CLOTHALL
Cladhele (xi cent.); Clahall or Clohall (xiii cent.);
Clothale (xiv cent.).
The parish of Clothall lies on the summit and
slopes of the chalk hills to the south-east of the town
of Baldock. It is a district of scattered farms and
homesteads. The church, with the rectory and
schools, lies to the south-east of the main road
from Buntingford to Baldock in a commanding
but somewhat isolated position on the eastern
slope of Hickman's Hill. A branch of the main
road here turns the summit of the hill at a
height of about 492 ft. above sea level, descending
abruptly northwards. Between Baldock and Clothall
Church lies Clothall Field, containing about 600 acres,
a 'common-field' of open arable land famous for
its barley, and divided into irregular strips by 'balks,'
or narrow banks of grass, sometimes grown with
bushes. (fn. 1) The strips are still divided among the three
chief landowners: the rector, the Marquess of Salisbury and Miss Cotton Browne. (fn. 2) On the hill-side the
scarped terraces, or 'lynches,' form a distinctive
feature of the parish. The high ridges between these
terraces have the appearance of artificial defences,
but are in reality due to the custom of turning the
sod down-hill in ploughing. Groups of parallel strips
lie together in 'furlongs.' In the 13th century
'Greneweyhull' was the lord's furlong; other furlongs were 'Hepingborow' and 'Smelinke.' (fn. 3) The
lord of the manor had right of foldage. (fn. 4) The
villagers no longer claim any rights in the open fields.
An attempt to inclose in 1885 was frustrated by
lack of unanimity among the landowners. (fn. 5)
Westfield, the second common field, lies south-east
of the church. In 1609 there were at least two other
open fields, 'Piebushfield' and 'Sheldonfield,' (fn. 6) the
former near Kipple Field in Luffenhall. (fn. 7) The arable
land south and east of the church is for the most part
inclosed; in fact, the inconvenience of scattered
holdings in the common fields was already experienced by the middle of the 13th century, when a
certain William Pasket apparently endeavoured to
consolidate an estate by buying up 23 acres in ten
parcels in addition to bondmen, houses, crofts of
pasture and other lands. (fn. 8) Especially about Kingswood
Farm are the lands inclosed; in a 15th-century lease
of the farm it was agreed that the owner should do
all 'reparacions as of dyking and closing.' (fn. 9) In 1547
the owner of Kingswood had also 27 acres in the
common field called Sheldonfield and 38 acres in
Westfield, and these were held in twenty-one separate
strips. (fn. 10)
The most notable of the scattered homesteads is
Quickswood, which lies to the north-east of the
church near the site of the former residence of the
Earls of Salisbury. (fn. 11) The old house was demolished
about 1790, but the brick foundations of the house
and cellars exist immediately to the west of the present
farm-house. The cock-pit may still be seen in a field
to the north of the old house. Near Quickswood on
the borders of Wallington is Spital Wood, evidently
at one time the property of the hospital of St. Mary
Magdalene. (fn. 12) Farther south a larger wood shelters
Clothallbury, which appears to be on the site of the
house called 'Clothall' held by George Kympton
at the beginning of the 17th century. (fn. 13) The existing
farm-house is said to have portions of the out-houses
of the old 'bury' incorporated with it, though it shows
very little signs of antiquity, but a few hundred yards
to the south-east are traces of an extensive mansion
apparently of considerable antiquity. Within the
well-defined inclosure are several old pollard oaks,
one of which measures 18 ft. in circumference 5 ft.
from the ground. The inclosure has been moated.
South of the church is Hooksgreen Farm with a
few cottages and the 'Barley Mow' public-house opposite the ancient site of Hook's manor-house. These
lie near a moated site which tradition asserts was that
of Clothall Hospital. Another such site to the southeast, upon Burnt House Lane, is that of the 'Tabard,'
a 16th-century inn, which with the adjacent meadow
called Fidler's Mead and other land (probably
including the neighbouring field called Chapels)
belonged to the gild of Baldock. (fn. 14)
Kingswood Bury is a farm in the occupation of
Mr. Edward White in the south-east of the parish.
