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CLARBOROUGH.

CHAP. XV.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION, ETC.

As usual I must again refer to that original record, Doomsday-book, for the oldest account we have of this place, that can be depended upon. The mention there made of Clarborough, is as follows

From which we learn that part of Clarborough belonged to the king’s great soke of Mansfield, paying the tax for two and a quarter bovats of land. The land was one caracute. There was also at that time two sokemen, one villain, and one border having six oxen in plough, and two mills, the whole valued at 32s. Also six acres of meadow, valued at 40s. There was likewise land here of the fee of Sutton, belonging to the Archbishop of York; which paid for six bovats and a half of land, to the public tax. The meadow land was four quarents and a half square, which, at the general survey, was estimated at forty-five acres. Roger de Bush also held certain lands here, which, previous to the conquest, was held by Reginald; afterwards Fulco the tenant of Roger, had half a caracute, eight villains, one border, one caracute and a half of land, and seven aeres of meadow, which in the Confessor’s time, was valued at 6s., but in the Conqueror’s at 20s. Ulchil also held of Roger two bovats of land, and had two borders, with two oxen, and one acre of meadow, which was also valued at 16s. The Taynes also had a manor here, held by Ulmer, and paid the tax for one bovat and a half of land, having sac and soke without a hail. Afterwards the said Ulmer held it under the king, and had two villains, one border, and half a caracute, and three acres of meadow; it in the Confessor’s time was estimated at 3s., in the Conqueror’s at 2s. In the time of the Confessor, Archil also held property here, valued at 4s.—in the Conquerer’s time, Erwin held it, when it was valued at 2s.

For some time subsequent to this, it does not distinctly appear to whom the lands descended, at least so as to trace their course with certainty; we find, however, in the fifteenth century, that Thomas Fitzwilliam held of Alice, Countess of Augi, the lady of Tickhill, three parts of a knight’s fee in Clarborough and West Drayton. John de Boughton also held here five acres of land, three roads of meadow, and two parts of a messuage with the appurtenances. Sir Robert Waterton, Kt. also held lands here. In the year 1537, Alexander Bannister and Marmaduke Faukys, claimed against William Bannister, twenty messuages, ten tofts, four hundred acres of land, forty of meadow, one hundred of pasture, and forty of furze and heath, with the appurtenances in Clarborough and elsewhere. In 1674, Thomas Denman and Thomas Dawes, claimed against Francis Denman, clerk, two messuages, &c. in Clarborough. In 1612, the freeholders in the village of Clarborough were Thomas Fee, gent. Alexander Sherbrooke, sen. William Barker, John Otter, Dennis Huddlestone, and Richard Harpham.

The village, which contains several tolerably well built houses, is long and straggling, yet of a cheerful and healthy appearance; it stands at the foot of a hill, about two miles north-east of East Retford, on the Gainsbro' road. The land, generally speaking, is strong and useful, being well adapted either for grazing, or for agricultural purposes; a considerable portion of which, until recently, was the property of the Duke of Devonshire; but it is now divided into a great number of small freeholds.

THE PARISH CHURCH.

This church was founded and endowed in 1258 and was, by Sewall, Archbishop of York, given to his newly founded chapel of St. Mary and All Angels, (sometimes called St. Sepulchres,) near the minster at York. On the 4th of the nones of May in that year, it was consecrated by Sewall, who directed that the vicar should have the altarage, with a toft and croft lying next to the church yard, the tythes of the enclosed crofts of the town, and the tythes of the mills at Bolum, with which he should also find honest sustentation for the chaplain at Greenley, and to another chaplain, if he should serve at Clarberough, Wellum, and Bolum. Gilbert de Tyva, (who was made sacrist,) and his successors, was ordered to give therefrom, to the poor of the parish, five marks yearly. The patronage of this living came to the crown at the dissolution of the before mentioned chapel, in which it continued until king James granted it to Lord Cavendish, afterwards Earl of Devonshire, in whose gift, and his heirs, it continued to be vested until recently, when it was purchased by Richard Woodhouse, Esq. of London.

