CLAPHAM
Clopeham (xi cent.).
The parish of Clapham lies on the north bank of
the Ouse 2 miles north-west of Bedford. It contains
1,995 acres, of which 789¾ are arable land, 891¼ grass
and 111¼ woods and plantations. (fn. 1) The soil is clay
and gravel and the subsoil clay. The chief crops
produced are wheat, barley, peas and beans. The
general slope of the land is from north to south. The
highest point in the parish is Littlewood Farm, which
is 285 ft. above the ordnance datum, the lowest at
the spot where the Bedford Road enters the village,
which is but 105 ft. The main road between Bedford
and Higham Ferrers traverses the southern part of the
parish, running parallel with the river until clear of
the village, when, forking at the 'Fox and Hounds,' a
branch continues in the same direction, whilst the
main road veers in a more northerly direction and
leaves the parish almost immediately. Possibly this
road may be identified with the 'highway under
Clopham Hill,' for the repair of which John Pollard,
John Croft and Thomas Clerk were granted certain
customs in 1405. (fn. 2) Clapham has always been closely
associated with the neighbouring parish of Oakley, so
much so that in 1627 evidence was taken as to whether
Clapham and Oakley were one parish or two. (fn. 3) Several
witnesses stated that they formed one parish. Evidence
was also given that all the water-meadows of the
inhabitants of Clapham lay in Oakley, and that whenever grants were made to the king the money was
paid jointly, Oakley paying two parts and Clapham
one. On the other hand, other witnesses stated
that the inhabitants of Clapham were wont to go the
perambulation to distinguish the parish boundaries
from those of Oakley. (fn. 4) The village is rapidly becoming
a suburb of Bedford, and consists mainly of modern
brick and slate cottages. The church occupies a
position at the east end of the village on the north
side of the main road, and is approached by a lane
leading up to the churchyard, in which is a sundial.
The old manor-house formerly stood close to the west
side of the church tower; portions of it were embodied
in a farm-house which was pulled down in 1871 and
replaced by the present building, which is some little
distance from the church. A private road near the
church leads to Clapham Park, a fine modern building
of the Elizabethan type standing on high ground to
the south of Clapham Wood. It was built in 1872
by the late James Howard. Close by the main road,
on the eastern boundary of the village, stands 'Woodlands,' the residence of Mr. W. E. Fitzpatrick. The
house has recently undergone extensive repairs and
is charmingly situated in well-wooded grounds. The
Warren lies on the north of the village road; it is
now occupied by cottages, but was formerly walled in
as a rabbit warren by the lord of the manor, traces of
the wall being still visible. (fn. 5) There has been a recent
revival of the lace-making industry in this parish,
classes having been started in order to teach the art to
the cottagers. Brick-making and lime-burning are
carried on here. The population is steadily increasing. The number of inhabitants in 1901 was 788.
There is a Wesleyan chapel, built in 1876.
Place-names that occur in this parish are:—Bartilmewe Stocking, Thurnemede, Smithforthe Hadeland,
Peneybarecoles, Scalling Carrell, Peekes Close, Fordes
Close, Foure Pounde Pasture and Pulleyes Grave. (fn. 6)
MANORS
Æthelstan Mannesunu, who died in
986, (fn. 7) gave CLAPHAM to his wife in
dower with reversion to Ramsey Abbey. (fn. 8)
It seems probable that Æthelwine Sweart, who before
his death in 998 (fn. 9) transferred Clapham to the abbey, was
the representative of Æthelstan. (fn. 10) In 1049 a certain
Ælfric, who claimed to be the rightful heir of Æthelwine, declared the bequest to be invalid, as it had not been
made with the licence of the king and consent of the
heirs, but by means of judicious bribery. (fn. 11) Clapham
was confirmed to the abbey by Edward the Confessor, (fn. 12)
and again, in 1078, by William the Conqueror. (fn. 13)
Ramsey Abbey granted the manor to a thegn called
Brictric, from whom it passed to Robert d'Oilli, (fn. 14)
and from him to Miles Crispin, who held at the time
of the Domesday Survey. (fn. 15) The Abbot and monks
of Ramsey claimed the manor from Miles on the
ground that Brictric only held the manor for life. (fn. 16)
Their claim was, however, ineffectual, and the valuable
manor, assessed in the Survey at 5 hides paying geld
and 10 hides 'inland'—in all valued at £24 (fn. 17) —
remained parcel of Miles' fief.