Beyond it the ground slopes downwards to the hamlet
of Luffenhall, built in a single street and lying partly
in Clothall, partly in Ardeley. Around it lie three
small open fields, known as Luffenhall, Newell and
Swamstey Commons. Over these the farmers have
the right of 'shackage' or grazing after harvest;
but the farmers generally come to a mutual agreement about their rights of sheep-walk, (fn. 15) and the
greater part of the Luffenhall land is inclosed. The
hamlet is well watered by the River Beane and its
tributaries.
The hospital of St. Mary Magdalene was founded
by Sir Hugh de Clothall, kt., probably the Hugh de
Clothall who was lord of the manor in 1217. (fn. 16) It was
at first a house for lepers, known as the 'Hospital
without Baldock.' (fn. 17) In 1226 a two-days' fair upon the
feast of St. Bartholomew was granted to the hospital
until the king (Henry III) should be of age. (fn. 18) In 1275
the brethren had licence to inclose a highway 588 ft.
long from their close to Clothall Church. (fn. 19) The
original building was in an unsafe place, more than a
mile from the town, and suffered much from raids and
burnings by robbers. (fn. 20) About 1308 it was therefore
removed to a more secure spot at 'Brade,' (fn. 21) but the
brethren were bound to continue the services at the
old chapel. Tradition locates its second site within
the moat near Hook's Green, but the name
'High Brade' was applied in 1839 to a field on
the main road, further south, between Luffenhall
Common and Westfield. (fn. 22) The advowson of the
hospital belonged to the lords of the manor, and the
lords of Botteles and Hauvills evidently presented
jointly. (fn. 23) When suppressed in 1547 the chapel was
said to be more than a mile from the church, and
there were many people dwelling about it. (fn. 24) It was
then simply a chantry chapel.
MANORS
In 1086 Clothall consisted of a main
manor and several small holdings. Osbern
held the main manor of Bishop Odo.
Leuiet held a virgate which may have been the
nucleus of the lands known as Mundens. (fn. 25) The manor
of William de Ow, in the neighbouring parish of
Weston, extended into Clothall, where a certain
William (lord also of Hinxworth) held half a virgate
and 3 acres of him. (fn. 26) Luffenhall was already a
separate hamlet, part of which was held by Osbern,
while the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul's held the
manor of Luffenhall, (fn. 27) and Theobald, tenant under
Hardwin Scales, had a holding which included half
a hide in Luffenhall and a virgate all but 3 acres in
Clothall. (fn. 28)
Clothall
The main manor of CLOTHALL was held in the
time of Edward the Confessor by Alnod Grud, a man
of Archbishop Stigand's, and he could sell it without
the archbishop's licence. After the Conquest it was
acquired by Odo of Bayeux, of whom Osbern, tenant of
a considerable fief in Hertfordshire, held it. Osbern's
holding included 7 hides and 3½ virgates. (fn. 29) In the
time of King Edward three sokemen of the king held
2 hides and 3 virgates, paying 11d. to the sheriff as
commutation for 'avera,' or cartage; but after the
king's death (and presumably before that of Stigand,
whose men they became) their land was attached
to the manor. (fn. 30) Two other sokemen of the archbishop
held half a virgate which they retained in 1086. It
also seems probable that the land which Osbern held
of Odo of Bayeux in the hamlet of Luffenhall was
added in the course of time to the manor of Clothall.
This holding consisted of 2½ hides; 1½ hides had been
held by two men of Archbishop Stigand, while the
remaining hide had been held by a man of Almar de
Benington, who had formerly rendered 'avera' as
the king's sokeman. (fn. 31)
Odo of Bayeux forfeited Clothall with all his other
English possessions in 1088, when he led the Norman
rebellion against William Rufus. Many of his lands
were subsequently held by service of castle guard at
Dover; some of these were assigned to the custodia, or
castle-guard barony, of Port, (fn. 32) and among them was
Clothall. The barony was held by the family of Port
of Basing, (fn. 33) and in 1166 John de Port returned the
name of Robert de Clothall (Clahalde) among the
knights who owed him service. (fn. 34) This Robert had
apparently succeeded to the holding of Osbern.
