Ravensworth

Ravensworth is a village and civil parish in the Holmedale valley, in the county of North Yorkshire, England. It is approximately 4.5 miles (7.2 km) north-west of Richmond and 10 miles (16 km) from Darlington. The parish has a population of 255, according to the 2011 census. Ravensworth was historically situated in the North Riding of Yorkshire, but has been a part of North Yorkshire since 1974 as a result of the Local Government Act 1972. From 1974 to 2023 it was part of the district of Richmondshire, it is now administered by the unitary North Yorkshire Council. The village has ancient origins, dating back to the time of Viking settlements. In it are the remains of the 14th century, Grade I listed Ravensworth Castle, the ancestral home of the FitzHugh family. After the FitzHugh line came to an end, the castle was abandoned. Beginning in the mid-16th century, it began to be dismantled, but the gatehouse remains almost wholly intact. There are a number of listed buildings situated around the village green, mostly dating from the eighteenth century. Many of them were constructed using raw materials from the castle. Today, Ravensworth is primarily a commuter village, and the historically important agricultural sector now employs only a small number of people. Historically, stone mining was important to the local economy. Although it died out in the twentieth century, a sandstone quarry was recently opened just outside the village. Amenities include a primary school, a public house and a large village green. Ravensworth is most frequently mentioned in the media as the home of the former international cricketer Ian Botham.