Not a gossip column

It's not open, of course, but you can dream of Spring. This is a minute from yesterday's picture of Royal Crescent on Whitby's West Cliff.

Eclipse of the moon?

Part of Whitby's Royal Crescent on the west cliff. The flats have views over the sea but face away from the harbour and town.

The crescent only forms a 90º arc: because the developer, Railway King and Member of Parliament George Hudson, had overstretched himself and was unable to complete the semi-circle.

The oddly-named Khyber Pass was excavated into the west cliff to facilitate the transport of building materials for this project.

Hudson's financial dealings landed him in York prison for 15 months or so from July 1865, but he nevertheless managed to remain MP for Sunderland.