The holding of Robert was stated to be one knight's
fee, (fn. 35) but early in the next century the tenant of
Clothall owed the service of two fees to the Port
barony. (fn. 36) It was rendered three times yearly, (fn. 37)
covering altogether twenty-four weeks. (fn. 38) During the
16th century the manor was still said to be held of
the king as of the 'honour of Dover,' (fn. 39) but the
re-grant to Thomas Chalmer and Edward Cason, kt.,
in 1604 stipulated that it should be held in socage
and not by knight's service of the manor of East
Greenwich. (fn. 40)
The overlordship passed from John de Port to his
son Adam de Port, (fn. 41) and probably from him to his
son William 'de St. John.' It remained in the male
line of the St. John family until 1337. (fn. 42) It was then
assigned in dower to Mirabel widow of Hugh de
St. John, who had married Thomas de Aspall. (fn. 43) It
afterwards formed part of the share of Margaret wife
of John de St. Philibert, eldest daughter and co-heir
of Hugh de St. John, after the death of her young
brother Edmund. (fn. 44) Her heir was her sister Isabel
wife of Luke Poynings, (fn. 45) but the mesne lordship
was probably allowed to lapse, for late returns record
only the service due to the Crown at Dover Castle.
In the 12th and 13th centuries the immediate
tenants of the manor took their surname from Clothall.
It is possible that one of these was a certain Laurence
called 'Laurence Scot of Clothall,' for 13th-century
charters refer to service due to the 'heir of Laurence
Scot lord of Clothall.' (fn. 46) Robert de Clothall held the
manor in 1166. (fn. 47) Richard de Clothall, who was
living in 1200, was tenant of the manor in 1211–12. (fn. 48)
During the disturbances of 1215 and 1216 his lands
were in the hands of the king, who granted them to
Eustace 'de Campo Remigii.' (fn. 49) The overlord, however, had the custody of Clothall, possibly during the
minority of Richard's heir. (fn. 50) This seems to have been
his son Hugh de Clothall, (fn. 51) who probably founded the
hospital of St. Mary Magdalene. (fn. 52) In 1217 Hugh
was restored to all the lands of which he had been
dispossessed at the beginning of the war, (fn. 53) evidently
in consequence of the grant to Eustace. At the same
time he delivered to the Sheriff of Hertfordshire for
the king certain chirographs and charters of the Jews. (fn. 54)
He may possibly be identical with Hugh de Clothall
(Clahull), who died seised of lands in Ireland before
1246. (fn. 55) At Clothall he was succeeded by his brother
Simon de Clothall, (fn. 56) who died before 1248, (fn. 57) leaving
three daughters and co-heirs, Emecine, Muriel and
Maud. (fn. 58) During their minority Robert de St. John,
the overlord, granted the manor to John de Gisors for
fourteen years. He subsequently sold the marriage of
Emecine for 40 marks to Geoffrey de Hauvill, the king's
falconer and bailiff of Rockingham Forest. (fn. 59) Geoffrey
and Emecine in contravention of an agreement made
with the overlord entered upon the manor before the
lease to John de Gisors had expired. The tenant
brought a plea into the King's Court charging Geoffrey
and Emecine with ejecting him by force, 'with
habergeons, bows and arrows,' and with carrying off
his corn and goods. It was finally agreed that John
de Gisors should retain two-thirds of the manor
(possibly the shares of Emecine's younger sisters) till
the end of his term, while Geoffrey and Emecine
paid the compensation estimated by Richard de
Havering and William Pasket. (fn. 60)
In 1271 Maud wife of Richard de Bottele and
youngest daughter of Simon de Clothall surrendered
one-third of 32s. 5d. rent and of the advowson to
Geoffrey and Emecine. (fn. 61) It is said that this Maud
died childless, and that her portion of the inheritance
was so divided between her two sisters that Muriel had
the greater part of the manor. (fn. 62) It is doubtless due
to this fact that Muriel's purparty in Cloth all was
known from the 15th century onwards as 'the manor
of BOTTELES.' Apparently she married first Roger
Scales, (fn. 63) and afterwards John Poley, (fn. 64) who was holding
this moiety of the manor in 1303. (fn. 65) It is said that
she had a son Laurence, (fn. 66) possibly the Laurence 'de
Bottele' who held land in Clothall about 1317. (fn. 67) In
February 1361–2 Henry 'son of John Bottele of
Clothall' conveyed certain rents with manorial rights
and one-third of the common fold of Clothall and onethird of the advowson of the church to Sir John de la
Lee, kt., and Joan his wife. (fn. 68) These appear to have
been identical with Botteles Manor. This Henry
was said (in 1405) to have been son of Laurence son of
Muriel Poley. (fn. 69) It seems possible that he was grandson of Laurence, and that the descendants of Muriel
took the name of Bottele from their estate at Clothall.
