Ainderby Steeple

Image Credit: Oliver Dixon

Ainderby Steeple is a village in the Hambleton district, North Yorkshire. Originally part of the North Riding of Yorkshire, Ainderby Steeple is located around 2.6 miles away from Northallerton and has a population of 208 according to the 2011 census.

Education in Ainderby Steeple

There is one school in the North Riding village called Ainderby Steeple CE Primary School. It is within the catchment area of Northallerton School, which is both a secondary school and sixth form on Station Road.

Religion in Ainderby Steeple

Ainderby Steeple is home to one church. This is the Church of St Helen’s, which was built in the 14th century. During the 15th and 19th century, St Helen’s Church underwent renovations to the building. In 1970, it was given Grade I status.

The Wellington Heifer

Originally, there were three pubs in the village. However, over the years, two of these closed down. This left The Wellington Heifer, which is an 18th century pub that also offers overnight accommodation.

Travelling In & Out of Ainderby Steeple

Ainderby Steeple is situated along the A684 road, which leads to Northallerton and Bedale. It is less than a mile away from the River Swale.

In 2013, The Wensleydale Railway Association extended one of its lines to make transportation easier to and from Ainderby Steeple. This runs from Redmire to Leeming Bar and is located just north of the village.

History of Ainderby Steeple

This North Yorkshire village is mentioned twice within the 1086 Domesday book as ‘Eindrebi’. The name is Old Norse for ‘Eindrithi’ which is a name, ‘bi’ meaning farm, and ‘stepel’ meaning steeple. Put together, the village’s true name is Eindrithi’s farm with a steeple.

During the Norman Conquest, some of the lands belonging to Ainderby Steeple were part of Northallerton and owned by Edwin the Earl of Mercia. After Edwin’s rebellion, the lands became crown property.

The rest of the land was owned by Thorkil and Ulfkil before the Norman invasion. After the invasion, they were then owned by Ansketil of Forneaux. The Funeaux family, as they became known as, were recorded as the lords of the manor until the early 14th century.

It was at this time that Geoffrey le Scrope bought the lands. Although becoming crown property several times, these lands were owned by Geoffrey’s descendants until 1517, when the 11th Lord Scrope didn’t have a male heir.

As a result, the lands were divided between his children and eventually ended up in the hands of Robert Roos, who was part of the Strangeway family. By the 19th century, the manor had fallen into disuse.