Robin Hood's Bay

Here is a little something that I found on the beach at Robin Hood's Bay, just south of Whitby. No idea what it is or even which way up it goes. I am pretty sure its Jurassic from the location but no idea if it was animal or plant. I'm not even sure if the fossil is a cast of something missing or a cast of something that was there. If you get my drift.

Personally I would venture a guess at plant. I think that the thing is upside down and that the striations in the empty conical tubes are where something is missing. On one side there are the faint traces of the other side of this shape, which I believe might be root or rhizome. Just guess however.

I see little point dwelling on it at the present time but perhaps someone will come back with an opinion.