Sir John 'atte Lee,' kt., died seised of the manor in
1369, leaving a son and heir Walter, (fn. 70) afterwards
knighted. Sir Walter was burdened with debt, (fn. 71) and
after his death his trustees transferred all his rights in
Clothall to three brothers, Matthew and Henry Rede
and Thomas Blount. (fn. 72) By 1405 these three had also
acquired the manor of Hauvills (see below). Henry
Rede died about 1421 and Matthew before that date. (fn. 73)
Hauvills and Botteles were settled upon Margaret wife
of John Mitchell, (fn. 74) for whom they had possibly been
holding in trust. Her husband was returned as the
tenant of a knight's fee (Hauvills) in Clothall in
1428, (fn. 75) and in February 1444–5 he died seised of
both Hauvills and Botteles. (fn. 76) Margaret survived till
about 1455. (fn. 77) Of her three daughters, Cecily wife
of William Sydney, who died in her mother's lifetime,
had two grandchildren, Elizabeth and Anne, aged
respectively seven and six in 1465. Another daughter
Elizabeth wife of John Wode died 26 March 1463–4,
and the third, Joan, married first William Druell and
afterwards John Brunne. (fn. 78)
Burgoyne. Gules a cheveron or between three talbots argent with a battled chief argent and three martlets azure therein.
Hauvills and Botteles passed to the descendants of
Joan Druell. In 1485 William Druell (possibly the
son of William and Joan) died seised of them. (fn. 79) He
was succeeded by his son John, who died childless in
1495, his mother Anne (then wife of George
Alyson) (fn. 80) being still alive. (fn. 81) His brother and heir
Richard Druell came of age in 1503. (fn. 82) The Clothall
estate descended at his death in 1525 to his daughter
Anne, who married first Robert Warner (fn. 83) and
secondly Thomas Perient of Digswell. (fn. 84) Two of her
daughters, Mary then wife of
George Horsey and Anne wife
of Anthony Carleton, conveyed their shares in Clothall
in the spring of 1550 to
George Burgoyne, (fn. 85) who had
married a third daughter,
Dorothy. (fn. 86) In 1572 settlement of two-thirds of the
manors was made on George
and Dorothy Burgoyne with
successive remainders in tailmale to their sons Thomas,
George and others. George
Burgoyne died in 1588, (fn. 87) but
his widow apparently continued to reside at Clothall,
with her younger son George, (fn. 88) upon whom the remaining third of the manors was settled. (fn. 89) During his
mother's life the elder son Thomas Burgoyne of Weston
raised £2,000 on his reversionary rights in the twothirds of the estate acquired by his father. (fn. 90) In February
1602 Dorothy Burgoyne presented to the rectory. (fn. 91)
Probably she died soon afterwards, for in 1603 Peter
Pierson and William Plomer and others were dealing
with the estate, (fn. 92) and in 1604 her first cousin George
Perient of Little Ayot and others surrendered to the
Crown 'the manor of Clothall and manors of Hauvills,
Botteles, Hooks and Brickfields formerly the possessions
of Simon of Clothall and late of George Burgoyne and
Dorothy his wife.' (fn. 93) The surrender seems to have
been intended to procure a change in the tenure. (fn. 94)
In 1604 the estate was re-granted to Sir Thomas
Challoner, kt., and Edward Cason, (fn. 95) agents in a conveyance to Nicholas Trott, (fn. 96) son-in-law to George
Perient. (fn. 97) Trott sold to William second Earl of
Salisbury in June 1617, (fn. 98) and the estate has remained
with his direct descendants until the present day.
