Wynyfride THOROLD ( - )

Second Generation

Third Generation

3. Gervase CLIFTON Baronet, son of Sir Gervase CLIFTON Baronet and Penelope RICH, died on 14 January 1676. He married Sarah PUSEY.

 

Gervase, a youth of singular beauty and unfortunately of most wild disposition, who as "Mr. Clifton" nearly broke his father's heart, and finally after succeeding to the title in 1666, died without issue in 1676, "the wretched unfortunate, who was his father's greatest foil;".

 

Sarah PUSEY was the daughter of Timothy PUSEY of Selston ( - ).

 

4. Lady Margaret CLIFTON, daughter of Sir Gervase CLIFTON Baronet and Lady Frances CLIFFORD, was born circa 1628. She died circa [Julian] 10 February 1697 in Westminster. She married John SOUTH. She married William WHICHCOT. She married Robert CARY.

 

THE CLIFTONS OF CLIFTON.

The heading of this chapter is an ambitious one; to fulfil its claim to its title completely, it must almost needs contain a history of the county for more than eight hundred years; it must be considered enough if reference is made to those facts only, the knowledge of which make an ordinary visit to the village and Church of more intelligent interest.

SEVEN HUNDRED YEARS AGO.

We must pass rapidly the early account recorded by Thoroton of "Alveredus de Clifton, miles, dom. Manerii de Wilford et guardianus Nott. Temp Will Peverell" which shows that in William the Conqueror's time, the chief Clifton held a very responsible position and was Lord of the Manor of Wilford, though apparently not yet of Clifton. This Alveredus. son of Robert, held the same office and position. In 1186 we come to the first Gervasius de Clifton, with whose name is coupled that of the village of Glapton. which stills survives as the name of that part of the village, which lies east of the Nottingham Road. Unlike most names which have survived eight hundred years neither Clifton nor Glapton show any great variation in spelling, since 1086, when the former was Cliftune in the Domesday Survey. There has also been a similar conservatism about the Christian names in the family, for out of 26 who have held the property. 12 have been Gervases and 8 Roberts.

In 1281 King Edward I. confirmed the manors of Clifton and Wilford to Sir Gervase Clifton. Kt. (who was Sheriff of Nottingham and Derby in the years 1281, 1285, 1292) in consequence of a further acquisition made by purchase from the de Rodes family. The first Rector of whom we have record is William de Rodes. who was instituted in 1242, the patron being Ralph de Rodes: and the second is John de Clifton his successor, whose patron was Sir Gervase de Clifton, Kt., who held the manor in 1336. Of this Sir Gervase it is recorded that he got a jury to enquire what damages he sustained by reason of trenches being made to bring the water of the Trent out of the ancient course, to Nottingham Castle for the benefit of the King's mills, and then on to Wilford meadows. The Jury found £100 of which £52 7s. satisfied his "arrearages when he was last Sheriff."

Fifty years later another John de Clifton was Rector being presented by the next Sir Gervase; and again in 1506 Silvanus Clifton was instituted to succeed Robert Yole (page 17), another Sir Gervase presenting him.

In modern times too a Reverend William Clifton was appointed in 1803 by Sir Gervase;

in this last case the Rector was in no way related to the family, for his patron met him by chance at an inn. and offered him the vacant living, partly no doubt on account of his name.

CLIFTON MONUMENTS.

The earliest monument in the Church is a small slab, on which the name "Isabelle" was until recently legible, which is credibly believed to commemorate the wife of Sir John Clifton, who fell at the battle of Shrewsbury, in defence of King Henry IV. when Hotspur, the heir of the ever-dangerous house of Northumberland, joined the Scots and Welsh in rebellion against the King in 1403.

The next is a mutilated slab bearing the figure of a woman, which has an inscription, now only legible in parts but which Thoroton preserves-It records in Latin the burial of Isabella, daughter of Sir Robert Franceis, wife of Sir Gervase Clifton, Knight, who died June 13th, 1457.

Then there is a large slab to the memory of the Lady Alice Clifton, who was sister of William Bothe. Archbishop of York (1452-1464), and half-sister to Lawrence Booth or Bothe, who was also Archbishop of York 1476-1480, after being suspended from the bishopric of Durham (1462-1464). Lady Alice was wife of Sir Robert Clifton she died in 1470.
One of the brasses: Sr Gervase Clifton, 1491. Rubbing by H. Belcher, Esq.

One of the brasses: Sir Gervase Clifton, 1491. Rubbing by H. Belcher, Esq.

Near to this are two beautiful brasses to the memory of her husband (1478) and her eldest son Sir Gervase (1491). Both bear Latin inscriptions, which bid us pray for their souls, and refer to the founding of a college of chaplains in which father and son took part. The figure of the former, Sir Robert, bears the shorter inscription and represents a knight in full armour with a greyhound at his feet; unfortunately only one of four shields or arms, which once existed, remains.

