It dates from 1543 and was built as a simple tavern in the docks. By the 17th century it had a reputation as a meeting place for smugglers and villains and became known as ‘Devil’s Tavern’.
After fire gutted the Devil’s Tavern in the eighteenth century, it was rebuilt and renamed the Prospect of Whitby after a ship that was moored nearby.
Though rebuilt, the interior of the pub still retains its charm. The main bar has a flagstone floor, and its long bar counter is built on barrels and has a rare pewter top. Above the bar, timber beams and upright pillars were once sections of a ship’s mast.