The moiety of the main manor which descended
to Geoffrey and Emecine de Hauvill after the death
of Simon de Clothall afterwards took the name of
HAUVILLS. (fn. 99) Geoffrey de Hauvill died about
1302, (fn. 100) and was succeeded by his son John, (fn. 101) who
also held his father's office in Rockingham Forest. (fn. 102)
It is said that Richard Monchesney and his wife Joan
acquired a life interest in Hauvills in accordance with
a settlement made by Geoffrey de Hauvill, and that a
certain Reginald de Hauvill succeeded under the
same settlement. (fn. 103) Certainly Richard Monchesney was
assessed for a sixteenth in Clothall in 1316–18, (fn. 104) and
he had grant of free warren in Clothall in 1333. (fn. 105)
Joan widow of John (possibly an error for Richard)
Monchesney was holding this moiety of Clothall in
1349. (fn. 106) She seems to have been succeeded by Reginald
de Hauvill, (fn. 107) and his son Thomas witnessed the conveyance of Botteles to John atte Lee in 1362. (fn. 108) Reginald
de Hauvill had a brother Ralph of Baldock, whose
widow Beatrice claimed dower in certain small parcels
of land in Clothall in 1356 (fn. 109) ; but it does not appear
that Ralph had any right in the manor, although his
title to it was asserted later. (fn. 110)
The earlier settlement on Richard Monchesney
evidently brought upon Thomas de Hauvill dissensions
with the Monchesney family, for he was charged with
entering the manor of Walter Monchesney (fn. 111) at Clothall
and carrying away £280. At the same time he was
accused of imprisoning the king's bailiff at Southwark
for thirty-seven weeks and committing various other
enormities. (fn. 112) The heirs of Thomas were his sisters
Emecine and Anne. Anne's son Robert sold his
moiety of Hauvills to Matthew and Henry Rede and
Thomas Blount, who also acquired Botteles. The
second moiety descended to Emecine's granddaughter
Katherine wife of John Piers. (fn. 113) In 1395–6 John
and Katherine conveyed their share in the manor to
John and Anne Burwell, (fn. 114) from whom it was acquired
by Matthew and Henry Rede and Thomas Blount. (fn. 115)
It was thus re-united with Botteles and the rest of
Hauvills.
Brickfields
The reputed manor of BRICKFIELDS (Brettevyle,
xv cent.; Brytvyles or Britfield, xvi cent.) was held of
the manor of Hooks (fn. 116) (q.v.). During the 14th century
it was held by the Bretteville family. In 1300 Hugh
Bretteville of Hertford gave to his son William, upon
his marriage with Eleanor daughter of William Bretun,
his tenement in Clothall with villeins, homage,
wards, reliefs and escheats. (fn. 117) William son of Hugh
Bretteville was possessed of land in Clothall in
1318, (fn. 118) and in 1333 William and Eleanor Bretteville
granted their 'manor of Clothall' to Hugh Bretteville
and his wife Joan in tail with remainder to John
brother of Hugh. (fn. 119) A William Bretteville and his
wife Joan conveyed the manor to William Pekke and
William Goldington in 1443. (fn. 120) It ultimately came
into the possession of Richard Druell, who held it with
Hauvills and Botteles at his death in 1525. (fn. 121) Its
subsequent descent is identical with that of the main
manor (q.v.).
