Interactive trail to give young visitors taste of town heritage

English Heritage has created the first in a series of interactive trails which will detail how the nation’s historic towns and cities have developed over the years.

The new guide will be used by school parties visiting Whitby, and will include details of some of the town’s most famous landmarks.

The education manager at English Heritage’s Archives, Mary Mills, said: “The trails will allow learning groups to take a fresh look at towns. It’s a great way to encourage students to look at how English Heritage properties fit in with the wider history of the local area and will help them to develop new insights and skills.”

The Whitby Heritage Trail teacher’s pack includes a map and printable activity cards, as well as historic photographs and notes of key points of interest.

These include details of the much wider steps that are in the famous 199 steps up to the English Heritage site of Whitby Abbey. The wider steps were designed to rest coffins upon when mourners were holding funerals at St Mary’s Church, next to the abbey.

The trail can be downloaded free at www.english-heritage.org.uk/publications/whitby-heritage-trail/