In 1393, Clarborough formed one of the prebends of the cathedral at York, at which time Roger de Weston was prebendary; by whom it was created, or when discontinued, I have not been able to learn.

The church stands to the south-cast of the village, on the side of a hill, and is surrounded by an extensive burial ground, where the silent ashes of the dead commingle with their parent earth. The building consists of a nave, a chancel, and two side aisles; the tower is squat and embattled, and contains three bells.

I remember visiting this church five years ago, when the outside was in a most delapidated condition, and the interior far from prepossessing; on my late visit, however, I was gratified to find that a great change had been made for the better; the whole of the inner walls having been drawn and squared in imitation of stonework; a considerable portion of the body been repewed; a gallery been erected at the west end, and a small organ, (for which the parishioners are indebted to the munificence of H. C. Hutchinson, Esq.) Several of the windows are entirely new, and the whole fabric is highly creditable to those under whose management the improvements have been effected.

There are at present few monumental inscriptions remaining of antiquarian importance; the following are the chief.

Beneath the altar rails,—

Here lyeth the body of EDMUND BROWSE, who died the 4th of Feb. 1677.

On another adjoining, surmounted by a shield,—

Here is interred the body of Mr. ROBERT MOWER, who departed this life the 7th July, 1748, aged 39 years.

Within the altar rails,—

Here lieth the body of JANE SMITH, daughter of Mary Southworth, and daughter in law to Edward Southworth, of Wellam, who died the 17th of May, 1673.

Adjoining the above,—

Here lieth the body of ELIZABETH SOUTHWORTH daughter of Edward Southworth, and Mary, his wife, of Wellom, who died the 7th of June, 1675.

Inside the altar rails to the north,—

Sacred to the memory of JOHN THOROLD, Esq. Ob.. June, 14, 1812, aged 29 years: of Rev. CHARLES THOROLD, late of Peter House, Cambridge, ob. May 9, 1820, aged 32 years: the third and fourth sons of Samuel Thorold, Esq. and of Susannah his wife. Also to the memory of Mrs ELIZABETH GOODACRE, ob. Sept. 13, 1815, aged 95 years; the mother of the above Susannah Thorold.

Without the altar rails,—

Sacred to the memory of SAMUEL THOROLD, of Welham, Esq. son of the late Sir John Thorold, bart, of Cranwell, in the county of Lincoln, died 18th January, 1825, in the 76th year of his age.

Under the gallery, at the west end, is a mural monument, surmounted by a female figure weeping over an urn, with a long inscription as under,—

Here lies interred the body of THOMAS OUTYBRIDGE, late of Bollom House, who died the 27th August, 1772, aged 43 years. CATHARINE, the daughter of the said Thomas Outybridge, and Catharine his wife, died the 9th July, 1766, aged 5 months. THOMAS their son, died the 15th July, 1771, aged 5 months. MILDRED their daughter, died the 26th Dec. 1772, aged 3 years and 10 months. Catharine their daughter, died the 1st January, 1773, aged 7 months. Not lost, but gone before. In a dormitory beneath this place, are deposited the earthly remains of Mary Outybridge, the only surviving child of the said Thomas Outybridge, and Catharine his wife, she departed this life the 21st of August, 1808, aged 41 years.

"Thou fair example from thy early youth,
Of modest wisdom, and pacific truth,
Compos’d in sufferings, and in joy sedate,
Thy faith and hope in God and Christ was great.
Go that where only bliss sincere is known,
Go where to love and to enjoy are one.
Yet take these tears, mortality’s relief,
And till I share thy bliss, forgive my grief.
This small remembrance on this at one receive,
‘Tis all a mother, all a friend can give."

After a weary pilgrimage on earth, here rest the remains of Cath. Harrison, mother of the above named children, who she humbly hopes to meet in heaven died 18th Sept. 1825, aged 78.

A Catalogue of the Vicars of Clarborough.