Hooks
HOOKS (Hokeslond, xv cent.; Howkes, xvi cent.)
was apparently held of the manor of Botteles. (fn. 122) It
was presumably held by Robert Hook, citizen and
grocer of London, about 1408, when he presented a
rector to the church. (fn. 123) He would therefore appear
to have acquired the one-third of the advowson which
was subsequently attached to the 'manor' of Hooks
between 1405, when Matthew and Henry Rede and
Thomas Blount were possessed of the entire advowson,
and 1408. (fn. 124) Robert Hook again presented a rector
in 1421, (fn. 125) but between that date and 1445 'a moiety
of the manor of Clothall called Hokeslonds' was
granted to John Mitchell, lord of Hauvills and Botteles,
by a certain William Aston. (fn. 126) 'Hokesmanoir' was
settled on Elizabeth daughter of Margaret Mitchell.
Her heirs were her sister Joan and nieces Elizabeth and Anne. (fn. 127) The subsequent history of Hooks
is identical with that of the main manor.
The site of the 'manor-house' lies on the way from
Clothall to Cumberlow, nearly opposite Hook's Green
Farm. (fn. 128)
Kingswood Bury
KINGSWOOD BURY (Kingeswode, xii–xiii cent.;
Kingswoodbery, xv–xvi cent.) was held of the Abbot
of Westminster as of his neighbouring manor of
Ashwell. (fn. 129)
A separate tenement of this name existed in 1198,
when seisin of it was recovered by Robert son of
Osbert, (fn. 130) who seems to have been succeeded by
Julianne de Kingswood. (fn. 131) Robert de Kingswood
owed service in Clothall about the middle of the 13th
century; and there is reason to suppose that Kingswood was identical with the wood called 'Socage' in
Clothall Park, for which Simon de Clothall owed two
pounds of pepper to Adam de Hippegrave. (fn. 132)
The Kingswood family held land in Clothall during
the first half of the 14th century. (fn. 133) The 'manor' of
Kingswood Bury came later to John and Joan Venour
and was divided among their daughters and co-heirs.
Margery Venour, one of these, surrendered her third
share in the manor to Peter Paul and his wife Alice
in 1422. (fn. 134) Alice Paul seems to have held another
third in her own right. (fn. 135) Peter Paul was in possession
of the whole manor by 1437, (fn. 136) In accordance with
settlements made in 1445 and 1466 (fn. 137) it descended
to his son Richard Paul of Baldock, who in 1477
let it to John Sturgeon for twelve years in return for
£50 and a gown of cloth. (fn. 138) In 1484 Richard Paul
conveyed the manor (probably in trust) to John
Sturgeon and others. (fn. 139) In 1485 Thomas Nudegate,
son of Richard's sister Alice, surrendered his right in
the manor to Sturgeon. (fn. 140) The latter sold to Richard
Sheldon, who was succeeded in 1494 by his son
Richard. (fn. 141) Richard Sheldon the younger settled this
manor on himself and his wife Alice with remainder
to his nephew Richard Barington. He died in 1518,
but his wife survived. (fn. 142) It is not clear whether
Barington inherited the manor. Some, at least, of
the manorial lands had been leased to Edmund
Kympton of Weston. (fn. 143) In 1546 Peter Hering and
his wife Joan conveyed the manor to Thomas Matthew
and others, (fn. 144) evidently trustees in a sale to George
Lucy, to whom Edmund Kympton released his rights
in 1551. (fn. 145)
George Lucy was succeeded by his son Sir Edmund
Lucy, kt., of Broxbourne before 1580, (fn. 146) and in 1610
Sir Edmund entailed the manors of Kingswood Bury
and Mundens upon his son Henry and the latter's
wife Anne Sheldon. (fn. 147) Sir Edmund died in 1630,
and his son Henry inherited the estate, (fn. 148) which was
retained by his widow after his death. In 1656 she
joined with her eldest son, Edward Lucy, in a sale to
Rowland Hale of King's Walden for the benefit of
his son William Hale of Gray's Inn, who was about
to marry Mary Elwes. (fn. 149) The manor remained thenceforward in the family of Hale (fn. 150) until 1888, when
it was purchased by the Marquess of Salisbury, in
whose family it still remains.
