The History of Ravenhill, Gringley on the Hill – as far as we know it
Ravenhill is situated on the corner of High Street and Horsewells Street. It is a Grade II Listed property, thought to be late 18th century, approximately 1796, with considerable 19th century additions including the upper storey.
20th December 1894
Ravenhill including the outbuildings and all of the land between the White Hart, Horsewells Lane (note not Horsewells 'Street') and Little Lane was sold by the Duke of Portland to Mrs Mary Eleanor Otter.
Map attached to the Conveyance showing Ravenhill, outbuildings (now Ravencourt) and adjacent land extending to Little Lane
1895
Edward Lister living at Ravenhill
1911
Ravenhill was occupied by William Henry Hill
1919
Ravenhill sold to Mrs Mary Ann Craven (b.1859). She was a widow and had two daughters, Kathleen Craven and Bessie Burdass Craven.
Mrs Mary Ann Craven at Ravenhill
2nd February 1950
Mary Ann Craven died.
18th October 1951
Kathleen Craven and Bessie Burdass Craven inherited Ravenhill. Kathleen Craven was a school teacher and worked at St Peter’s School. In her memoire of 1937 Eileen Teasdale recollects Miss Kathleen Craven being in charge of the Junior class. (We understand that for a time in the 1950s there was a small private school at Ravenhill.)
July 1956
Bessie Burdass Craven died at Ravenhill
1964
Kathleen Craven is granted permission to build Ravenhill Chalet, (now known as ‘The Limes’.)
1966
Kathleen Craven sold Ravenhill and its outbuildings (now Ravencourt) to Christopher and Lesbia Bradford.
The fields were not included in this sale.
The entrance from the High Street to Ravenhill as we see it today. Access would originally have been from the bottom left of the photograph where we can now see a large tree and conifers, (shown by the line in the photograph above). Presumably the new access was made when Ravenhill Chalet was built.
21st October 1976
Kathleen Craven died. The Executors of her will were
8th July 1977
Charlie and Lilly Clifton bought Ravenhill Chalet and all the fields/land from the Executors of Kathleen Craven.
Ravenhill and the Dowell Family
Mr & Mrs John Dowell purchased Ravenhill around 1976.
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Ravenhill and the Squash Club John Dowell was a very keen squash player and opened two squash courts in the outbuildings at what is now Ravencourt (once the outbuildings at Ravenhill). There was a small hall, with doors on either side leading to the two courts. There was no heating, which apparenbtly made the courts difficult to play in during winter. Information from a member of the squash club: "I arrived in Gringley in December 1978 and joined the club then. When John Dowell moved from Gringley in the early 1980's Colm Taylor bought Ravenhill and continued to run the squash club",
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Ravenhill and the Taylor Family
1983
Colm and Susan Taylor bought Ravenhill and its outbuildings.
(We understand that during the war the brick outbuilding, which is now known as Ravencourt, was used to house POWs. The remains of fireplaces built by the prisoners were found when the building was converted).
Around 1985 Susan Taylor opened a Retirement Home for the elderly at Ravenhill, ably assisted by Jane Revill and others. Colm and Susan Taylor converted the outbuildings providing separate accommodation for themselves and their family (now Ravencourt). One of the squash courts was incorporated into that residential accommodation. The squash club continued with the one remaining court until its final closure in the late 1980s.
North Notts Guardian newspaper article from 1985 advertising the opening of Ravenhill Retirement Home. The photograph shows Jane Revill chatting a resident in the sitting room at the Home.
Mr & Mrs Pinder took over the Retirement Home business from Mrs Taylor and continued to run the home until 1996. An article in the Beacon celebrates their time at Ravenhill.
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RAVENHILL For the past 14 years Ravenhill has been known to us as the “Residential Home”, or more familiarly just “The Home”. That is what it truly has been for all the Ladies and Gentlemen who have lived there, and our friends who are there now. They have all been part of Mr & Mrs Pinders’s family. Many of us in the village have enjoyed their Summer and Christmas “at homes”. Especially Christmas, when the ladies from Chapel played and sang carols with us all. Many times I’ve been told “The Chapel ladies came to-day”. Now, sadly, Ravenhill is to close, and by the time you read this some will already have gone to their new homes. I understand that by great care and thought and help from Elizabeth they have now found new homes. I’m sure you will join in praying for their future happiness where ever they are. Best wishes to Alan, Elizabeth, Matthew and Samuel (and Jumbles) as they make a new life in their new home. God bless them all. Beacon article, 8th August 1996 |
August 2022
Colm and Susan Taylor sold Ravenhill to Mr & Mrs Smith and the next chapter begins . . .