TEMP. INST.	RECTORES ECCLE.	PATRON	VACAT.
3 Nones Oct. 1286	Dms Aclam de Lund, Pbr_______	Sacrista Capella St. Mary's.
5 Ides Nov. 1322	Dms Thos. de Surton, Pbr_______	ijdem	Mort
2 Nones Jun. 1329	Dms Job. David, Pbr	ijdem
2 Cal. July, 1341	Dms Aclam de Claylas	ijdem
16th Nov. 1349	Dms Thos. de Grenley, Cap	ijdem
———	Dms Will, de Herpswell, Pbr	ijdem
18th April, 1392	Dms Thos. Cook de Magna Cressingham	ijdem
18th Dec. 1398	Dms Will.de Patrington	ijdem
20th Nov. 1404	Dnis Robt. Sparrow, Cap	ijdem	Resig
14th Aug. 1405	Dms Robt. Baxter de Rafyn, Cap	ijdem	Mort
2nd March, 1410	Dms Henry de Dighton, Pbr.	ijdem	Mort
19th June, 1434	Dms Rog. Burn, Pbr	ijdem	Mort
18th Dec. 1437	Dms Robt. Donyngton	ijdem
———	Dms Thos. West, Pbr	ijdem	Resig
14th March, 1455	Dms Robt. Cowper	ijdem
———	Dms John Witton, Pbr	ijdem	Mort
24th June, 1485	Dms Rich. Godson, Cap	ijdem
———	Dms Robt. Yong, Pbr	ijdem	Resig
10th Feb. 1488	Dms Thos. Gedling	ijdem	Resig
20th April, 1491	Dms Henry Crowder, Pbr	ijdem	Resig
11th May, 1508	Dms John Thakbarrow	ijdem	Mort
11th April, 1550	Dms Robt. Armisted, Cl.	Edward the 6th
21st May, 1577	Nic. Watlyng, Cl.	Queen Eliz.	Mort
21st June, 1617	Will. Howe, Pbr. B. A. .	Will. Dms Cavendish	Resig
10th Nov. 1620	Nath. Hunte, Pbr. M. A.	Will. com. Devonshire
———	Richard Eyre, Cl	ijdem	Cession
20th Dec. 1661	Richard Browneft	ijdem	Mort
———	Rev. Benjamin Burrow	ijdem	Mort
———	Rev. Thomas Moore	ijdem	Mort
1728	Rev. William Justice.	ijdem	Mort
1740	Rev. Edmund Mower	ijdem	Mort
1756	Rev. Charles Caftwright	ijdem	Mort
1787	Rev. Joshua Flint.	ijdem	Mort
1827	Rev. Joshua William Brooks.	Richard Woodhouse, Esq.

The living is a discharged vicarage, and the church is dedicated to St. John the baptist. It was valued at £8 when the sacrist of St. Mary’s was patron; it is valued at £9. 15s. 4d. in the king’s books. Patron, Richard Woodhouse, Esq. Incumbent, the Rev. J. W. Brooks.

THE HAMLET OF BOLHAM.

Before the conquest, Tuvert held part of the land here, and paid for the same to the Danegeld for seven bovats, afterwards it became of the fee of Roger de Busli. In Doomsday-book it is stated to be of the berue of tbe soke of Laneham, belonging to the Archbishop of York. Subsequently Gaufrey, the man (or tenant) of Roger, held at Bolum, one caracute, two sokemen, four villains, three borders, having four caracutes and a half of land. The meadow land was eight quarents long, and two broad; the pasture and wood land. one league long, and three quarents broad; which altogether, in the Confessor’s time, was valued at 40s. in the Conqueror’s at 50s.

It appears, almost from time immemorial, that Bolham has had a mill within its precincts, which once belonged to the ancient and worthy family of the Lovetots, of Worksop, and was by Emma, the wife of William de Lovetot, given to the monastery of St. Cuthbert, near Worksop, to buy wine for the use of the mass; as was also the assart* of Assaley, to make wafers for the celebration of the same sacrament. Matilda de Lovetot, the last of the family of the Lovetots, who married Gerard de Furnival, confirmed this gift, and also another of all Bolum, with the land and mill, which Richard de Lovetot, her grandfather, had previously given.

