CLIFTON
Clistone (xi cent.). The parish of Clifton includes
an outlying portion of the market town of Shefford.
Clifton village lies to the south of the parish, near to
the road from Shefford to Hitchin, which forms its
southern boundary. The ground rises from the north,
where it is about 104 ft. above the ordnance datum,
to the south where it reaches the elevation of 202 ft.
near Hoo Hill. The parish consists of 1,422'114
acres, of which 868½ are arable land, 238¼ permanent
grass, and 7 acres of woods and plantations. (fn. 1) There
are 9 acres of water, and the parish is bounded
on the east, west, and north by the River Ivel and
its tributaries, while the Ivel Navigation Canal passes
through the north of the parish. Two mills are situated on this river to the west of the parish, but are
divided from it by the river which forms the boundary
line. The nearest station is at Shefford, a mile distant,
with which the village of Clifton is connected by the road
running from St. Neots to Baldock, which, after leaving
Clifton, passes by Henlow; another road connects
Clifton with Meppershall in the south. There are
no main roads passing through the north of the parish,
but two bridle paths connect Clifton with Langford.
The population in 1901 was 1,283; the inhabitants are
chiefly employed in agriculture, and a good deal of
garden produce is raised. The soil is gravel
and the subsoil gault. The following place-names
are found in Clifton:—Claybridge Mead, Redcross
Meadow, and Allhowe's Farm. (fn. 2)
Manors
At the time of the Domesday Survey
(1086) 3 hides and ½ virgate in CLIFTON, which had been held of King
Edward the Confessor by Alwin Deule, were held by
William de Caron of Remigius, bishop of Lincoln, (fn. 3)
and the overlordship continued with the bishop of
Lincoln. (fn. 4)
The land remained with the family of Caron, who
were gradually increasing their property during the
early part of the thirteenth century, (fn. 5) but on the death
of Hugh de Caron some time before 1231, the manor
was divided into thirds among his three daughters,
Elizabeth, Lucy, and Margery (fn. 6) In 1246 Margery, (fn. 7)
with her husband Robert de la More, conveyed her
share to Elizabeth and her husband, William de Crespinges, in return for certain land in Tempsford, so
that two-thirds from that time passed to the descendants of Elizabeth. (fn. 8) The heirs of John de Caron
were still holding land in Clifton in 1291, (fn. 9) but Lucy
probably gave up her third to Elizabeth, who apparently conveyed the whole manor to Henry
Spigurnel, who was holding it in 1316. (fn. 10) On his
death in 1328 it passed to his son Thomas, (fn. 11) afterwards Sir Thomas Spigurnel, who conveyed it to Sir
Gerard Braybroke and Isabella his wife in 1340. (fn. 12)
In 1359, on the death of Sir Gerard Braybroke, the
manor passed to his son Gerard, (fn. 13) and it continued in
the possession of the Braybroke family. At the death
of Sir Gerard Braybroke in 1427 it passed to Sir
William Babyngton, a justice of Common Pleas, one
of the executors of Sir Gerard Braybroke's will. (fn. 14) Sir
William Babyngton died seised of the manor in 1454,
leaving a son and heir William, (fn. 15) who probably conveyed it to Sir John Fisher, also a justice of Common
Pleas, who died in 1510 seised of the manor, which
was inherited by his son Sir Michael Fisher. (fn. 16) On
the death of the latter in 1549 the manor passed to
his granddaughter Agnes, the daughter of his son
John, who died in 1528 in his father's lifetime. (fn. 17)
Agnes had married Oliver St. John, and through her
the manor passed into the family of the St. Johns of
Bletsoe, who continued to hold it until 1602, (fn. 18) when
it was conveyed to Walter Rolt by Oliver Lord St.
John and his wife Dorothy. (fn. 19) Walter the son of
Walter was holding the manor in 1652, (fn. 20) but in the
visitation of Bedfordshire for 1667–8, it is stated that
'Mr. Rolt of Clifton has sold his estate and gone out
of the county.' (fn. 21) The history of the manor in the
eighteenth century is obscure. On a deed recording
the sale of the manor in 1789, it is stated that Walter
Rolt's estate came into the possession of Mr. Trice,
who sold it to Mr. Symcotts; (fn. 22) the latter sold it to
his daughter and left the county. (fn. 23) Mr. Symcotts'
daughter probably sold the estate to Sir Henry Johnson of Toddington, whose only daughter and heir
Anne married Thomas Wentworth, Lord Strafford.
