A medieval penance performed every year since 1159: a hedge of stakes built on the mud of the harbour at 9am on the eve of Ascension Day.
Every year on the morning before Ascension Day, a small hedge of hazel stakes is woven on the foreshore of Whitby's upper harbour, and a horn is blown with the cry of 'Out on ye!'. The ceremony is said to be a penance imposed in 1159 on three noblemen who killed a hermit while hunting; if the hedge survives three tides they keep their lands. It takes ten minutes and is one of the oldest surviving customs in England.
Dates shown are the usual pattern for this event and should be confirmed with the organiser before travelling.