The latter brass, dated 1491, is to the memory of the Sir Gervase, who was Knight of the Bath at the coronation of Richard III.; and the King in recognition of faithful service added to his already vast property (which included manors so distant as Hodsock and Downe Hall in Lincolnshire and Belton in Yorkshire) the manors of Ratcliffe-on-Soar, all the lands in Kingston and Kegworth which were the Duke of Buckingham's, Sir Roger Tocote's forfeited land in Huntingdon, and all the lands in the county of Derby, which were the late Duke of Exeter's.

The recumbent effigy of a lady in the North East corner, Thoroton says, "is a very good tomb of alabaster," and it is to the memory of Alice, daughter of Thomas Nevell, and wife of this Sir Gervase Clifton, whose brass, dated 1491, lies just below. On this altar tomb are the arms of Clifton and Nevell each twice. At her head lies a singularly beautiful recumbent effigy of a knight in armour, at his feet is a crouching lion, beneath his head a peacock, on his surcoat a lion rampant and upon his helmet the Clifton crest. As to the date of this alabaster altar tomb there is much uncertainty. Thoroton, Godfrey and others suppose that it is later than the brasses,—the son indeed of the Sir Gervase, of -the latter brass— modern experts, however, put it at a date nearly a century earlier, and the point is undecided. There is a pattern, which has seemed to some people to be an undeciphered inscription, on the helmet just above the forehead.

"GERVASE THE GENTLE."

Then there is the large altar tomb hearing the recumbent effigy of a knight ("Sir Gervies Clifton") and two ladies, on which the date 1564 looks rather like 1764 to those unaccustomed to old English lettering.

The inscription gives the full name and date of death of all three and concludes "whose soules we hope rest in God our Saviour."

On the South side are the figures of three sons who died in childhood, and two daughters, and on the other variously quartered coats of arms, and on the West end are the arms of Clifton, with the arms of his two wives (Thwaites and Nevell) on either side.

A TROUSSEAU IN 1530.

Sir Gervase Clifton married Miss Mary Nevell on January 17th,, 1530, when Henry VIII. was king, and her father, Sir John, kept an account of the wedding which he provided. Here are a few of the items:—

A DINNER PARTY IN 1530.

Again "the expense of the dinner" shows,

3 Hogsheads of wine … …


…


5


5


0

2 Oxen … …


…


3


0


0

Besides these, there are 12 yards of camblet, 6 of cotton, 4 of satin, 3 of lawn, 4 of carley, 2 rolls of buchram, 12 white hare skins, 12 black rabbits' skins, and 30 white lambs' skins which latter however cost but three halfpence each.

" For the apparel of the said Gervase and Mary": —


£


s.


d.

27 yards of damask, every yard 8/-


10


16


0

6 yards of tawney velvet, every yard 14/-


4


4


0

A white fur


2


0


0

3 pairs of gloves


0


2


5

A wedding ring of gold


0


12


4

Besides these, there are 8 cranes, 16 herons, 10 bitterns. 36 capons, 6 wethers, and many wildfowl.

So that the wine for this dinner cost as much as 250 pigs !

The pepper, of which 6 pounds were needed cost 11 shillings, and among the "spices" used were 'sugar, ginger, currants, prunes, dates, raisins, cinnamon, cloves, mace, saffron, isinglass caraways, liquorice, aniseed, green ginger, sucket orange buds, and orange syrup, besides marmalade, comfits and biskits.'


£


s.


d

12 Swans, every swan 6s.


3


12


. 0

60 couple rabbits, every couple 5d.


1


5


0

10 pigs, every pig 5d.


0


4


2

7 calves


0


19


0

7 lambs


0


10


0

4 dozen chickens


0


4


0

This Sir Gervase was, Thoroton says, "An excellent person and of great authority in peace and war, and was so courteous that -he was generally styled Gervase the gentle" a name given originally, it is believed, by the maiden Queen Elizabeth, at whose court Sir Gervase was a favourite, though he had been almost equally eminent at the courts of Henry VIII., Edward VI. and Mary.

A DIM PARENTAGE.

Just beneath this monument on the North side is a beautiful little brass representing a little gentleman dressed as a civilian in a large ruff and a short cloak and a little lady very daintily clad in Elizabethan costume; it is a pathetic little memorial to George, the only son of Sir "Gervase the Gentle;" he died in 1587 at the age of 20, but six years before, at the age of fourteen, he had married Wynyfride, daughter of Sir Anthony and Lady Anne Thorold, and three months after his death she bore to him another Gervase, who was destined to be very celebrated.

A CHARACTERISTIC CLIFTON.

And now we come to the history of this baby Gervase, probably one of the most remarkable in all family history. His father, George, died as we have seen, under twenty-one years of age, a few months before Gervase himself was born when he was four months old. his grandfather, Sir Gervase died too, leaving no children at all : shortly after, his mother married again, and (as Mrs. Kervile) had other children. It would appear that her mother Lady Anne Thorold, therefore took charge of the little Sir Gervase, for a stone dated 1611 refers to her as "the most loving and careful grandmother of Sir Gervase Clifton, Kt., and Bart., who laid the same, for her piety and exemplary virtue 5 worthy to be had in perpetual remembrance." It was well for him that she was available, for he came into the title and estates in 1587 at the age of four months, without a Clifton relative in the world, the sole hope of the family.

