The story of Wainman's Pinnacle, one half of the 'salt and pepper pot' landmarks in North Yorkshire

But that is not the only theory.

Moonrakers, Cowling’s Local History Group, dismiss beliefs that it was built before the First World War to serve as a landmark for aeroplanes, though as an imposing structure, they do admit it would be suitable for such a cause.

Other theories include that the pinnacle was built in the 19th century to commemorate Wellington’s victory and Napoleon’s defeat in the 1815 Battle of Waterloo or that it dates back to the 17th century and was built to commemorate the English Civil War.

After discovering a letter in records at the West Yorkshire Archive Service, the Moonrakers say in December 2017, they found clarity on why it was built - as something for the Wainman family to look at from their home at Carr Head Hall.

The original folly later became severely damaged by lightning and it was rebuilt close to the turn of the 20th century.

It is this tapering structure that is pictured here beneath a colourful sky as the sun sets over Cowling.

Traditionally, Cowling itself was an agricultural area. The local parish council describes how its population increased when the area developed an industrial settlement focused around mills.

Wainman’s Pinnacle is located on an area known as Earl Crag.

It sits close to another landmark, called Lund’s Tower, also a Grade II-Listed structure, that dates back to 1887.

Together, the twin monuments are said to be referred to as the ‘salt and pepper pots’ by some locals and visiting walkers. Wainman’s pinnacle is dubbed the salt shaker and Lund’s Tower is the pepper pot.

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