Lewis Topographical Dictionary, 1831 Vol. III says, “ Ravenscroft, a township in that part of the parish of Middlewich which is in the hundred of the Northwich County Palatine of Chester, One and a quarter miles (N by W) from Middlewich, contains 26 inhabitants.

Notitia Cestriensis, Vol. I (Chetham Society’s publications) dated 1845, says in a footnote, “Ravenscroft Hall is a respectable ancient mansion.”

Mr Vaundry, of Tushington Hall, in notes contributed to the “Cheshire Sheaf” in 1833, writes, “ The then Ravenscroft Hall was an old timbered-gabled mansion with the remains of a moat on the three sides” consisting of about 127 acres of Park and farmland.” The Hall is situated on an eminence commanding fine views towards the South and the East. In 1837 most of the House was pulled down and a rebuilt in a modern style in 1877 the rest of the old fortified Hall was pulled down and rebuilt”. All that remains today of the old Hall is the moat. (See Picture taken post 1917)

Whence the name Ravenscroft? The Encyclopǽdia Pantologia, 1813 gives:

“To Ravens, v.a. (Saxon, to rob), to devour with great eagerness and rapacity”

“Croft (Saxon) a little close joining a house that is used for the corn or for pasture.”

The Encylopǽdia Britannica gives:

“Raven (Anglo Saxon, Hrǽfn (Danish Ravn), probably the most high-developed of all birds”

Johannis Amundesham Annales, Mon., S. Albani, Vol. II, gives:

“Croft, a small close near a dwelling-house, used either for pasture or arable.”

The Estate borders on the banks of the River Dane, which is significant because the following statement attributed to the late Archdeacon Wood, vicar of Middlewich: “that the association was the Croft, a field of the Ravens, that being the ensign of the invading Danes.”

Sharon Turner’s History of the Anglo-Saxons, Vol. I, pg. 483, dated 1852) gives;

“The ensign was a thing of considerable importance, and many references to it occur as such. Just as one of these, it is recorded that in the times of Alfred the Great, Ubbo, the Dane, with twenty three ships, was attracted to the castle of Kynwith, a place unprovided with means of subsistence, but with impregnable against assault, except for at one point.”

“Ubbo concluded, therefore, that a short siege would reduce the inhabitants, and acted accordingly; but Odun the leader of the besieged determined that the only possibly way of avoiding capitulation would be to execute a vigorous sally. This was so successfully carried out at dawn, that Ubbo was slain, the greater part of his following were killed and immense booty fell into the hands of the victors.”

“But what was regarded as a greater disaster than all that, was the capture of the standard known as the Reafan (RAǼAN).

An old poem (Gaimer Lestoire des Engles) has this line.” ; “Taken was the war flag of Ubba, called the Raven.”

I have recently come across the following while reading Sir Winston’s Churchill’s – History of the English Speaking Peoples –Vol. II says -page 216-

Published by Cassell and © BPC Publishing Ltd 1969, 1971. which gives basically the same information reading from the third paragraph.

© Some Ravenscroft's Published by Mr W Ravenscroft F.S.A., F.R.I.B.A., Publisher Telford E Stone Milford-on-Sea Hants.

© Rollo Ravenscroft - Kenilworth - South Africa.

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