Strelley Hall

24/09/2026

A big shout out from all of us at Strelley Hall to our neighbours and good friends at Strelley Village Honey!
They are one of our fantastic local artisan producers, creating pure, unprocessed honey from hives right here in Strelley Village.
It’s a real local treat, and we absolutely love it!
The honey is not generally commercially available, which makes it even more special when you get the chance to pick some up.
If you missed them at our recent Heritage Market, don’t worry - Strelley Village Honey will be joining us again at our Carols in the Courtyard event in December.
Make sure you look out for their stall, say hello, and maybe take home a jar of something truly local.

22/09/2026

Ralph and Jim at Strelley Hall
Ralph Thomas Edge (1888 – 1972) (left) was the eldest son of Squire Edge. As mentioned in our last post Ralph was disinherited and Emily Mary Edge (Miss Edge) came to inherit Strelley Hall.
Ralph served as Captain in the Royal Engineers during the war and was awarded the Military Cross for distinguished service in Egypt. After the war he worked as a civil engineer and married Gladys Torr in 1919 and had three children.
Gladys died in 1930 and Ralph married again in 1938, but this did not last long at all. His second wife was Enid Knight-Bruce, who left him the morning after their wedding.
James Vernon Edge (1889 – 1971) serve as Lieutenant in the Sherwood Foresters and was wounded twice in France.
Follow for more Hidden Stories of Strelley Hall.

21/09/2026

A big shout out from all of us at Strelley Hall to our neighbours and good friends
Just a short walk across Strelley Village, The Field is doing something really special: bringing local people together to help nature thrive. Once shaped by open-cast mining and intensive agriculture, the land is now being transformed through micro-wilding, with thousands of trees planted, wildflower meadows sown, ponds created and new habitats taking shape for wildlife of all kinds.
Their work is about more than wildlife too. The Field is a place for education, community and connection, giving people of all ages the chance to learn about nature, enjoy time outdoors and play a part in looking after the local environment.
If you’d like to get involved, there are plenty of ways to join in. Their GarDINEing Mondays run weekly from 4-8pm, with two hours of hands-on volunteering followed by free food and a friendly natter. Activities can include tree planting, vegetable planting, nettle digging, crafting, painting and more. They also welcome school groups, community groups, organisations and anyone keen to support the project.
We’re proud to have such inspiring neighbours here in Strelley Village and would love to encourage our community to take a look, follow their updates and lend a hand where they can.
Find out more, join the mailing list or contact the team here: www.fieldstrelley.org

What we do This Field - only four miles from Nottingham City Centre - was once the site of open cast mining, and then intensive agriculture. For a long time it has served humans. Now, we want to bring local people together to help it work for wildlife, through micro-wilding. So far, we have

20/09/2026

RALPH EDGE THOUGHT STRELLEY HALL WOULD BE HIS
When Squire Thomas Lewis Kekewich Edge died in 1931, it was expected that his eldest son, Ralph Edge, would inherit Strelley Hall and the estate.
But that wasn't what happened.
Ralph was left a substantial income from rents from a number of properties, but he was not left the Hall or the estate. Instead, Strelley Hall eventually passed to his sister, Emily Mary Edge.
The story of Ralph Edge's disinheritance is an interesting one.
Ralph had married Gladys Mary Torr, whose father was a Canon of Chester Cathedral. Her sister, Dona Torr, went on to become a founding member of the Communist Party of Great Britain and a significant Marxist historian.
According to family recollections, Gladys would visit Strelley with Ralph and plan out how they would use the house for the general betterment of the working classes.
Squire Edge was appalled at the prospect and even though Gladys died in 1930 before he did (in 1931), it is said that he had strong doubts about Ralph's intentions for Strelley and was determined that the Hall and the Edge name should remain together.
What makes the story particularly striking is that Ralph apparently had no idea that he would not inherit the Hall.
In the days following his father's death, he is said to have toured the estate speaking to workers and reassuring them that their livelihoods would be secure under his ownership.
Only when the will was read did he realise that he would not inherit the Hall.
Emily Mary would go on to inherit and manage the Hall and estate for more than 40 years.
It's a remarkable twist in the story of Strelley Hall and one that changed the course of the estate for a generation.
Had you heard this story before?
Do you know of any other family stories about Ralph, Miss Edge or life at Strelley Hall?
We'd love to hear them.
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17/09/2026

SQUIRE EDGE AT BISLEY
This photograph from around 1920 shows Thomas Lewis Kekewich Edge - Squire Edge - at Bisley with Lord Deerhurst.
We recently shared a letter Thomas wrote home to his father shortly after he arrived at boarding school in Duffield at about the age of seven. It's fascinating to see another photograph of him many years later and get a glimpse of the man he became.
Thomas Edge was a keen competitive r***e shooter and an excellent shot. He regularly travelled south to Bisley to shoot with his friends and was clearly a serious competitor.
His enthusiasm for shooting extended to Strelley Hall too. The gun cupboard was remembered as containing a collection of fi****ms, including a Wi******er and a Ma**er.
His connection with competitive shooting has left a lasting legacy. An Edge Trophy is still awarded at Bisley today.
It's interesting to see this side of Thomas Edge alongside the more formal picture we have of him as Squire of Strelley, High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire, Justice of the Peace, County Alderman and long-serving Churchwarden.
Do you know any other stories about Squire Edge?
We'd love to hear them.
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17/09/2026

We love our Bakehouse! 🥰

14/09/2026

13/09/2026

A little boy’s letter home

Among the surviving traces of the Edge family story is this beautiful and touching letter written by Thomas Edge (latterly Squire Edge, who died in 1931) when he was still only a small boy. Thomas had recently arrived at boarding school in Duffield and, at about seven years old, wrote home to his father to let him know that he had arrived safely, had begun lessons, and was settling in.
His words are simple, affectionate and full of the small concerns of childhood; walks after breakfast, cake and hampers, kisses for everyone at home, and the wonderfully direct question, “How is my pony?”
There is a deeper poignancy behind the letter as Thomas’s mother, Julia Frances Kekewich, had died in childbirth, and Thomas was her only child. His father later remarried when Thomas was ten, but at the time this letter was written he was a young boy away from home, writing tenderly to his father from school.
Years later, when Thomas married Etheldreda Musgrave, he and Etheldreda had seven children. Their first child was christened Julia Frances Edge, carrying forward the name of the mother Thomas had never known.
This small letter connects childhood, loss, family memory and reminds us that history is not only found in grand buildings and public records, but also in the fragile handwriting of a child asking after his pony.

Transcription of Letter

"Duffield February 10
My dear Papa
I arrived quite safely at Duffield on Friday. I am quite well and hope you are. We began lessons last Monday. I am quite happy again. Yesterday we took a long walk after breakfast. The Hare and Rabbits were very nice. We have not had the cake; a great many of the boys brought a hamper with them. I shall have it tonight.
There are two or three more boys to come in. How is my pony? I hope it will not get any fatter. I send my best love and many kisses to you and all at home. Are they cutting down more wood? I have begun Delectus, we do three pieces in a week, but we shall do more soon.
From your loving little boy,
Thomas Edge"

Not many people will know this story, but we know many of you still have stories of Squire Edge, handed down over the years. Please share this post and share your stories of Strelley Hall, we would love to hear from you.

12/09/2026

Our Heritage market is all set up and ready to go 😊
It’s on today Saturday 12th 10-3, plus a vintage vehicle display and history exhibition in the church 🔔