The manor of CLAPHAM GREENACRES or
FITZJEFFRYS MANOR has its origin in a portion
of Miles' land, and was held of the honour of Wallingford. (fn. 18) The last mention of the overlordship of this
manor occurs in 1617. (fn. 19)
The first tenant of the property of whom mention
has been found is William Mauduit Earl of Warwick,
who before the year 1268 alienated it to William le
Brun. (fn. 20) The property then comprised land to the
value of £4 12s. 6d., with 17s. 6d. rent from the
free tenants and a fishery and villeinage customs of
the annual value of 50s. (fn. 21) Ten years later John le
Brun, a descendant of the above, held rather more
than 3 hides in Clapham, (fn. 22) being two-fifths part of
the whole manor, (fn. 23) the remainder at this date being
held by John de Burnaby, Ralf de Wedon and
Walter Burdun. (fn. 24) John le Brun's daughter and heir
Sarah married Henry Spigurnel. (fn. 25) Henry and Sarah
continued to increase their Clapham property, (fn. 26) and
at the time of the former's death in 1328 they
were seised of the whole manor except a few acres. (fn. 27)
Their son and heir Thomas Spigurnel alienated the
manor in 1344 to Sir Bartholomew de Burgherssh. (fn. 28)
The latter died in 1355 seised of the manor, then
worth £20 a year, leaving a son and heir Bartholomew,
aged twenty-six. (fn. 29) The date of the transfer of the
manor from this family is uncertain. In 1379
Richard Whytacre held two knights' fees in Clapham,
Oakley and elsewhere, (fn. 30) whilst in the following year
Richard Greenacre died seised of the manor of
Clapham. (fn. 31) At this period there were in the manor
402 acres of arable land, two parts of which were
worth £4 9s. 4d. per annum and the third part nothing,
as every year it lay fallow and in common; 16 acres
of meadow worth 24s. and several pastures worth
40d. per annum. (fn. 32)
Richard de Greenacre succeeded his father the
elder Richard. His wife Isabel (fn. 33) afterwards married
John Dymoke and died seised of the manor in 1415,
leaving John, a son by her first husband, as heir. (fn. 34)
Nothing further has been discovered about John
Greenacre, who was a clerk, but he appears to have
been succeeded by Henry Cokayn, who in 1428 held
two parts of a knight's fee in Clapham which Thomas
Spigurnel once held. (fn. 35) Possibly his heir was a
daughter Elizabeth, for in 1455 a Thomas Strathum
and Elizabeth his wife made over the manor of
Clapham to John Fitz Jeffrey, (fn. 36) who died seised of it
in 1480, leaving a son and heir
John, aged nine years. (fn. 37) The
manor for the next fifty-six
years remained in the hands
of the Fitz Jeffrey family. In a
list of fines for knighthood in
1536 there appears the name
of John Fitz Jeffrey of Clapham, (fn. 38) whilst in 1542 his
widow, who had taken for her
second husband William
Rowse, was with her husband
enfeoffed of the manor by
trustees to hold for their lives
with remainder to Francis Fitz Jeffrey, probably a
son of John. (fn. 39) The latter duly succeeded and
died seised of the manor in 1548. (fn. 40) His son
and heir Leonard alienated the manor in 1562
to Thomas Rowe, an alderman of London, (fn. 41) who
was afterwards knighted. (fn. 42) Sir Thomas Rowe
died in 1570 (fn. 43) and was succeeded by his son
John, on whose death in 1586–7 the manors of
Clapham passed to Thomas Rowe of Trumpington (co. Camb.). (fn. 44) In 1591 Thomas Rowe owed
£6,000 to Arden Waferer, a bencher of Lincoln's
Inn and a recusant, (fn. 45) the money to be raised on all
his lands and estates in England. (fn. 46) The debt was
