After the Norman conquest, many new abbeys were built, including one at Whitby. In 1110, a simple stone church was begun for the use of Abbey workers. Much of this church still stands, but it has become enlarged and altered many times as the number of worshippers increased.

The Dissolution of the Monasteries, begun in 1536 by Henry VIII, resulted in the destruction of the Abbey in 1539. St. Mary’s, however, was allowed to remain as it was used by local people. The Church is still the Parish Church and is used for Sunday services and the town’s official functions.