Ridley Hall

A 16th-century house on the site was owned by the Ridley family of Willimoteswick. It was acquired by the Lowes family in the late 17th century In 1830 John Davidson (High Sheriff in 1839), a cousin and beneficiary of the will of William Cornforth Lowes, purchased the house The 18th-century west wing became the domestic service wing. The Bowes-Lyon family were not often resident, and in the 20th century the house was sold to the Rev E A Evans and was converted to St Nicolas's preparatory school. In 1961 it joined forces with Hillbrow Preparatory School from nearby Haltwhistle and the Rev E A Evans retired. It was renamed Hillbrow-St Nicolas's for a short while. In 1967 lack of numbers…