considered cancelled on the carrying out of an arrangement made the same year by which Thomas Rowe
sold the manor of Clapham for £3,644 to George
Wyatt, Edmund Scanden, John Wright and Valentine
Saunders acting as trustees for Arden Waferer. (fn. 47)
Two of the trustees having died, others were appointed
in 1610 to act with Valentine Saunders. (fn. 48) At their
will Arden Waferer enjoyed the profits of the manor
during his life. (fn. 49) He died in 1617, and by his will
dated 4 May 1609 he left his Clapham property to
his wife Elizabeth until his son James should be
twenty-five years old. (fn. 50) Elizabeth resided at Clapham
Manor at the pleasure of Valentine Saunders. (fn. 51) She
was a recusant, and on her refusal to pay her fine for
non-attendance at church two parts of her property
were seized by the Crown officers pending payment. (fn. 52)
Her son James, having succeeded her by 1627, (fn. 53)
alienated the manor in that year to Richard Taylor,
serjeant-at-law. (fn. 54) On the latter's death, in accordance
with his will dated 8 May 1641, his brother-in-law
Sir John Sanders held the manor on lease for ten
years to the end that Richard Taylor's younger sons
might each receive a sum of £600 on coming of
age. (fn. 55) The Royalist sympathies of his elder son
Richard caused the sequestration of the manor in
1649, but the younger sons having an interest in
the profits of the manor until 1651 the sequestration
was later confined to Richard's share. (fn. 56) The third
son William Taylor was captured near Chester fighting
for the king; a fine was levied by the committee
for compounding on his interest under his father's
will. (fn. 57) Thomas Taylor, probably a son of Richard
above named, was lord of the manor in 1655. (fn. 58) His
eldest daughter Katherine, eventually sole heiress,
married William second Lord Ashburnham. (fn. 59) Thomas
Taylor left his Clapham property to his wife Ursula
for life, (fn. 60) but by 1708, some
years before her death, Lord
Ashburnham and his wife
appear to have had possession
of the manor, and in that
year levied a fine of it. (fn. 61)
Lord Ashburnham died in
1710 (fn. 62) and his wife the following year (fn. 63) ; the former's
brother John first Earl of
Ashburnham succeeded him
in the tenure of the manor. (fn. 64)
John second Earl of Ashburnham was lord of the
manor in 1751. (fn. 65) His son
George levied a fine of the property in 1813. (fn. 66) The
latter's grandson Bertram sold a large part of his
Clapham estates to James Howard in 1862, who
established there a model farm and farmed the land
under new and scientific methods. (fn. 67) The property
was sold piece by piece during the last century by
the Ashburnhams, and all manorial rights have
lapsed. (fn. 68)
Fitz Jeffrey. Sable a bull passant or.
Ashburnham, Lord Ashburnham. Gules a fesse between six molets argent.
Henry and Sarah Spigurnel had a grant of free
warren in Clapham in the 14th century. (fn. 69) Mention
of a mill worth 40s. is made in the Survey of 1086. (fn. 70)
A windmill is mentioned in 1652, (fn. 71) whilst John
Rowe, lord of the manor in 1582, owned a 'milne
house wher a mault milne standeth.' (fn. 72) In the reign
of Edward I John le Brune owned two parts of a
free fishery, whilst John the Fisher enjoyed free
fishing from Milton Mill to Holywelle. (fn. 73) A free
fishery in Clapham is frequently mentioned in
documents of the 17th and 18th centuries.
The manor of OCLE-CUM-CLAPHAM alias
CLAPHAM BAYEUX alias VAUXES MANOR
lay partially in Clapham and partially in the neighbouring parish of Oakley. (For the early history of
the Oakley portion of the manor see Oakley parish.)
