Ruddington Hall
Encyclopedia
Ruddington Hall is a country house standing in the grounds of a beautiful garden in Ruddington
, Nottingham
, England
.
Ruddington Hall has the distinction of being included in the art work of Nikolaus Pevsner
alongside the Elizabethan Wollaton Hall
and Newstead Abbey
, ancestral home of Lord Byron.
It is imbued with Pevsner's
classical ethic of "calm grandeur, and monumental simplicity". Ruddington Hall has an interesting history which is briefly explained below.
Ruddington was an important centre for the production of the world-famous Nottingham lace, and in 1880 the hall was purchased by a successful American merchant, Philo-Laos Mills. Mills was appointed High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire
in 1897. A generous local benefactor, he bred prize-winning pedigree cattle, pigs and shire horses,. He was President of the Nottingham Young Men's Christian Association. He died in 1905, aged seventy-three. His wife, who had greatly helped in his philanthropic work, died in 1906.
In the light of today's concerns about global warming, it's interesting to note that under Ashworth's ownership, the hall's boiler and fireplaces burnt each quarter thirty tons of coal!
In 1931 Ruddington Hall was purchased by Dorothea Kate Forman-Hardy, a member of Nottingham's well known newspaper and printing dynasty.
In 1938 she added a major new extension to the rear, and in September 1940 offered the hall to the Red Cross for use as a wartime convalescent hospital. It accommodated seventy-five patients.
The hall continued as a hospital after the war, and in 1980 was purchased and converted into office premises by a major international company.
In 1992 Ruddington Hall was acquired by Midland Software Ltd, one UK’s specialist HR
and payroll
software and services companies.
Outside the hall, too, restoration has been extensive. Iron gates and rail have been replaced, drainage improved, many new trees and shrubs planted, and old topiary and paths resurrected, all supported by high levels of care and maintenance.
Built on the lower slopes of a wooded hill, Ruddington Hall has attractive views over its own adjoining pastureland and towards distant fields.
It is perhaps only by visiting the hall that the value of its history, buildings and grounds can properly be appreciated - also the importance of preserving a piece of English heritage that could never be replaced.
Ruddington Hall is still owned by MidlandHR and houses their many employees in the day to day workings of a busy office environment.
Ruddington
Ruddington is an English village situated five miles south of Nottingham in the Borough of Rushcliffe. It had a population of 6,441 at the 2001 UK census....
, Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Ruddington Hall has the distinction of being included in the art work of Nikolaus Pevsner
Nikolaus Pevsner
Sir Nikolaus Bernhard Leon Pevsner, CBE, FBA was a German-born British scholar of history of art and, especially, of history of architecture...
alongside the Elizabethan Wollaton Hall
Wollaton Hall
Wollaton Hall is a country house standing on a small but prominent hill in Wollaton, Nottingham, England. Wollaton Park is the area of parkland that the stately house stands in. The house itself is a natural history museum, with other museums in the out-buildings...
and Newstead Abbey
Newstead Abbey
Newstead Abbey, in Nottinghamshire, England, originally an Augustinian priory, is now best known as the ancestral home of Lord Byron.-Monastic foundation:The priory of St...
, ancestral home of Lord Byron.
It is imbued with Pevsner's
Nikolaus Pevsner
Sir Nikolaus Bernhard Leon Pevsner, CBE, FBA was a German-born British scholar of history of art and, especially, of history of architecture...
classical ethic of "calm grandeur, and monumental simplicity". Ruddington Hall has an interesting history which is briefly explained below.
Ruddington Hall – 19th Century
Ruddington Hall was built in 1860. It was designed as a country retreat for Thomas Cross, a wealthy industrialist and banker from Bolton. Together with his wife and some nine servants, he lived here for 19 years.Ruddington was an important centre for the production of the world-famous Nottingham lace, and in 1880 the hall was purchased by a successful American merchant, Philo-Laos Mills. Mills was appointed High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire
High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire
’The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been transferred elsewhere or are now defunct, so that its functions...
in 1897. A generous local benefactor, he bred prize-winning pedigree cattle, pigs and shire horses,. He was President of the Nottingham Young Men's Christian Association. He died in 1905, aged seventy-three. His wife, who had greatly helped in his philanthropic work, died in 1906.
Ruddington Hall – 20th Century
The tradition of ownership by self-made men was continued in 1907 by a Major John Ashworth. As well as developing a flourishing timber importing business, Ashworth, Kirk & Co. Ltd, he was renowned as one of the finest riflemen in the country. This no doubt deterred many a poacher.In the light of today's concerns about global warming, it's interesting to note that under Ashworth's ownership, the hall's boiler and fireplaces burnt each quarter thirty tons of coal!
In 1931 Ruddington Hall was purchased by Dorothea Kate Forman-Hardy, a member of Nottingham's well known newspaper and printing dynasty.
In 1938 she added a major new extension to the rear, and in September 1940 offered the hall to the Red Cross for use as a wartime convalescent hospital. It accommodated seventy-five patients.
The hall continued as a hospital after the war, and in 1980 was purchased and converted into office premises by a major international company.
In 1992 Ruddington Hall was acquired by Midland Software Ltd, one UK’s specialist HR
Human resources
Human resources is a term used to describe the individuals who make up the workforce of an organization, although it is also applied in labor economics to, for example, business sectors or even whole nations...
and payroll
Payroll
In a company, payroll is the sum of all financial records of salaries for an employee, wages, bonuses and deductions. In accounting, payroll refers to the amount paid to employees for services they provided during a certain period of time. Payroll plays a major role in a company for several reasons...
software and services companies.
Ruddington Hall – 21st Century
Since 1992 considerable restoration work has been carried out, including ceilings, stone floors, and leaded windows. Even the hall's original fire extinguisher has returned home after many years away in a museum!Outside the hall, too, restoration has been extensive. Iron gates and rail have been replaced, drainage improved, many new trees and shrubs planted, and old topiary and paths resurrected, all supported by high levels of care and maintenance.
Built on the lower slopes of a wooded hill, Ruddington Hall has attractive views over its own adjoining pastureland and towards distant fields.
It is perhaps only by visiting the hall that the value of its history, buildings and grounds can properly be appreciated - also the importance of preserving a piece of English heritage that could never be replaced.
Ruddington Hall is still owned by MidlandHR and houses their many employees in the day to day workings of a busy office environment.