Just north of Whitby, quite close to where I live, is a little church. It stands on the site of an ancient church that might even predate St. Hilda’s Christian settlement now occupied by Whitby Abbey.
It has taken me years to get around to paying a visit to see the famous Viking gravestones. But lately I’ve put that right.
The Green Man of Lythe church.
The green man of the woods – we don’t know what he is doing here in a Christian sanctuary.
Hogsback tombstone
The maker.
Here are a couple of these hogsbacks – they are found in other old churches on this coast. Also, artists impressions of the makers (our forebears) and our shore in the days before after-shave.
1513 fusion 
Hi Harry, do you think the village of Lythe has anything to do with Robin Lythe who has a very large cave named after him at the North Landing, Flamborough? I rewrote Blackmore’s book, “Mary Anerley” which features Robin Lythe. I called my version “the Tale of Robin Lyth. I have been trying to find out if Robin Lythe was a real person. Was the cave named after the character in the book or did Blackmore take the name from the cave for his character?
Hello, Chris. The surname Lythe is certainly present in the Whitby area, and I assume it hails from the settlement of that name. I’ve not heard of Robin before today.