The overlordship of this manor, like that of the
manor of Clapham Greenacres, follows the descent of
the honour of Wallingford. (fn. 74)
The first tenant of whom mention has been found
is Simon son of Richard de Bayeux. He was a
minor in the year 1276, and his overlord, the
Countess of Albemarle, is found that year recovering
his wardship from William de Bayeux. (fn. 75) The same
year William de Bayeux quitclaimed his right in
the manor to Simon. (fn. 76) The manor two years later
comprised some 4 hides and half a virgate of land
with 50 acres of wood and rights of common
fishery from Oakley Church to Oliver's Ditch. (fn. 77) In
1306 Simon de Bayeux settled the reversion of the
manor on Alexander de Stoppesley and Matilda his
wife, the latter being probably Simon's daughter. (fn. 78)
Simon was still holding in 1316, (fn. 79) but by 1346
Alexander de Stoppesley had succeeded him. (fn. 80) The
Stoppesley family continued to hold the manor until
1413–14, (fn. 81) when one Alexander de Stoppesley (fn. 82) quitclaimed it to Sir Gerard Braybrook and others. (fn. 83)
This may have been preliminary to an alienation to
Sir William Thirning, as in 1428 Lady Thirning was
seised of this manor. (fn. 84) Lord Vaux of Harrowden
succeeded to Sir William Thirning's Northamptonshire property, (fn. 85) and though no record can be found
of the transference of this Clapham manor, yet
such transference must have taken place about the
same time, as in 1464 it is included in the forfeited
lands of the attainted Lord Vaux which were granted
by the king in that year to Ralph Hastings, an
esquire of the body. (fn. 86) The attainder was reversed
by Henry VIII, (fn. 87) and Nicholas Lord Vaux, son of
William, (fn. 88) died seised of the manor in 1523. (fn. 89) His
grandson William Vaux made a division of the property, separating the Oakley lands from the manor. (fn. 90)
Both portions of the estate had manorial rights
attached and both were termed 'manors.' The
Clapham portion he sold to Thomas Rowe in 1564
for £300. (fn. 91) The latter, however, was obliged to
take proceedings in the Chancery court before Lord
Vaux would deliver up the deeds of sale. (fn. 92) The
further descent of this property is the same as that of
the manor of Clapham Grcenacres (q.v.).
CHURCH
The church of ST. THOMAS OF
CANTERBURY was rebuilt, with the
exception of the tower, the west bays of
the nave arcades, the chancel arch and parts of the
chancel walls, in 1861, and consists of a chancel 23 ft.
long by 12 ft. wide, a nave 33½ ft. long by 12½ ft.
wide, north and south aisles 10½ ft. wide and a west
tower 15 ft. 8 in. long by 16 ft. 2 in. wide, all inside
measurements.
The nave arcades are of three bays, but before 1861
were of two only,
a bay having been
added on the east;
both arcades are of
late 13th-century
date, but differ considerably in detail.
On the south arcade
a good deal of
masonry pattern in
colour remains.
The chancel arch is
built in small stones,
and is semicircular,
setting back at the
springing; it is old
work, rebuilt stone
by stone, and in its
original form may
have been coeval
with the tower.
The tower, 21 ft.
square by some 85 ft.
high, is the most
interesting feature of
the church, being of
pre-Conquest date.
Its width is greater
than that of the nave, in this resembling the towers
of Barton-on-Humber and Broughton. It is entirely
plastered without, being built of small stones without
wrought quoins, and rises with unbroken outline for
three stories, setting back below the top or fourth
stage. It has a west doorway with a rounded segmental head in large wrought stones, which is either
altered or a later insertion.
