brief history of raincliffe

1922 Raincliffe Woods sold at auction to a timber merchant for £10,500 following the death of the Earl of Londesborough.

1924 group of local Business men formed the “Trust” and bought Raincliffe Woods to protect & preserve it.

1953 Forestry Commission in partnership with Council manages woodland.

1996 Woodland Trust buy the 25 acre Raincliffe Meadow. This represented the only area of Raincliffe Woods in private ownership having been used for many years as grazing for cattle.

Brief History of Raincliffe Woods

Raincliffe woods was once part of the Royal Forest of Pickering, the largest forest in Yorkshire which at the time of William the Conqueror was 16 miles long and 4 miles wide

The name Raincliffe is believed to have derived from “Hrafn”, one of the Scandinavian invaders to this part of Yorkshire

Earliest records relating to Raincliffe Woods under present name are from 1282.

Area’s of land known to have been wooded since approximately 1600 are classed as ancient woodland. Raincliffe, despite intensive replanting, still retains area’s of Ancient Oak.

1863-1864 Lady Ediths Drive was built through Raincliffe Woods by the then owner the Earl of Londesborough. The carriageway cut through lower Raincliffe to Forge Valley and was named after his wife Lady Edith Somerset

1926 Scarborough Council buy Raincliffe from the trust and 20 acres are replanted. No further work was carried out for 27 years

1977 Council enter discussion with Nature Conservancy Council and Forge Valley becomes a Nature Reserve.

1983 Council produce Conservation & Access policy confirming it’s commitment to Conservation of area & return of woodland to hardwood.

2000 The first ‘Secret Wood’ event held in Raincliffe. The ‘Secret Wood’ was held to encourage people back into the woodland following it’s closure due to a national Foot & Mouth outbreak. The free event was to prove so popular that it became an annual event.

2005 Friends of Raincliffe Woods held it’s first committee meeting