bamber 128 Posted June 17, 2013 Report Share Posted June 17, 2013 The other day the subject of Donkey Hill came-up in conversation and the derivation of the nickname in particular. One suggestion was that the area was used as a rest and recreation area for pit ponies at Gedling Colliery but I'm not convinced. I'm betting another Nottstalgian will know. So over to you ... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,483 Posted June 17, 2013 Report Share Posted June 17, 2013 For the benefit of those who don't know the location (including me), where is/was it? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
poohbear 1,360 Posted June 17, 2013 Report Share Posted June 17, 2013 Opposite Ransom Road Wells Road end. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bamber 128 Posted June 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2013 It's Saint Bartholomew's Road. One of the steepest in the Nottingham area. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,483 Posted June 17, 2013 Report Share Posted June 17, 2013 This thread means I've learned something new today. For a number of years I lived in Mapperley, off Kenrick Road, and I've driven up and down St Bartholomew's Road many times - but never knew the 'Donkey Hill' bit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bamber 128 Posted June 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2013 Cliff Ton. I charge for private tuition! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
catfan 14,793 Posted June 17, 2013 Report Share Posted June 17, 2013 I always thought it is the steepest hill in Nottm. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
denshaw 2,877 Posted June 17, 2013 Report Share Posted June 17, 2013 Or Freda Avenue off Westdale lane? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted June 17, 2013 Report Share Posted June 17, 2013 We were always told it was Freda Avenue Quote Link to post Share on other sites
poohbear 1,360 Posted June 17, 2013 Report Share Posted June 17, 2013 Known in 1882 as Bartholomew Stile Footway...all fields and allotments then. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
carni 10,094 Posted June 17, 2013 Report Share Posted June 17, 2013 We have come down Freda sideways in the winter a few times one to be avoided in icy weather,never tried St Bartholomews,sounds scary,will take a look next visit to Notts. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
piggy and babs 544 Posted June 17, 2013 Report Share Posted June 17, 2013 good picture of donkey hill the houes with the bay windows is my fiends dee and grahams house. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
piggy and babs 544 Posted June 17, 2013 Report Share Posted June 17, 2013 my dad used to walk up and down freda every day on his way to work at the pit from cavendish rdused to go with him sometimes on a friday to get his wages bad enough going walking down it in good weather and always came back on the bus to parks corner and walked up cavendish rd home glad i did not have to walk back up itwalked down donkey hill many a time but glad i never had to walk up that one either. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,483 Posted June 18, 2013 Report Share Posted June 18, 2013 We were always told it was Freda Avenue In the Streetview version, it doesn't look as dramatic as Donkey Hill. Just depends on the angle. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stan 386 Posted June 18, 2013 Report Share Posted June 18, 2013 Some of the roads off Blue Bell Hill were pretty steep (e.g Pym St.etc) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
catfan 14,793 Posted June 18, 2013 Report Share Posted June 18, 2013 I had a delivery on Freda Ave a few weeks ago, not for the faint hearted. Certainly a good test for any handbreak ! In retrospect, I think Freda Ave is the steeper of the two, but not as long as Donkey Hill. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted June 18, 2013 Report Share Posted June 18, 2013 I/we always called the end of Lascelles Avenue from the junction of Rufford Avenue down to Chesterfield Avenue as Donkey Hill. This was before Chesterfield Avenue was built. I remember sledging down Donkey Hill in the late 1950s. This was when there were orchards either side of Donkey Hill which was no more than a track/footpath. I lived on Welbeck Avenue(number 7) 1953-1967. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,483 Posted June 18, 2013 Report Share Posted June 18, 2013 That complicates things. Are we now discovering that every steep hill in Nottingham is/has been known as Donkey Hill? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted June 18, 2013 Report Share Posted June 18, 2013 That complicates things. Are we now discovering that every steep hill in Nottingham is/has been known as Donkey Hill? Lascelles Avenue is the next Avenue to Freda Avenue(connected by Cavendish Avenue) so the same hill. A school friend lived at the bottom of Freda Avenue (Gordon Price) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DAVIDW 1,690 Posted June 18, 2013 Report Share Posted June 18, 2013 And then there were the Donkey Steps that went from the end of Standhill Road /Hillview Road passing by Pilkington Road down to Valley Road Carlton. Probably 50 years since I went down there but it was narrow at the top and widened out further down and even though there were actual steps spaced quite far apart, it was an excellent sledging run in the winter . