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The first principal of Dunheved College was Mr (later Dr) Benjamin Ralph, who was born at Derringoo-hill, Tipperary, in 1849, educated at the Wesley Connextional School, Dublin; he came to Launceston in 1873 after marrying Sarah Meredith, of Roscrea, Scotland.
Mr Ralph engaged Mr O. B. Peter to design a family home for himself and family and this was erected in an old quarry near the top of Windmill Hill, above the new college buildings. The house was named “Craigmore” when it was completed in 1880. The building was erected by Messrs. Strike, builders, Launceston. The house was sold when Dr Ralph decided to emigrate to Canada, and was purchased by Claude Peter, the brother of Otho, who then requested Otho to design additions to the house. One part then had a flat roof, which in WWII was used as a fire watch station by the local A.R.P. Unit. The building passed down through members of the Peter’s family before being sold off. The property was eventually purchased by a developer in the 2ooo’s who was granted permission to build a block of 12 apartments and 2 houses in the grounds of Craigmore. During the construction of the new development called ‘The Beeches’, Craigmore was used as the site office, and already in a poor condition, the fabric deteriorated further and it was accepted that it would prove to be uneconomical to repair so the building was demolished.
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