In 1552 the site of the manor is described as
'motted rounde abowte with an orcheyard gardeyn
and a cow-yard adjoyning to the same motte.' (fn. 151)
Luffenhall
LUFFENHALL was granted with Ardeley to the
Dean and Chapter of St. Paul's. (fn. 152) It has since continued to be a member of Ardeley Manor in this
hundred (q.v.).
Mundens
MUNDENS was a reputed manor near Kingswood
Bury, its lands lying on the side of Burnt House Lane
opposite the place called 'Chapels.' (fn. 153) Some of these
may be identical with the virgate held by Osgot, one
of Eddeva's men, before the Conquest, and afterwards
attached to Munden in Broadwater Hundred. In
1086 this virgate was held of Count Alan by Leuiet. (fn. 154)
The earliest known reference to the 'manor' of
Mundens in Clothall dates from 1466, when it was
entailed upon the heirs of Peter Paul and his wife
Alice. (fn. 155) It has subsequently remained in the possession of the successive lords of Kingswood Bury
(q.v.).
Quickswood or Quicksett
QUICKSWOOD or QUICKSETT was the residence of George Burgoyne in 1554. (fn. 156) It may
therefore be the site of either of his manors, Hauvills
or Botteles. The site of the former house is near that
of the present farm. Nicholas Trott resided at
Quickswood, (fn. 157) and for many years after the acquisition
of Clothall Manor by the Earl of Salisbury Quickswood was an occasional residence of the Cecil family. (fn. 158)
It was occupied by the earl in 1620, (fn. 159) and in 1632 he
caused the annual sermon provided by St. John's
College, Cambridge, to be preached at Clothall
instead of Cheshunt. (fn. 160) In 1647 the earl's bailiff was
obliged to quarter four Parliamentarian soldiers at
Quickswood. (fn. 161) The house was razed to the ground
by James Cecil, the seventh earl, about 1790. (fn. 162)
CHURCH
The church of ST. MARY THE VIRGIN stands on rising ground to the
north-east of the village, and is built of
flint rubble with stone dressings; the roofs are of
lead. It consists of chancel 27 ft. by 16 ft. 6 in.,
nave 36 ft. 6 in. by 19 ft., south chapel 18 ft. by
10 ft. 6 in., and south tower, the lower stage of
which forms the porch. All the measurements are
taken internally. A north vestry was added in the
19th century. The present church appears to have
been erected c. 1350–70 on the foundations of the
older one or the older stones re-used, as some of the
lower stones are of shelly oolite, the rest of the stonework being of clunch. The south chapel, tower and
chancel may have been built a little later in the 14th
century. (fn. 163) All the windows of the chancel are of
modern stonework, and the chancel arch has been
cemented. The roof is modern. In the south
wall is a trefoil-headed piscina of late 14th-century
work, and in the north wall is a square locker with
rebated edge; there is a blocked doorway on the
south side. On the north wall of the nave are two
windows having two cinquefoiled lights; one is of
15th-century date, the other being a modern copy;
the west window of two cinquefoiled lights also
belongs to the 15th century. All the old tracery has
been repaired with cement. In the south wall is a
14th-century arch opening into the south chapel.
The arch is of two splayed orders, the jambs of semioctagonal piers separated by filleted bowtels, and with
moulded capitals and bases. The south doorway is
of the 14th century, and retains the original plank
door, with ornamental iron hinges. The name 'John
Warrin' is painted in black letter on the inside. The
south chapel has an east window with 15th-century
tracery of three lights, the jambs being of earlier date.