The manor in 1790 was divided into thirds among
her daughters Anne Connolly, Lucy Howard, and
Henrietta Vernon. (fn. 24) The daughters probably combined to sell the manor to John Lord, whose executors
in 1798 sold the manor to Mr. Simpson Anderson for
£5,150. (fn. 25) The manor next came into the possession
of Mr. Henry Palmer, who was owner in 1832 and
1864, (fn. 26) and was probably sold by him to Mr., afterwards Major, Henry Maclean Pryor, from whom it
was inherited by Major Ralston de Vino Pryor.
Spigurnel. Gules fretty argent a chief or with a lion passant gules therein.
Braybroke. Argent seven voided lozenges gules.
Fisher. Argent a cheveron between three demilions gules with three roundels argent on the cheveron.
St. John. Argent a chief gules with two molets or upon the chief.
William de Caron was holding in Clifton at the
time of the Great Survey (1086) 2 hides of Nigel de
Albini, which four sokemen had held of King
Edward; (fn. 27) the overlordship passed from the d'Albinis
to the Barons St. Amand with the barony of Cainhoo,
and in 1346 was held by Peter de St. Croix,
but it is not mentioned after 1359. (fn. 28) This holding
became the quarter knight's fee which John de Lacy
held in 1302–3; (fn. 29) it is not known how he acquired
the manor, but it then became known as the MANOR
OF LACIES or CLIFTON, and in 1316 was in the
possession of Henry de Lacy. (fn. 30) By some means it
passed into the family of Braybroke, for in 1346 Sir
Gerard Braybroke was lord of the manor (fn. 31) and died
seised of it in 1359, when it passed to his son
Gerard; (fn. 32) the latter alienated it to Edward Bromflete, who was holding it in 1428. (fn. 33) The manor then
probably descended in the same way as the manor of
Clifton from Sir William Babyngton to Sir John
Fisher, and then into the family of the St. Johns, and
was most likely alienated to Walter Rolt in 1602
with the manor of Clifton, for in 1615 the latter was
granted a court lect and view of frankpledge in the
manor of Lacies, (fn. 34) and was holding the two manors in
1618. (fn. 35) The two manors continued to be held together and followed the same descent, (fn. 36) the manor at
the present day being known as the manor of Lacies
alias Clifton.
Besides the manor proper of Clifton and the manor
of Lacies, there was a third manor in Clifton belonging to the prior of St John of Jerusalem, which was
held of the barony of Eaton till 1303, (fn. 37) and afterwards of the king. (fn. 38) William de Caron held this
property at the time of the Domesday Survey (1086),
of Eudo Dapifer, amounting to 6½ hides. It had
formerly belonged to Almar of Etone (Eaton Socon). (fn. 39)
The prior of St. John of Jerusalem is first found in
possession in 1278, when he claimed view of frankpledge from tenants in Clifton, (fn. 40) and in 1302–3 the
holding amounted to half a knight's fee, (fn. 41) and so remained. (fn. 42) In 1316 the prior was one of the three
lords holding in Clifton, (fn. 43) and the value of the estate
in 1338 amounted to £31 17s. Among the items
was a fishpond worth 6s. 8d. (fn. 44) The hospital of St.
John of Jerusalem continued to hold the manor until
the Dissolution, (fn. 45) when it was taken into the hand of
the king, and was granted to Sir Richard Longe in
1540, at the same time that he was given the preceptory of Shengay, which had belonged to the same
order. (fn. 46) This manor he settled on his marriage in
1541 with Margaret Kytson, widow of Sir Thomas
Kytson, alderman of London. (fn. 47) It afterwards passed
to his son Henry, who was holding it in 1583, (fn. 48) and
through the latter's daughter and heir Elizabeth to
her husband William, Lord Russell, the fourth son
and heir of Francis, earl of Bedford, and Margaret
his wife, daughter of Sir John St. John of Bletsoe. (fn. 49)
The son of William and Elizabeth, Francis Lord
Russell and Catherine his wife conveyed the manor by
fine to Walter Rolt, senr., and Walter Rolt, junr., in
1617. (fn. 50) The manors thus came eventually into the
possession of the same family in the seventeenth century, and from that time they have merged into one
and followed the same descent.
