"Ravenhill Road" is a modern name and first appears in the Directory for 1890. In the 1887 Directory it appears as "Old Ballynafeigh Road," Up to the same time the southern portion of the Ormeau Road, from, the bridge was known as "The New Ballynafoy or Ballynafeigh Road." Before the Ormeau Bridge was built and Ormeau Road extended to Rosetta the old road was the only way for travellers from Belfast to Saintfield and Ballynahinch. When the designation, was changed from “Ballynafoy or Ballynafeigh Old Road" to Ravenhill Road the name was taken from "Ravenhill House", built as a residence for the trainer of his racing stud by the Marquis of Donegall. Ravenhill Presbyterian Church stands more or less on the site of Ravenhill House, where in bygone days the Marchioness of Donegall was a frequent visitor". (Belfast Street Names. John J. Marshall). The name "Ravenhill" appears in Martin's Belfast Directory 1839.
At present, whilst this account of the origins of Raven Hill as a house is plausible, we do not currently have confirmation from other sources that the house was built for a horse trainer. Nor do we know for sure the identity of the Marquis' horse trainer. Henry Ralph Sneyd has been suggested as this person. One of the difficulties is that Raven Hill lies outside the old town, across the Lagan in Co. Down. The townlands of Ballymacarret and Ballynafoy are not covered by directories until the mid-19th century. The Marquis' racehorses were seized in 1800 by Isaac Bernal, a London moneylender to whom he was heavily indebted, according to W A Maguire (Living Like A Lord — The Second Marquis of Donegall, 1769-1844, p. 12). These events seem several decades too early for diectories to shed any light on them. Did the Marquis acquire horses again later and race them during the 1830s? The house is not recorded until 1834 when it appeared on the first edition Ordnance Survey map (IHTA xii, p. 36), although it may have existed earlier. If you have any information on the early history of Raven Hill (house), we would be very interested to hear from you.
"That Mr. W. J. Rea be informed in reply to his application of 3rd inst., that the Committee cannot approve of the names Ashfield Ave and Parkview Avenue being given to two new streets off Ravenhill Road, as they are not 50 feet wide". (10th July 1895).
"Resolved that the Council be recommended to change the name of the road hitherto known as Lagan Village Road to Ravenhill Road". (29th December 1886).
"That Mr John Malcolm be requested to submit other names in place of Wellington Gardens and Victoria Gardens for the two new streets off Ravenhill Road". (16th December 1896).