Filey is at the eastern end of the Cleveland Way, a long-distance footpath; it starts at Helmsley and skirts the North York Moors.

[11][12] In 1857 the foundations of a 4th-century Roman signal station were discovered at the Carr Naze cliff edge at the northern end of Filey Bay.

[18] St Oswald's has nearly 1,500 pieces of well-preserved medieval graffiti on the roof of the tower, ranging from initials up to complicated images of fully rigged sailing vessels, including one known as a Whitby Cat.

The graffiti covers around 400 years of Filey's history, and maps out identifiable people, their occupations, changes in literacy and coastal shipping, the start of tourism in the area, and even a possible record of 17th century plague.

[20] On several occasions in the mid-19th century, the novelist Charlotte Brontë visited Filey with the aim of recovering her faltering health.

[21] Fishing at Filey has been a tradition for centuries, with most of those undertaking it coming from a long line of fishermen and women in their families.

The fishing boats at Filey are cobles, like most of the others along the Yorkshire and North East coasts, and the catch is mostly sea trout.

Limitations have been placed upon how and where they use their nets, which also trap salmon; some fear this may lead to the end of the fishing industry in Filey.

Building began in 1939 and continued during the Second World War when it became an air force station known as RAF Hunmanby Moor.

In 1945 it became a popular holiday resort and a new LNER branch line with station was constructed to serve the camp despite the topographical challenges involved.

British boxer Bruce Woodcock was convalescing at the Butlin's camp around the same time following his punishing defeat at the hands of Joe Baksi a month earlier.

[30] Filey also boasts the Grade II listed Langford Villa on The Crescent (c. 1830)[31] which was often chosen by the famous chocolatier Sir Joseph Terry as his place to "summer";[32] it is situated next door but one to The White Lodge Hotel.

Scarborough council has approved plans for the £45 million housing project off Muston Road by Coast & Country.

Independent councillor Sam Cross, who represents Filey on the borough council, said: "The infrastructure of the town can't cope with it.