The abbey of Warden held a small estate in this
parish. At the time of the Domesday Survey, 1 hide
of land was held by Alwin of the Countess Judith. It
had formerly been held of King Edward the Confessor
by Ulvric. (fn. 51) This land was granted in 1204 by Peter
Cokerel to Warine abbot of Warden and his successors, (fn. 52)
and the grant was confirmed in 1207–8 by Robert de
Bruce, son of Isabella de Bruce. (fn. 53) The abbey continued to hold the land until the Dissolution. (fn. 54) The
land was then probably granted to Sir Michael Fisher,
who had been chief steward of the abbey at a yearly
wage of £2 13s. 4d., (fn. 55) as he died seised of land in Clifton
in 1549, called Orwelle Meade, which had formerly
belonged to the abbey of Warden. (fn. 56) The land then became held with the manor and followed a like descent.
The abbey of Ramsey also owned lands in Clifton,
which amounted to 1 hide at the time of the Great
Survey (1086), and which were held of the abbey by
Leofwine or Lewin both before and after the Conquest. (fn. 57)
This land is mentioned again in 1184–9 as belonging
to the abbey, but after that date
no further trace of the holding
can be found. (fn. 58)
There were two mills worth
40s. in the manor of Clifton
which William de Caron held
of Eudo Dapifer in 1086. (fn. 59) The
Knights Hospitallers in 1338
possessed one fulling mill worth
£2 in their manor of Clifton,
probably one of those mentioned at Domesday as the estate
apparently descended to them. (fn. 60)
The priory of Chicksands had
temporalities in Clifton in 1535
worth 30s., (fn. 61) and two watermills, called Tythe Mills, in
Southill and Clifton, formerly
belonging to the priory of Chicksands, were granted in 1606 to
Sir Francis Ventris for forty
years at £61 6s. 6d. annual rent. (fn. 62)
In 1611 these same mills were
granted to Felix Wilson and
to Robert Morgan and their
heirs for the same rent; (fn. 63) they probably conveyed them
to Richard Welbey who was in possession in 1698 and
1702. (fn. 64) There is further mention of two corn watermills and two corn windmills, the property of Henry
Vernon in 1790, (fn. 65) and three corn windmills and three
corn water-mills the next year, belonging to Ann Connolly, (fn. 66) but these were very likely in Harlington and
Toddington as the location is not specified.
Church
The church of ALL SAINTS has a
chancel 21 ft. 6 in. long by 16 ft. wide,
north chapel of the same length and 18 ft.
wide, with a vestry to the north of the chapel, nave
39 ft. by 22 ft. 6 in., north aisle of the same length and
17 ft. wide, south porch and western tower 14 ft. square,
all the measurements being taken within the walls.
The building is a very interesting example of a
small fourteenth-century church, c. 1320, of admirable proportion and detail, and worthy of careful study.
As first built it consisted of nave, chancel, west
tower, and south porch; it was enlarged about the
middle of the fifteenth century by the addition of a
north aisle and chapel, and the tower seems to have
been rebuilt, except its eastern arch, in the same century. It may, however, have been left unfinished in
the first instance and not completed till a later date;
it is just possible that the Black Death may have
stopped the work. The north aisle and chapel were
rebuilt and enlarged in 1862, the north vestry is
modern, and the church has undergone a good deal
of repair and refitting, but much of the beautiful
fourteenth-century detail is in perfect condition.
The height of the walls is very noticeable, and
characteristic of the best work of the time, giving a
very dignified effect both within and without.
The chancel has a large east window of five trefoiled
lights with net tracery, the main and rear arches being
continuously moulded, with labels springing from
carved dripstones. The mullions are modern, as are
the dripstones here and throughout the church, except
in the tower arch. On the north wall is a window of
two trefoiled lights with a quatrefoil in the head, and in
the south wall two two-light windows with a doorway
between them, all of original date though a good deal
repaired. In detail they are like the east window,
but the south-east window has cinquefoiled lights.
Beneath it are two sedilia and a double piscina, the
latter divided by a modern marble shaft with an
alabaster capital and base. It has trefoiled ogee arches
with crockets of modern work in the form of lily
flowers, evidently cut out of the old foliate crockets.
The sedilia have cinquefoiled heads with gabled hoodmoulds and similar crockets, the moulded details being
of the best. The south doorway has an outer arch
with two plain outer chamfers, its rear arch being
treated like the rest. Below the south-west window
is a low side window, widely splayed, of two trefoiled
ogee lights under a square head with pierced spandrels,
and apparently contemporary with the window over.
Plan of All Saints' Church, Clifton
The north window of the chancel opens now into
the north chapel, and below it is a squint from the
chapel and a square recess in the wall. To the west
is a wide moulded arch of good fifteenth-century
detail, the inner order springing from modern
corbels carved as angels, and the outer orders dying
out above the springing line.