The tower arch leading into the nave is semicircular and rests on square jambs with a chamfered
abacus, and there are no windows in the ground
stage. In the next two stages, however, there are
single double-splayed plastered lights on each face,
except the east face of the lower stage, in which is a
triangular-headed doorway which opened to the roof
space over the old nave. The belfry has two roundheaded openings on each face, under a round inclosing
arch of wrought stone, setting back considerably at
the springing. There is a chamfered string at the
springing, and between the two openings a shaft with a
cubical capital which has angle volutes, except in the
case of the north window. The tower finishes with
an embattled parapet, and there is nothing to show
what form its original roof took.
The font is 13th-century work, with a circular
bowl moulded on the underside and resting on a
round central shaft and four detached shafts with
moulded bases on a circular plinth.
The altar table is of the 17th century, with a carved
top rail and a cupboard at each end, and in the north
aisle are three old bench ends.
At the west end of the south aisle is a large monument to Thomas Taylor, who died in 1689, and in the
chancel is a brass inscribed to Anne Waferer, 1617,
wife of Sir Thomas Turner of Audley End; arms:
Three millrinds between two bendlets with the difference of a martlet and a label, impaling a fesse wavy
between three roundels. A small wooden board with a
handle for suspension is kept in the church, and bears
the date 1627 and the words 'Remember thy selfe.'
Clapham Church from the South
There are six bells, the first inscribed 'God save
thy church, 1607'; the second, by Bowell of Ipswich,
1906; the third as the first, but recast in 1906; the
fourth, by John Dier; the fifth, recast by Bowell,
1906; the sixth, by Christopher Graye, 1662.
There are a silver chalice and flagon, 1687, given by
Ursula Taylor and a modern chalice and flagon.
The registers are (i) baptisms 1696 to 1812;
(ii) marriages 1696 to 1754; (iii) marriages 1754
to 1812; (iv) burials 1696 to 1807.
ADVOWSON
Clapham Church was originally a
chapel attached to Oakley Church. (fn. 93)
Until the Dissolution it was in the
patronage of the Prior and convent of Caldwell. (fn. 94)
Henry VIII separated the two churches, and in 1545
granted the rectory, together with the advowson of
Clapham Church, to Henry Audeley and John
Maynard. (fn. 95) The vicarage at this date was valued at
£5 14s. 4d. yearly. (fn. 96) John Maynard transferred the
rectory and advowson to Francis Fitzjeffrey, the lord
of Fitzjeffrys Manor, the same year. (fn. 97) Henceforward
the advowson followed the same descent as this manor
(q.v.) until the early half of the 19th century, when
it passed from the Ashburnham family to John
Thynne Lord Carteret, who was patron in 1840. (fn. 98)
The advowson remained in the hands of the Thynne
family until the end of the century. (fn. 99) It was later
purchased by Mr. J. H. Twamley, who is the present
patron.
From a document bearing the date 1627 we learn
that Clapham Church was without a churchyard, and
stood in a close called the Cunningry. (fn. 100) The people
of Clapham buried their dead in the churchyard of
Oakley Church. (fn. 101) They continued to do so until
the beginning of the 19th century.
Three acres of land in Clapham were in 1547
found to have been dedicated to the maintenance of
a light in the church. (fn. 102)
CHARITIES
Ursula Taylor, wife of Thomas
Taylor, by her will, proved 18 November 1724, devised £24 a year,
charged upon certain lands in Marston Moretaine
and Wootton, in this county, for the putting out to
apprentice one or two poor children.
In 1726 Sir John Coldbatch and Elizabeth his
wife, the only sister and heir-at-law of the said
Ursula Taylor, by deed of lease and release vested
the lands charged in trustees for the said charitable
uses.
The trust property now consists of farm, stables and
other buildings and brickyard, containing 31 a. 1 r. 3 p.,
let at £63 a year, and £408 2s. India £3 per cent.
stock, held by the official trustees, producing £12 4s. 8d.
a year. The stock arises from investment of royalties
under lease of brickfield. The income is applied in
the payment of £7 10s. (fn. 103) a year to the school committee and the balance in premiums in apprenticing
six poor boys.