Planting the Penny Hedge

What to expect

Just before 9am a small group gathers on the east bank of the Esk, below the railings on Church Street near the marker that commemorates the custom. Two men, by tradition the occupiers of land once held by the Abbot, drive stakes into the mud and weave hazel and willow between them to make a short hedge. The hedge must be finished by 9am and be strong enough to stand three tides. When it is done, a horn is blown and the cry 'Out on ye!' goes up. Then it is over, and everyone heads for breakfast.

The story behind it

The legend tells of three hunters who in 1159 chased a boar into a hermit's chapel and attacked the hermit who sheltered it. Before he died, the hermit spared their lives on condition that they and their heirs plant a hedge each year on Ascension Eve, using knives costing a penny. The story is told with relish locally, and historians suggest the custom may really record an old duty to maintain fences for the Abbey. Either way, Whitby has kept planting, and the ceremony still draws a curious crowd.

Getting there and home

Whitby is the end of the Esk Valley line from Middlesbrough; the station sits by the harbour, and Church Street is a short walk over the swing bridge. With a 9am finish, the first train is unlikely to get you there in time, so stay in Whitby the night before. Drivers should use the town's pay car parks, as Church Street is narrow and largely pedestrian.

Watching, taking part and tips

Visitors watch from the railings above the river; the planting is done by the people charged with it. Arrive by about 8.30am to get a view, as the space is tight and the ceremony is brief. Children enjoy the horn and the shout. Bring a coat, as the harbour is breezy first thing, and plan a walk up the 199 steps to the Abbey afterwards.

Where to watch

Search local Penny Hedge notices for "Horngarth" too. Whitby Town Council uses both names and places the planting in the Upper Harbour, just beyond the Church Street railings on the east bank. That’s far more precise than simply heading for Whitby’s famous harbour views. Find the right stretch on your map before you leave your accommodation, then use the new local announcement to check where the gathering is expected.

The council’s 2025 notice said construction began at around 8.40am, which is why turning up just for a stated nine o’clock ceremony can mean missing the work itself. That was one year’s timing, though, not a promise for the next, so check the new notice and give yourself time to settle in before the planters start.

Go for a view of the building work rather than angling for the exact spot where the horn is blown. Keep the pavement clear for people walking along Church Street, and don’t poke equipment across somebody else’s view. The pleasure lies in watching ordinary materials turn into a ceremonial hedge, and a patient look at the work can beat filming only the final shout. You don’t need to wade into the river mud to appreciate it.

Accessibility and families

Watching from a riverside street and visiting Whitby Abbey need separate access plans. The council places the planting below the railings, but its event notice mentions no reserved accessible viewing area, seating or escorted route down to the hedge. Ask locally whether there’s a spot that suits your height and mobility needs, since reaching the pavement doesn’t guarantee a clear seated view through a crowd.

For children, the sequence of building, finishing and sounding the horn is a handy way to explain the custom without retelling the violent legend in gory detail. Warn them about the horn before it sounds rather than letting it be a surprise, and keep hands and belongings well back from the water’s edge. The event is brief, which leaves plenty of the day for something else if everyone’s still happy.

If that something is the abbey, use English Heritage’s own pre-visit resources: a visitor video, a BSL version and separate information for mobility, sensory and other access needs. The familiar advice to climb the town’s steps is only one possible way up, so look into the route and facilities that suit your party before making the hilltop your automatic next stop.

Make a day of it nearby

Whitby Museum, in Pannett Park, covers the town from Jurassic fossils to more recent coastal life. Costumes, model ships, carved jet and curiosities make it a fitting companion to a custom that blends everyday local work with an extraordinary story, and its library and archive have highlighted a modern book about the Penny Hedge. Check current admission and opening, and ask separately about archive access if you want to do some research rather than just browse.

Whitby Abbey offers another angle on the religious landscape behind the legend. English Heritage explains that the headland has been home to St Hild’s Anglo-Saxon monastery, a medieval abbey and a Stuart mansion, and the abbey museum explores the people and stories linked with it, including the town’s later literary connections. It’s a separate ticketed attraction; watching the hedge won’t get you in.

Pick the museum for an indoor collection or the abbey for the ruins and headland, planning each around its actual opening times. There’s no need to dash to either straight after the ceremony. Stopping for breakfast first lets the little riverside custom stand on its own, rather than becoming a hurried warm-up for the next attraction.

Questions people ask

Where it is

Map pin shows the approximate area where the event happens. Open in OpenStreetMap ↗

Go straight to the source

Independent research. The organiser’s own information always wins — we have not visited or tested the journeys.

• Calendar Customs: Whitby Penny Hedge ↗
• The Scarborough News: Planting of the Penny Hedge (2024) ↗
• Whitby Town Council: explicitly dated 2025 planting notice ↗
• Whitby Museum: official collections and visiting information ↗
• Whitby Museum: Penny Hedge book in the library ↗
• English Heritage: Whitby Abbey ↗
• English Heritage: abbey pre-visit and access resources ↗