TEESDALE has long been the inspiration for writers both local and further afield.
And one long forgotten novel, printed by the Teesdale Mercury, has come to light thanks to one of our readers who uncovered it while doing a bit of dusting.
The book, titled Hendy of Green Ghyll The Golden Lad, is a novel set in upper Teesdale and was written by Ellen Callinan.
Bound in blue cloth, the hardback tome was printed in 1936 by the Teesdale Mercury and sold initially for 3/6.
The author entertained Teesdale Mercury readers during the 1930s with a variety of short stories, which she penned while working as head teacher at Forest-of-Teesdale and Holwick schools.
Hendy of Green Ghyll is essentially a love story set against the backdrop of upper Teesdale.
It was first serialised in the paper and was so popular, the Teesdale Mercury turned it into a book.
Miss Callinan went onto to write a sequel, Juniper Daughter of the Dales, which was also serialised in the paper.
The book was advertised in the Daily Herald and stated “in which a woman who understands the dalesfolk tells an attractive story of the Durham countryside” .
Our reader said she re-discovered the book while clearing through shelves.
It was given to her by an aunt, who in turn had received it as a Christmas present in the early 1940s.