The chancel arch, of two richly-moulded orders,
has been designed to throw the full width of the
chancel open to the nave; it is indeed of wider span
than the chancel, whose walls are splayed off at the
western angles to the moulded face of its inner order.
It is a very uncommon treatment, managed with
great skill, the splayed face, which is worked with
shallow mouldings, being carried up vertically to stop
against the soffit of the inner order of the arch. The
jointing of the stonework shows that the arrangement
is original and not an afterthought. In the jambs
are engaged shafts with moulded capitals, and the jambs
themselves have been cut back about 7 ft. from the floor
line of the nave to form recesses with flat sills 4 ft. 6 in.
from the floor for the fitting of the nave altars. In the
south wall of the nave is a large three-light window with
trefoiled ogee heads and net tracery, part of the original
work. Below it is a blocked four-centred opening of
fifteenth-century date, intended to light the south nave
altar. Externally this opening had a square head with
tracery, still to be seen on the wall face. Under this
corner of the nave is a small charnel. The second
window in the south wall is west of the porch, and is a
fifteenth-century insertion, of two cinquefoiled lights
under a square head.
The south doorway is original and has three continuous wave-moulded orders with a scrolled label,
and the internal jambs have the same detail as those
in the chancel. Modern dripstones representing a
queen and a bishop have been inserted. Over the
doorway is a contemporary cinquefoiled niche for an
image, with a crocketed label and flanking pinnacles.
The porch has small windows on east and west,
and a moulded outer arch of two orders with moulded
capitals, all of original date, but the shafted responds
are modern. Above the arch is a niche containing a
modern figure. The north arcade is of three bays
with moulded arches of two orders, of good fifteenthcentury detail, separated by a wide hollow containing
a filleted roll. The piers have engaged rounded
shafts at the angles, with filleted shafts in the middle
of each face, and the moulded capitals are octagonal
above, with rounded bells.
The north chapel is lighted by a three-light window
on the east, and the aisle has three north windows,
the middle one of two lights and the others of three
lights, all being modern; there is no west window. The
east arch of the tower has responds with three engaged
rounded shafts with small rolls between, moulded
capitals and bases, and an arch of two moulded orders
with a label, all being of the same date as the nave.
The tower is of three stages with diagonal buttresses,
perhaps of late fifteenth-century date. The west
window, in the ground stage, is of three uncusped
lights under a low four-centred arch; and the belfry
windows are of two lights below an embattled
parapet. At the north-east angle is the stair, entered
from within the tower by a four-centred doorway.
The roofs of the church and all the wood fittings
are modern, and a low screen of masonry across
the chancel arch, and a marble pulpit have been set
up in modern times. The font is older than any
part of the building, having an octagonal bowl with
two shallow-pointed arches on each face, and dates
from the beginning of the thirteenth century.
In the north chapel, the west half of which serves
as an organ chamber, is the fine alabaster altar-tomb of
Sir Michael Fisher, 1549, and his wife, with their
recumbent effigies. The sides and ends have arcades
with crocketed gablets over, each containing an angel
bearing a shield. The tomb is not in its original position, being, in thoroughly utilitarian fashion, crammed
into the north-east angle of the chapel, its north side
having been taken off and set on the wall above the
tomb. All the shields have been painted, and are still
fairly clear, bearing arms as follows:—South side, from
the west: 1. Three luces; 2. Barry of six; 3. ? A
lion rampant in a border; 4. Barry of ten; 5. A
cinquefoil; 6. A fesse between six ? roundels. North
side: 1. A cross with a martlet in the first quarter,
and charges indistinguishable in the other quarters;
2. A lion rampant; 3. A stag's head cabossed quartered with Barry a bend; 4. A fesse between three
demi-lions, the upper two confronted. East side:
1. Quarterly, 1 and 4 defaced, 2 and 3 An eagle. The
effigy of Sir Michael is bareheaded, the head resting on a helm with a lion's-head crest, a torse and
mantling. He wears plate armour with a mail
hauberk, and has a sword in a jewelled belt, and a
dagger, and at his feet, which are in round-toed
sabbatons, is a lion. His lady wears a jewelled
wreath on her head, and a long mantle, under which
is a sleeveless cotehardi. At her head are two angels,
and two lions at her feet. In front of this tomb on
the floor is a brass to John son of Sir Michael Fisher,
1528, with indents of four shields in the corners on
the slab. Under the tower is another slab with indents of a man and his wife and two children, with
two shields below.