In the south wall is a two-light window with flowing
tracery of the 14th century, the inner sill being
carried down to form a seat, and beside it is a single-light window of the same date. There is a cinquefoil-headed piscina in the south wall, and just above
it and in the north wall opposite are two small stone
brackets, with sockets in their tops, probably for
lights; there is a small square locker in the north
wall.
The tower is of two stages with a tiled pyramidal
roof. The lower stage forms the south porch, which
has a moulded arched entrance, the mouldings dying
on the splayed jambs. There is a single-light cusped
opening on each face of the tower at the belfry stage.
There are a few old timbers in the nave roof. The
font is of the 12th century. It is of Purbeck marble,
and has a square basin carried upon a large central
shaft, with a smaller shaft at each angle; the bases
are moulded and rest on a square plinth. On each
face of the basin are four shallow round-headed panels.
The 17th-century cover is of wood.
In the east window is some old glass; the head of
a female saint is probably of late 14th-century work;
a number of quarries painted with birds and a border
with 'Maria' monogram repeated may belong to the
next century. In the south-west window of the
chapel are some heraldic fragments.
There are some 15th-century bench ends with
poppy heads at the west end of the church, much
defaced. In the chapel are fragments of a slab with
foliated cross and remains of a marginal inscription
in Lombardic characters, probably of mid-14th-century date.
In the chancel are several brasses: a priest in cope,
without inscription, of the early 16th century; a priest
in eucharistic vestments, the arms missing, to John
Vynter, rector of the parish, who died in 1404; a
priest in eucharistic vestments, holding chalice and
wafer, with the symbol of the Trinity above, to John
Wryght, rector of the parish, 1519; to Anne
Bramfield, 1578; to William Lucas, rector of the
parish, 1602. Fixed to the wall of the chapel is an
inscription to Thomas Dalyson, rector of the parish,
who died in 1541; this probably belongs to the brass
in the chancel.
There are two bells in the lower: the treble is
inscribed 'CALIT ME JOANNES +' with mark of
Richard Wymbish, 14th century; the tenor 'I.H.S.
✠ T.W ✠ s.' by an unknown 16th-century founder.
The communion plate includes an engraved cup
and cover paten, 1571, and a paten of 1693 presented
by Rev. W. Neale, M.A., rector in 1755.
The registers are in two books: (i) baptisms and
burials from 1717 to 1812 and marriages 1717 to
1753; (ii) marriages from 1754 to 1812.
There is a bishop's transcript for the year commencing Michaelmas 1588.
ADVOWSON
The earliest known record of
Clothall Church is the presentation
of a rector in 1237 by Simon de
Clothall, lord of the manor. (fn. 164) Maud de Bottele, one
of his three daughters, surrendered her share in the
advowson to her sister Emecine de Hauvill in 1271, (fn. 165)
and at the same time it was agreed that Muriel
Scales, the third daughter, and her heirs should
present for one turn and Emecine and her heirs for
the two following turns. (fn. 166) This arrangement held
good until 1404, when James Billingford and his wife
Aubrey presented a certain John Hogges, under colour
of their acquisition of the rights of John son of
Richard kinsman of Ralph brother and heir of
Reginald de Hauvill. Matthew and Henry Rede and
Thomas Blount, who had acquired the manors of
Hauvills and Botteles (q.v.), brought a plea against
Billingford in 1405, and judgement was given in
their favour. (fn. 167)
It has been seen that one-third of the advowson
subsequently descended with the manor of Hooks (q.v.).
The whole advowson was re-united when John
Mitchell acquired that manor, and has since been
retained by the successive lords of the main manor.
A meeting-place for Protestant Dissenters in Clothall
was certified in 1720. (fn. 168)
CHARITIES
The official trustees hold a sum
of £131 6s. 2d. consols, which is
regarded as representing the investment of £60, stated in the Parliamentary returns of
1786 to have been given to the poor by Dr. James
Sibbald and others, and of a legacy of £50 by will of
James Smyth, proved in the P.C.C. 20 September
1810. The annual dividends, amounting to £3 5s. 8d.,
are distributed in bread at Christmas-time.