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CHURCH
STAIRS: Often called the 199 steps. The `stairs`, for so they
are properly called, lead from Church Street in the old town, up to the
church of St. Mary. The stairs have been a feature of the town for many
hundreds of years, said to date from 1270, and in the year 1370 the officials
of the town were made to appear before the North Riding Sessions to answer
the charges of not repairing the King`s Highway from the `foot of the church
stairs` leading into town. originally built of timber, and brightly
painted they were re-built in stone in 18th. century. In 1863 during renovations,
the number of steps were increased from 194 to 199. The stairway to the
church was the preferred way of funeral processions, rather than by way
of Green Lane on a carriage. |
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