Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom England Whitby Whitby Wishing Chair

Whitby Wishing Chair

Legend says squeezing into this slender stone seat will make your wish come true.

Whitby, England

SEANETTA profile photo
Added By
SEANETTA ALLSASS
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Whitby Wishing Chair.   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Whitby Wishing Chair.   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Whitby Wishing Chair.   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Whitby Wishing Chair.   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Wishing Chair   jooniur / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
Whitby Wishing Chair.   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Bit small to sit in!   pmacdonald1 / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

This Place Is a Stub

Help improve this place with additional information or photos.

Make an Edit

About

Hidden in plain sight in the sleepy suburbs of the coastal community of Whitby lies a stone "chair" with legendary powers. According to the lore, anyone who tries to squeeze themselves into the small seat, closes their eyes, and makes a wish will have their desires granted. Be forewarned, though, if what you secretly wish for is spoken aloud, it will be forfeited.

For those seeking a more logical explanation for the object's existence, they may accept the idea that this stone is the remnant of a Celtic cross. The "seat" is the socket the cross was wedged into. 

Places

Discover your next amazing Atlas Place.

Get more unusual and extraordinary places each week with the Atlas Obscura Places newsletter.

Your newsletter subscriptions with us are subject to Atlas Obscura's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Know Before You Go

Head northwest out of central Whitby at the junction of Stakesby Road and Love Lane, just past the football pitch. The chair is located near a phone box and traffic signal, across the street from Spar Gas Station and between Fletcher and Woodhouse Ltd. and Lidl's. It can be viewed anytime, night or day.

Community Contributors

SEANETTA profile photo

Added By

SEANETTA

jooniur profile photo P pmacdonald1 profile photo

Edited By

jooniur, pmacdonald1

  • jooniur profile photo jooniur
  • P pmacdonald1 profile photo pmacdonald1

Published

May 20, 2019

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos

Related Tags

Legends Crosses Celtic
Whitby Wishing Chair
Stakesby Rd
Whitby, England, YO21 1JE
United Kingdom
54.486475, -0.635631
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Whitby Museum, Library & Archive

Whitby, England

miles away

Clarence the Crocodile

Whitby, England

miles away

Bombardment Garden

Whitby, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Whitby

Whitby

England

Places 13
Stories 2

Nearby Places

Whitby Museum, Library & Archive

Whitby, England

miles away

Clarence the Crocodile

Whitby, England

miles away

Bombardment Garden

Whitby, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Whitby

Whitby

England

Places 13
Stories 2

Related Stories and Lists

20 Statues to Rub for Good Luck

List

By Roxanne Hoorn

Related Places

  • Ardchattan Priory

    Ardchattan, Scotland

    Ardchattan Priory

    A private home envelops the ruins of this 13th-century priory.

  • Darby's Bed.

    Snugborough, Ireland

    Darby's Bed

    A Neolithic passage tomb said to have sheltered two legendary Irish lovers.

  • Kildalton Cross.

    Isle of Islay, Scotland

    Kildalton Cross

    This 1,300-year-old marker is one of the finest and most complete early Christian crosses in Scotland.

  • Wheel crosses of Vormsi Cemetery.

    Hullo, Estonia

    Vormsi Cemetery

    Hundreds of unusual wheel crosses poke above the earth in this small Estonian cemetery.

  • Most of the miracles are associated with this main cross.

    Žytkavicki rajon, Belarus

    Stone Crosses of Turov

    The centuries-old crosses "growing" in the cemetery are steeped in local lore and are believed to have healing powers.

  • The holy well.

    Kerry, Ireland

    Saint Brendan’s Well

    An ancient holy well said to be used by the patron saint of sailors and travelers, lost in the boggy west of Valentia Island.

  • The view from the stone.

    Newtonmore, Scotland

    The Geographic Center of Scotland

    A cross marks the spot in a small Scottish village that claims to be the exact center of the country.

  • Resting place of the Rose

    Sigulda, Latvia

    The Rose of Turaida

    A quiet grave marks the site of a centuries-old fairytale love story that turned out to be a real murder.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2026 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.

As seen on Good Morning America

Keep Reading

Create a free Atlas Obscura account to unlock the rest of this story and explore more extraordinary places.
Create a Free Account or Log In