Ratley
Ratley is a village in the civil parish of Ratley and Upton, Stratford-on-Avon District, Warwickshire, England. It is on the north west side of the Edge Hill escarpment about 200 metres (660 ft) above sea level.
History
The remains of a 12th-century motte and bailey castle are just outside the village.[1]
The Church of England parish church is Decorated Gothic[2] and almost all of it was built in the 14th century.[3] It is one of a few churches in England dedicated to St. Peter ad Vincula. In the church is a book where people with the surname of Ratley can sign their names.
The Battle of Edge Hill, the first battle of the English Civil War, was fought very near the village. The former Church of England school and local Post Office buildings are still standing but have been converted into houses.
Upton House is less than 1 mile (1.6 km) from the village. It houses a fine art collection and is managed by the National Trust.[4]
In 1922 the Edge Hill Light Railway was built through the village to carry ironstone from a local quarry. It became disused after a few years and was dismantled in 1946.[5]
Amenities
The village has a public house, the Rose & Crown. Parts of the pub are reputed to be 900 years old. It is also a Grade I listed building. The village has a village hall and a sports pitch with football goals and children's play equipment, both of which can be used by the public.
References
Sources
- Pevsner, Nikolaus; Wedgwood, Alexandra (1966). Warwickshire. The Buildings of England. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books. p. 382.
- Salzman, L.F., ed. (1949). A History of the County of Warwick, Volume 5: Kington Hundred. Victoria County History. pp. 144–147.
External links
Media related to Ratley at Wikimedia Commons
- Map sources for Ratley