Church Farm, Ravensden

also known as Church End Farm, and later as Hill Farm

This page was written by Trevor Stewart

Church Farm

Although sadly demolished in December 1964 this old farmhouse was important to the village street scene especially as it was so traditional in design with rick yard, cattle byre, milking shed, and stables all clustered around the farm house.

It stood on the north side of Church End at the end of the first block of new houses and before the two farm cottages - which still remain. The land on which the new houses were built was previously in the farm holding.

The farm and cottages all formed part of the estate of the Sunderland family and were occupied by either their Farm Manager or other staff such as stockman or horse keeper.

Carter family outside Church Farm

For almost thirty years Church Farm was the home of the Carter family, firstly Levi and then his son James Francis. Both were employed by Sunderland until James rejoined the army on the outbreak of the First World War.

The outbuildings were in timber heavily coated over the years in bitumen or liquid tarmac, giving them their dark appearance. Churns of milk would often be seen outside waiting collection by the dairy.

The farm and a parcel of land was offered for sale by the Sunderland family in 1959 but the agreed sale appears not to have been completed and it was tenanted again, finally being sold off to builders in 1963/64.