in 1885.
The tourist industry became invaluable to an otherwise agriculture based economy after the demise of larger scale maritime activities.
Bathing machines and huts for modesty when changing were erected and private tents were allowable for the same purpose. At low tide you can see the extent of jagged rocks and large pools which can hinder or endanger paddlers and more ambitious swimmers.
Activities were encouraged in rambling along the cliffs and into the countryside, cycling, beachcombing, fishing in hired boats and use of horses, donkeys and excursions by trap and cart.
The peak holiday season in Victorian and early Edwardian eras became defined from June through to mid September although braver souls came for winter and spring visits.
Remembering the Danish influence in the population the Landladies and owners in 1914 included six of the surname Storm.
Robin Hoods Bay retains an olde worlde character which must be regarded as quite an achievement in the face of pressure from developers and outside influences.
We have actually had great difficulty in renting a cottage in recent years such is the demand on an all year round basis but have been privileged to spend some great and atmospheric times in the mystically quaint surroundings.
Source; Guide to Robin Hoods Bay and District of 1914 by Reverend W Dalton and updated by Reverend D A Menderson
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