After the dissolution of the monasteries, Henry the eighth, by letters patent, dated October 28th, 1545, granted this manor to Sir Robert Swyft, Kt. and his brother William, and their heirs, together with two mills there, (one of which was designated as a Walk Mill,) and two gardens called the Chappel and Old Yard, which continued in their family until 1565, when it was conveyed to Francis Wortley, Esq.; it is now the property of the Thorold family.

That a chapel once existed here, will not admit of a doubt, as the situation on which it stood is still designated "The Chapel Yard," and mention is made of it in Archbishop Greenfield’s Register; but at what period it was founded there are no records to show. One of the said Archbishops gave the church at Bolum, with the appurtenances, then belonging to a prebend at York, and valued at ten marks, to William de Lanum, in the absence of the prebendary.

Bolham is situated on the river Idle, one mile north of Retford, and consists of ten or twelve habitations, all, with one exception, formed by excavations in the sand rock; the situation is agreeably romantic. The light tendrils of the ivy creeping along the rocks, with here and there a wild flower rearing its unassuming head, gives an air of pensive serenity to the place which cannot fail to affect the mind of the spectator,—whilst a column of curling smoke rising here and there from the grass-clad roofs of nature’s humble cots, recalls to memory "the (lays of other years," when our rude forefathers were wanderers on the earth, with no habitations, but dens and caves,—no food, but what the land spontaneously gave,—no covering, save the skins of beasts,—no drapery, save the sky.

THE HAMLET OF WELHAM.

In Doomsday record "Wellome" is said to belong to the king’s soke of Mansfield, and paid, along with Suventon (not known) the tax for five bovats and a third; the meadow land was certified to be one quarent and a half long, and one quarent and ten perches broad; the pasture wood nineteen quarents long, and two and a half broad, which was altogether valued at 10s. 8d. Here also was some land belonging to the Archbishop of York’s fee, valued at the same as the above.

About the middle of the twelfth century, there wag certain lands here belonging to the Lovetots, of Worksop, which was by Matilda, the last survivor of that family, given to the canons of Radforde, (near Worksop,) for the safety of her soul, and the souls of all her sons. This property it appears was considerable, comprehending the greatest part of the hamlet, as I find in the year 1517, it was rented at £5. 5s. 8d. besides chief rents amounting to £1. 1s. 6d. a year, which, at the dissolution, was sold to Richard Richardson, Jun. of Clarborough, from whom it descended to Gabriel his son, who, on the 1st of January, 1565, sold it to three brothers,—Christopher, George, and Bryan Twiselton; part of it in 1634, became the property of Edmund Browne, Esq. he died on the 4th of February, 1677, when it descended to two daughters. The Duke of Devonshire formerly possessed considerable property here, which was sold in 1813. It is now chiefly owned by the Messrs. Hutchinsons, Mrs. Thorold, Mr. Mower, and Mr. Wheelwright.

Nearly in the centre of the village, formerly stood a chapel, but of which, no records are now remaining to shew at what period it was either erected or endowed, or even when it was dismantled. Within what is now termed the chapel yard, the marks of the foundation are discernible, and the ground altogether about an acre.

Welham, or the hamlet of the Well, is supposed to have derived its name from a once celebrated spring (St. John’s Well) near the place, which was formed into a large bath, and still remains entire; during the early part of the last century, it was famous for many cures, but latterly it has lost much of its celebrity. The late John Hutchinson, Esq. erected a cottage adjoining, and enclosed the bath, to preserve it from injury. Here was, until lately, a feast, or fair, held annually on St. John’s day, to which the neighbouring villagers resorted to enjoy such rural sports or games as fancy might dictate. Cold baths like this were formerly regarded with superstitious reverence, being supposed to possess a sovereign remedy for agues, rheumatism, &c.

This hamlet is pleasantly situate on the Gainsbro’ road, about a mile from East Retford, and contains four or five tolerably well built houses, of which those belonging to H. C. Hutchinson, Esq. Mrs. Thorold, G. Mower, Esq. and S. Thorold, Esq. are the chief. The land in the neighbourhood is of a superior kind, and some of it is, and has been, very productive in the growth of hops.