There was formerly here the brass of William
Haryson 'late parisshe prest of this Churche, 1516.'
There are eight bells, besides seven smaller ones not
used for ringing in peal The sixth, seventh, and
tenor are by William Watts, 1590, the fourth dates
from 1831, and the other four from 1867. Before
1867 there were five bells only.
The plate is modern, consisting of a chalice and
paten of silver, a parcel-gilt silver flagon, and a plated
paten.
The first book of the registers is incomplete, its
entries ranging between 1546 and 1600. The second
contains all entries for 1654–1733, and the third all
for 1733–83. The fourth book has the baptisms and
burials, 1783–1812, and the marriages between 1783
and 1812 are contained in two more books.
Advowson
There is no mention of the church
of Clifton in the Domesday Survey
and the first record appears in 1201
when the moiety of the advowson was in the gift of
Robert of Sutton. (fn. 67) Robert's mother, Olimpas, had
been in the custody of Henry of Sandy, who on this
account had presented to the church and Henry's son
Hugh, in 1202, laid claim to the moiety of the
advowson, which however, was decided to be the
right of Robert of Sutton. (fn. 68) Hugh revived his claim
in 1209, but apparently without success. (fn. 69) There is
no further trace of the advowson until 1340, when Sir
Thomas Spigurnel released to Sir Gerard Braybroke
and Isabella his wife his right and claim to the
presentation to the church. (fn. 70) The advowson continued annexed to the manor of Clifton, which was
then in the possession of Sir Gerard Braybroke, and
passed with it to Sir William Babyngton, Sir John
Fisher, and then into the family of the St. Johns of
Bletsoe, (fn. 71) in whom it was vested until conveyed by
fine in 1602 to Walter Rolt. (fn. 72) It apparently continued the right of the family of Rolt for some time, (fn. 73)
for although Thomas Upwood and Stephen Apthorpe
had the right of presentation in 1662, (fn. 74) Frances Rolt,
widow, was the patroness in 1668, (fn. 75) and in 1708 it
was in the possession of Francis Rolt and Charles
Bayliffe. (fn. 76) It is not known at what date the advowson
ceased to be held with the manor, but the separation
probably occurred when Rolt sold his manor and went
out of the county before 1667–8. In 1732 George
Edwards presented, and in 1738 Sarah Osborn,
widow. (fn. 77) In 1744 Thomas Osborn, D.C.L., and his
wife possessed the advowson, (fn. 78) but apparently conveyed it to the Rev. Thomas Ripley, who sold it in
1788 to Susanna Olivier widow for £3,000. (fn. 79) The
right passed from Mrs. Olivier to her son the rector
of Clifton, in whom it was vested in 1832 (fn. 80) and in
1851. (fn. 81) In 1864 H. Miles presented to the church, (fn. 82)
and his son the then rector, the Rev. Henry Hugh
Miles, inherited the advowson and is patron at the
present day. (fn. 83)
There are two almshouses and two widows' houses
which were built in 1871. There is a Baptist chapel
built in 1853 and another chapel built in 1883 which
is now vacant.
Charities
The Poor's Land consists of a cottage and 1r. 7p. in Great Barford,
conveyed in 1736 for the use of
the poor in satisfaction of a sum of £10 which had
been given by a donor unknown for their use. The
land is let at £1 10s. 6d. a year, which in 1904 was
supplemented by voluntary subscriptions amounting to
£4 8s. and distributed among thirty-seven widows, each
receiving 3 cwt. of coal.
The Church Land consists of 5a. 2r. 13p of land let
in allotments, producing in 1904–5 £14 18s., which
sum, together with a rent-charge of £1 10s. out of
Tan Yard Meadow and a yearly sum of 5s. issuing
out of Hanford Mill, were applied in the repairs of
the church.
In 1831 Miss Mary Arnold Olivier by will, proved
at London, left a legacy now represented by
£247 13s. 6d., the income to be applied in the
purchase of flannel for distribution amongst the poor
of the parish. The stock is held by the official
trustees; the dividends, amounting to £6 3s. 8d., are
duly applied under the title of the 'Flannel Charity.'
The Schools. See above, 'Schools.'
Daniel Stephen Olivier by his will left £962 8s. 1d.
consols, income to be applied towards the support of
All Saints Parochial School. The stock was transferred
to the official trustees in 1865, and the dividends are
remitted by them to the Old School Charity trustees.