The History of Airy Hill Manor

Airy Hill Manor, historically known as St Columban’s, is a late 18th-century Georgian residence on Waterstead Lane in Whitby, North Yorkshire, built around 1790 by Richard Moorsom, a prominent local shipowner and magistrate. The manor was constructed during Whitby’s period of maritime prosperity, featuring classical Georgian architecture with symmetrical sash windows, ashlar stonework, and a central Venetian window framed by lonic pilasters. It was the family home of the Moorsons, including Admiral Sir Robert Moorsom, a notable Royal Navy officer who fought at the Battle of Trafalgar.

Over the 19th and 20th centuries, the property remained associated with local gentry and eventually adapted to modern use, now divided into residential apartments. Today, it is Grade Il listed, recognised for its architectural and historic significance, reflecting both its Georgian elegance and Whitby’s social history.