MOORGATE AND SPITTAL HILL.

Are also hamlets within the parish of Clarborough, and contain 1920 inhabitants, nevertheless, I find nothing very ancient respecting them, and not even mentioned before the year 1524. They adjoin the borough of East Retford, and to a person unacquainted therewith, they would be supposed to be a part of that place, from which they are divided by a small stream of water. Within the last half century, the number of buildings has increased considerably, which may in a great measure be attributed to their proximity to East Retford. The land (with the exception of the common which was enclosed in 1799) is chiefly grass, the rest is laid out into garden ground, which is very profitable to the occupiers.

Moorgate is wide and spacious, and contains several well-built houses; a portion of which, and the greatest part of Spittal Hillstands on a sand rock similar to that at Bolham.

In consequence of these hamlets having become so thickly populated, and the mother church at Clarborough being at such a great distance, it has been thought necessary to erect a chapel of ease, for the accommodation of those inhabitants who are members of the established church. The ground was given by H. C. Hutchinson, Esq. together with a handsome donation of £500, which, with several other contributions amounting to upwards of £3000, the building is now being erected, in the style of Gothic prevalent in the reign of Henry the eighth, and is likely to be a structure creditable to the establishment.

THE HAMLET OF LITTLE GREENLEY.

I find that the proper name of this place is not "Gringley" as generally pronounced, but "Greenley." When Doomsday-book was compiled, it was chiefly belonging to the soke of Dunham, and paid the tax for two bovats, and a sixth of land. The Archbishop of York also held some land here, which paid the tax for one bovat and a quarter.

It appears that tile ancient family of the Norrays possessed the greatest portion of this hamlet, about the year 1300. On the demise of Henry Norrays, it became the property of Alen de Boleshoure, who, sometime afterwards, conveyed it to his nephew. Henry Norrays, along with other lands in Stretton (Sturton,) Wyston, Fenton, and Leirton (Leverton,) the said Henry agreeing to pay to the said Allen and his heirs, yearly, a pair of gilt spurs at Whitsuntide for ever. Shortly after this, the estate descended to William de’ Anne, a distant relative of the Norrays, who held it along with the cars and commons of East Retford, the last of which, in 1320, he conveyed to "all the men of Rettforthe," and the former, at his decease, was sold to John Clarke, by John de Hercy, who had succeeded to the estate; from him it descended to his son Bryan, and in 1666, it was claimed by Lionel Sherbrooke, along with lands in Grove, East Retford, and Welham, amounting to 100 acres of land, 100 of meadow, 100 of pasture, 100 of wood, and 100 of furze and heath, together with a garden, an orchard, one toft, and a messuage. Subsequently to this, It was sold, and came into a number of hands, of which a considerable part came to the proprietor of Grove, who is lord of the manor, and holds it at the present day.

Greenley formerly possessed a chapel of ease, and a burial ground; but when it was erected, or even when demolished, no records are extant. Several human bones have been dug up within the last few years, and skulls with teeth as perfect as when first interred. Some years back a stone coffin was found, but whether the stone which covered it contained any inscription or not, cannot be ascertained. This coffin was taken from its bed and put into a fold yard, and after being thoroughly washed out, was intended to be used as a drinking trough for cattle; but, strange as it may appear! no cattle would touch the water which it contained, although drawn from a well close by; the water of which they drank from other troughs without hesitation. This account I received from several who were eye witnesses of the fact. In consequence of this, the coffin was again deposited in the earth, but the head end may be seen protruding from the side of the chapel hill, at the present time.

The hamlet is situated in a valley on the declivity of a hill, in a romantic and pleasing situation, and the views to the west and north-west are extensive and picturesque. The houses in general are of an humble description, straggling here and there in different directions, having been built as necessity required, or where the situation was thought to he most convenient and agreeable.

THE END.

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* An assart was a piece of ground assarted; that is, grubbed or cleared; from sarrio, to weed; according to Nichols, "Essarts was a forest phrase for a cultivated spot, from the French assartir, to make plain."