# Ranby worker's houses, Nottinghamshire, September 2016



## HughieD (Sep 20, 2016)

This is a place I’ve been meaning to look at for ages. Every time I pile down the A1 I see it come into view across the fields just north of the A57 exit. On Google Maps the house is fully tiled (it says the image was from this year but that is impossible as it has been de-tiled for a couple of years. It’s been empty for some time but only come to my attention since the roof has been lifted. Anyhow I was heading south with a bit of time to spare without the kids so I parked up in the lay-by near to the house. Unfortunately (or fortunately as it game me some cover) the farmer’s field was planted with maize so I couldn’t actually see the place directly. I figured if I headed parallel to the A1 then turned left it should take me to the place in question. Fortunately my sense of direction was right and after a brisk 10 minute walk skirting the maize field I was there. Then next hurdle was the absolute carpet of nettles and other greenery. 

To be honest I didn’t have high hopes for the place but in actuality it turned out to be a super little explore. It was in fact three worker’s cottages rather than one house. The removal of the roof has clearly sped up the rate of theplace’s demise. I’ve hunted high and low and can find no history whatsoever. I can tell you that the makers of the lovely ranges were T J Green from nearby Worksop. Based on Watson Street, they were finally wound-up in 1958. They also had their own cricket team, pictured here in 1905:


T J Green Cricket team by HughieDW, on Flickr

Anyhow…on with the images:

Ah, there she is!


img7768 by HughieDW, on Flickr

After a ten or so minute walk the cottages loom up over the vegetation:


img7733 by HughieDW, on Flickr

That foliage is dense!


img7734 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img7735 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img7736 by HughieDW, on Flickr

OK – cottage number one:


img7737 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Floors no longer in situ!


img7738 by HughieDW, on Flickr

The range has seen better days:


img7739 by HughieDW, on Flickr

But at least the sink’s still in one piece:


img7740 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Woodwork in need of attention:


img7743 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And, yes, the floors too…


img7744 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Roof timbers correct and present:


img7746 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img7747 by HughieDW, on Flickr

On to the middle cottage – apparently no 41!


img7750 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img7749 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Nature is thriving:


img7751 by HughieDW, on Flickr

The range is in better nick though:


img7754 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img7760 by HughieDW, on Flickr

But not the roof:


img7755 by HughieDW, on Flickr

The up-stairs floor hasn’t got long:


img7756 by HughieDW, on Flickr

The arty sunset shot:


img7757 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Back door:


img7759 by HughieDW, on Flickr

On to cottage no.3:


img7761 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Oh dear!


img7763 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Sink still present…


img7765 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img7767 by HughieDW, on Flickr

One of the two out-houses:


img7766 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Thanks for looking!


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## mockingbird (Sep 20, 2016)

some nice character remains nice job


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## druid (Sep 20, 2016)

A nice little mooch. Love the extra little bits of historical detail you've added too.


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## HughieD (Sep 20, 2016)

mockingbird said:


> some nice character remains nice job



Cheers Mockingbird. Turned out better than expected...



druid said:


> A nice little mooch. Love the extra little bits of historical detail you've added too.



Cheers Druid - shame couldn't find any history about the houses themselves. Guess they became uneconomical given they had no running water, electricity or paved road.


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## smiler (Sep 20, 2016)

Lovely bit of dereliction, I enjoyed it, Thanks


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## Mikeymutt (Sep 20, 2016)

It's knackered hughie.but I enjoyed it.something a bit different.its what I enjoy about your reports


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## Brewtal (Sep 20, 2016)

That's a lovely set of images. I really like run down places like this. My imagination runs wild thinking about what it could have been like. The sun set coming in adds a nice touch to this. Nice work once again, thanks for sharing.


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## HughieD (Sep 21, 2016)

Thank you Mikeymutt, Brewtal and Smiler. The sun did add a nice hue to proceedings, deffo.


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## Dirus_Strictus (Sep 21, 2016)

HughieD;332806 Guess they became uneconomical given they had no running water said:


> Like many similar habitations that have long since gone, or been reduced to overgrown foundations, these cottages were condemned as 'unsuitable for human habitation' unless services provided, when the Council Improvement Grant scheme was instigated. Unfortunately it was a 'Catch 22' situation - services were needed to be installed before grant was considered and as these excellent images show, this place is really isolated so the economics were simply not on. Shame it has been partially de-roofed - it was always a noticeable landmark during my very frequent A1 journeys during my working days. They are typical farm workers cottages and part of a much larger estate/land holding originally I think, constructed to put ones workers right at the centre of their working patch - 1/ to get most work out of the daylight hours, but also 2/ farm labourers had no means of transport, only their feet in those days. Building a few cottages was much cheaper than loosing otherwise productive daylight hours of your labour, by having them walk miles to the fields. Note it was all about Work, not making the poor sods' life any easier!
> 
> Good set of images here once again - nice one!


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## HughieD (Sep 21, 2016)

Dirus_Strictus said:


> Like many similar habitations that have long since gone, or been reduced to overgrown foundations, these cottages were condemned as 'unsuitable for human habitation' unless services provided, when the Council Improvement Grant scheme was instigated. Unfortunately it was a 'Catch 22' situation - services were needed to be installed before grant was considered and as these excellent images show, this place is really isolated so the economics were simply not on. Shame it has been partially de-roofed - it was always a noticeable landmark during my very frequent A1 journeys during my working days. They are typical farm workers cottages and part of a much larger estate/land holding originally I think, constructed to put ones workers right at the centre of their working patch - 1/ to get most work out of the daylight hours, but also 2/ farm labourers had no means of transport, only their feet in those days. Building a few cottages was much cheaper than loosing otherwise productive daylight hours of your labour, by having them walk miles to the fields. Note it was all about Work, not making the poor sods' life any easier!
> 
> Good set of images here once again - nice one!



As always, thank you for the fascinating background Dirus...


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## flyboys90 (Sep 22, 2016)

Great snippets of history and wonderful images.


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