Whitby was called Streanæshalc,
Streneshalc, Streoneshalch, Streoneshalh, and Streunes-Alae in Lindissi in
records of the 7th and 8th centuries. Prestebi, meaning the habitation of
priests in Old Norse, is an 11th century name. Its name was recorded as
Hwitebi and Witebi, meaning the white settlement in Old Norse, in the
12th century, Whitebi in the 13th century and Qwiteby in the
14th century. In 1540 the town had between 20 and 30 houses and a
population of about 200. The burgesses, who had little independence under the
abbey, tried to obtain self-government after the