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,483 Posted June 18, 2013 Report Share Posted June 18, 2013 When I lived in Mapperley (see post #6) I walked up and down those steps on many occasions. Again, I never knew any donkey connection. Last time I was in the area, houses had been built at the side of the steep steps. bamber's original post suggested that Donkey Hill was used as a rest and recreation area for pit ponies at Gedling Colliery but that was referring to St Bartholomew's Road, which I think would be a bit too far to drag pit ponies for a break. But bubblewrap's version of Donkey Hill which was the end of Lascelles Avenue from the junction of Rufford Avenue down to Chesterfield Avenue might make more sense as a place for parking ponies, being just across the road from Gedling pit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted June 18, 2013 Report Share Posted June 18, 2013 Pit ponies never returned to the surface until they 'retired' stabled deep under ground. (Unless I've been misinformed and they came up during 'pit fortnight' ) So a 'retirement home' out of sight of the pit might actually be a good idea.! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
piggy and babs 544 Posted June 18, 2013 Report Share Posted June 18, 2013 beefy pit ponies certainly did come up on top during christmas and pit fortnight they had a field opposit the pit canteen just as you started walking down the lane to the grey goose entrance loved to go and watch them come up and into the field my favorite was called ginger and charlie my dad always fed them mint imperials when down pit so they came up to him very easily ginger was very gentle there was a three sided shelter in the field two . sometimes they also brought ponies up top if they had been hurt or needed vet treatment. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DAVIDW 1,690 Posted June 18, 2013 Report Share Posted June 18, 2013 This is just a guess but it may have been called Donkey Hill because of the donkeys going up and coming back down from the clayfields of Mapperley transporting bricks for the building work in Nottingham . (Old newspaper quotes in italics) Bartholomew Stile Footway, 10 Feet. One other public Footpath and Highway, of the width of 10 feet, to be called " Bartholomew Stile Footway," commencing at the Coppice Road at or near the south-west end thereof, and, called Bartholomew Stile........to which point the said Blue Bell Hill Road is of the width of 18 Feet ; thence proceeding over the said Clay Field, in the same direction to and terminating at a Close called Wood Lane Close, Just having a further search round and this doesn't really answer why it was called Donkey Hill but it was originally just a narrow uneven track that led from St.Anns Well Road up to Bartholomews stile . There was still a Bartholomews Stile, Thorneywood, listed in the Wrights directory of 1920. Though I see St.Bartholomews Church was built in 1902 on Blue Bell Hill Road . (It may be noted that the footway itself is marked Bartholomew Style on Jackson's map......St. Bartholomew's footstile, and before the construction of St. Ann's Hospital, Thorneywood, it stood at the end of a field at a spot now occupied by the medical and nursing staff quarters. The stile was on one of the popular walks of the district. Bartholomews stile (or style) marked the edge of the borough of Nottingham . It had to be climbed over to reach the Pad Row wheat fields and a path going to Lambley or Gedling . So maybe the only way to transport heavy goods from Nottingham to Lambley was up that pathway by donkey. Not sure what a Pynder (Pinder) fee is and this may need some translation from the old English Bartholomew Stile. "Bartelot Stye aght (ought) to be xl fute brod be ye zerd (yard) and of yat longes to ye Pynder fee of Not. feldes ye halfe. And ye other halfe to ye Pynder of Snenton." Another piece from 1850 Ordered and agreed that Mr. Alderman Hollins do at this Corporation's Expence Plant a Row of Trees : from Bartholomew Style to the Top of the Hill going down to Saint Annes Well on the part of Ground called the pinders Fee. 31/10/1850 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DAVIDW 1,690 Posted June 19, 2013 Report Share Posted June 19, 2013 Thinking about it overnight ( I am that sad ) ..........it seems that if there was a stile at the top of the hill and it was described as a steep , rough uneven pathway up to wheat fields , then it obviously wasn't a road suitable for any horse drawn transport , so it was part of a route , basically just for walkers going towards Lambley or Gedling . So the naming was probably from something as simple as some enterprising bloke having a few donkeys and for a small fee , transporting those weary ones on foot , that were unable to get up the hill , either because they were loaded up with goods or were too infirm for the climb ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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