Robin Hood's Bay, fishing town, Whitby par., North-Riding Yorkshire, on Robin Hood's Bay, 5½ miles 8E. of Whitby; P.O., T.O. The town (sometimes called Baytown, to distinguish it from the bay) was a fishing place of some importance in the time of Henry VIII. It has now a considerable number of shipowners belonging to it. It takes its name from a tradition that Robin Hood occasionally resided here. On the adjoining moor are two ancient British tumuli, popularly milled Robin Hood's Butts.

(John Bartholomew, Gazetteer of the British Isles (1887))