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Note: Echo Memories
Echo Memories goes in search of a railway line begun by George 'The Railway King' Hudson that took 30 years to reach its destination
Ainderby's steeple is a landmark above the trees on the flatlands of the northern part of North Yorkshire, between Northallerton and Bedale
IT'S a 13th Century church built on a hillock so small that, even for a Sunday cyclist, a couple of hefty pushes on the pedals and you are up.
And so a headstone in the churchyard must have been inscribed with irony.
It is in "affectionate remembrance of Hannah Nicholson, of Mount Etna, Ainderby Steeple" who died on March 11, 1871, aged 55 years.
In Europe, there is only one volcano - in Tenerife - which is taller than Etna, which is also the continent's most active volcano. During Hannah's lifetime, it erupted on average every five years.
Perhaps the headstone refers to Hannah's fiery temper - was she liable to erupt without warning?
Ainderby gets its name from an ancient Norseman called Eindrithi who owned a farm, or "by", in the district. Either Eindrithi was the Norse equivalent of a common name like John, or this singular Eindrithi owned several farms because there are several Ainderbys in the district.
To differentiate, one is called Ainderby Quernhow because it is near an ancient burial ground, and another is called Ainderby Mires as its territory is a little boggy.
Our Ainderby was known in the 12th Century as Aynderby Fourneux, as the Fourneaux were a local family of knights.
But in 1316, it is referred to as Aynderby with Stepil - the newlybuilt steeple having become an established landmark. That is how we know it today.
Perhaps there's another reason for Ainderby being celebrated for its steeple. In a crease in the stonework at the foot of the steeple is a brown door marked "Toilet". It's the tiniest, chilliest toilet, looking out onto the churchyard, but there's also a basin for afterwards.
It is the sort of facility of which the steeple should be proud.
WE'RE in Ainderby Steeple looking for signs of the railway which was one of the children of George "the Railway King" Hudson during the madness of his Railway Mania of the 1840s.