In which Alec Clifton-Taylor, with his unrivalled enthusiasm for buildings, takes a discerning took at six of England's historic towns.
The fishing town of Whitby, on the north-east coast, clings to the steep hillsides of the estuary of the River Esk. The bare, windswept top of the East Cliff is dominated by the haunting ruins of Whitby Abbey and the strange, squat tower of St Mary's Church. "But the interior is a thrill. Absolutely unforgettable. Not a work of art, but a most illuminating social document." Marine Parade has clearly seen better days, but there are things to gladden the heart: Corinthian porticos, Gibbs surrounds, stepped keystones -echoes of the former glory of these once-fine houses. "And, joy of joys, there are no highrise buildings anywhere. There can be very few English towns that have managed to retain their 19th-century character so completely as this one."
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