History Ravensworth

1 history

1.1 etymology
1.2 settlement
1.3 ancient parish
1.4 village history
1.5 nineteenth century
1.6 twentieth century

history
etymology

the name of village derives given name of hrafn, founder of settlement. called ravenswath, wath old norse word meaning ford , suggest holme beck passes through village forded in viking times. hrafn norse word meaning raven , village literally ford of raven. name , spelling has varied on years: in 11th century raveneswet, rasueswaht in 12th century, raveneswade in 1201, ravenswath 13th 16th centuries, , afterwards beginning settle on ravensworth.

early settlement


ravensworth castle

the earliest archaeological find in ravensworth area coin roman period. there has been number of finds anglo saxon era.

the lord of manor in 1066 thorfin. lord of manor owned surrounding demesnes, , villagers tenants of land. village documented in domesday book of 1086 having 21 households, quite large settlement. there church , priest. time, alan rufus had allocated lands relative bodin of middleham. bodin later relinquished lands in order become monk, , estate passed brother, bardolph, whom fitzhugh line descended. bardolph s son, akarius fitz bardolph, donated lands monastery later become jervaulx abbey.

a fortress built during reign of henry ii ancestral home of fitzhugh family, purchased land nuns of marrick priory. fortress have offered protection local population during scottish raids north of border. king john entertained there in 1201. fitzhughs appointed barons on 15 may 1321. ralph de greystoke, 3rd baron greystoke, born in castle, home of uncle henry, lord fitzhugh, on 18 october 1353. henry fitzhugh, 3rd baron fitzhugh appointed lord chamberlain of household henry v. henry fitzhugh built grade listed ravensworth castle in 1391 on site of previous fortress 11th century, , received licence enclose 200 acres of land around castle make park. robert fitzhugh became bishop of london in 1431. after end of fitzhugh male line in 1513, ownership of castle , estate passed through female line sir thomas parr. following death, passed son, minor, william parr, 1st marquess of northampton time ruined, largely result of being quarried local building materials. passed crown estate in 1571 after parr died without issue. castle began pulled down in middle of 16th century, shortly after visitation antiquarian john leland, entirety of gatehouse remains intact. in 1629 estate conferred crown edward ditchfield. in 1633 sold robinson family, later sold thomas wharton, 1st marquess of wharton in 1676. passed wharton s son philip wharton, 1st duke of wharton, before passing through sister robert byerley. 1779 estate belonged legard baronets.

ancient parish

ravensworth historically largest settlement in ancient parish of kirkby ravensworth. ancient parish encompassed area of 15,000 acres, including ravensworth itself, townships of dalton, gayles, kirby hill (or kirby-on-the-hill), new forest, newsham , whashton. of these places became separate civil parishes in 1866.

the parish church since 1397 has been church of st peter & st felix in kirby hill, situated 1 mile (1.6 km) ravensworth; believed have been built on site of earlier saxon church. cleric , historian john dakyn rector of parish 1554 until death 4 years later. in 1556 established kirby ravensworth free grammar school (free external control rather free @ point of use) , almshouse, , benefaction continues fund charitable causes parishioners.

village history

the bay horse inn, has been public house in village since @ least 1857

the anchoress margaret kirkby born in village, possibly in 1322.

john leland, , many others since, have described ravensworth pretty village. there number of skirmishes in area during civil war, , region royalist stronghold. many english villages, of housing stock consists of grade ii listed buildings, dating mid late 17th century onwards. poet cuthbert shaw born in village in 1738-9. astronomer william lax born in village in 1761, producing method of finding latitude means of 2 altitudes of sun there in 1799. there inclosure acts passed common fields in 1772–3 , 1776–7. in 1773, samuel hieronymus grimm made several sketches around village. publisher effingham wilson born in village in 1785. in 1793, gold penny dating around 1257 during reign of henry iii, found in field in ravensworth; @ time 1 of 2 known exist, , of 2011 8 known exist.

nineteenth century

walter scott referenced village in rokeby (1813), epic poem set in area. artist j. m. w. turner made several sketches of castle on 13 july 1816. wesleyan chapel built in 1822 , oldest chapel in richmond circuit. 1834, parish placed within poor law union of richmond. national school built in 1841. blacksmith s shop has been situated @ same site since 1841. in 1843 parish described being entirely agricultural. bay horse inn public house dates far @ least 1857 (it claims date of 1725), , stone door case 17th century or earlier, built using material castle. in 1859 freestone being quarried in village, although short-lived copper mine had been discontinued; father of christopher cradock lord of manor, , village described exceedingly neat . according 1881 , 1891 censuses, agriculture , mining main industries. in late nineteenth century, speight noted great longevity of many of parishioners, owing space , pure air.

twentieth century

the parish lost 23 men in first world war , 5 in second world war. roll of honour held in parish church. john scott bainbridge additionally remembered in first world war memorial @ barnard castle school (then north eastern county school).

the kirby hill grammar school closed in 1957, having operated 400 years. school educated archbishop of canterbury matthew hutton , antiquarian james raine aforementioned shaw , lax. in 1967 new primary school building opened. in 1974, village became component of north yorkshire, having been situated in north riding of yorkshire. village s 15th century cruck house dismantled in late 1970s , reconstructed @ richmondshire museum. land on stood used build mill close housing estate in 1977. former school premises became village hall in 1987. post office closed down in mid-1990s.

the former england cricketer ian botham has lived in village since 1990. 17th century farmhouse situated on 30-acre estate treasured possession , botham has commented that, our yorkshire home ever leave . local , national media refer him ironically squire of ravensworth . regularly hosts england cricket team @ home. son liam botham has house in farmhouse grounds. village featured in national media in november 2011 after emma sayle s dog went missing residence.