The monument on the West wall reveals how he proceeded to alter this state of things, for it records the existence of his first three wives, while an elaborate mural monument and bust on the South side of the chancel adds to them the memory of four more ; the bust is surmounted with his own arms and around it are arranged, seven shields, bearing the armorial bearings of his wives ; so that this Sir Gervase, who lived to be nearly 80, is often known as the "Sir Gervase with seven wives" this is a list of them :—

1. Penelope, daughter of the Earl and Countess of Warwick. "A lady conspicuous for extraordinary beauty of body and mind " who died in 1613 at the age of 23 and was buried at Clifton.

2. Frances, daughter of the Earl and Countess of Cumberland. "A most noble, wise and pious lady." who died in 1627, aged 33, and was also buried here.

3. Maria, daughter of John Egioke of Egioke, widow of Sir Francis Leeke of Sutton. "A very excellent lady,"—buried in 1630 at St. Giles Church, London.

4. Isabella, widow of John Hodges Alderman of London, who was buried here in 1637.

5. Anna, daughter of Sir Francis South, also buried here in 1639.

6. Jane, daughter of Anthony Eyre of Rampton. Whose son Robert was the father of Sir Gervase the eventual successor as 4th Bart. She died in London in 1655, but was buried at Clifton too.

7. Alice, daughter of the Earl and Countess of Huntington, who died after her husband, but in the same year (1666) and was buried at St. Giles Church, London, where "on a gravestone in ye chancell" was found
"Here rests hopefull of a glourious resurrection the Lady Alice, the eldest dau. of Henry Lord — Hastings, Earle of Huntington and relict of Sir Gervase Clifton, Kt., Baronet, whose constant pietye assures her happiness. Obut 12 Martii 1666 aetatis 61."

HIS CHILDREN.

Although the first wife had a son Gervase, a youth of singular beauty and unfortunately of most wild disposition, who as "Mr. Clifton" nearly broke his father's heart, and finally after succeeding to the title in 1666, died without issue in 1676, "the wretched unfortunate, who was his father's greatest foil;" and the second also had five children and many grandchildren, it was a descendant of the sixth ("Jane Eyre") who was the ancestor of the surviving descendants. Now this Sir Gervase of the seven wives, of whom an excellent contemporary picture hangs over the mantelpiece in the Hall dining room, was very far from being the "Bluebeard" we might believe, as the next few paragraphs will show.

HIS CHARACTER.

Thoroton says: "This Sir Gervase was certainly more gentle than his grandfather being generally the most noted person of his time for courtesy, he was very prosperous and beloved of all. He generously, hospitably and charitably entertained all from King Charles himself (of whom he was an active supporter) to the poorest beggar. He served eight times in several Parliaments. He was an extraordinary kind landlord, and good master.

His hospitality exceeded very many of the Nobility, and his continuance in it, most men; being almost fourscore years Lord of this place, of a sound body, and a cheerful facetious spirit."

HIS DEATH.

"His last part was miracle enough to convert an Atheist, to see his Christianity so far prevail over his nature that without the least shadow of fear, he left the choicest things of this world with as great pleasure as others enjoy them.

He received from me the certain notice of his approaching death as he was wont to do an invitation of his good friends to his own Bowling Green (one of the most pleasant imaginable) and thereupon immediately called for his old chaplain, Mr. Robert Thirlby, to do the office of his confessor, and when he had done with him, for his children, whom Patriarch-like he particularly blessed and admonished, with the smartness and ingenuity of a practised and well-studied orator. The day following he received visits from divers friends, in the old dining-room near his bed-chamber (in which room his portrait hangs to this day), who were not so sensible of his danger, because he entertained them after his usual manner, yet that night (as I easily foretold him) his sleepiness began which could never be taken away."—So wrote Dr. Thoroton.

This Sir Gervase was made a K.B. at the coronation of James I., and a Baronet in 1611, his name being third in the first list of creations to the new Order.

Born in Queen Elizabeth's reign before the collapse of the Spanish Armada and before the publication of Shakespeare's Plays, and Bacon's Essays, Sir Gervase lived to see Charles II. restored after the collapse of Cromwell's Long Parliament, and to hear of the publication of Newton's theory, and the establishment of the Royal Society; and throughout he was in vital touch with the affairs of his time.

Among the miscellaneous papers recently discovered is a very neatly made little book, in which is a beautifully written catalogue of "My Mr.'s books remaining in the study at Clifton, taken in order as they stand, July 23rd. 1650." It runs to 18 pages of entries, about 20 to 25 on a page. There is a good collection of ancient classics, the writings of Calvin and other theological writers, and a list of other books, which is of great interest to antiquarian book lovers.

THE LAST SIR GERVASE.

Under the pulpit in the body of the Church lies a stone which covers the grave of Sir Gervase Clifton, 6th Bart., who was unwilling to be laid with his ancestors in the family vault, humbly estimating himself unworthy of such an honour.

There is a fine marble monument on the South wall of the South aisle, to this Sir Gervase, surmounted by his arms and crest, which records the following facts: the creation of the baronetcy (third among those created) by King James I.; the fact that Sir Gervase wished to be buried where he lies, the inheritance of Trelyden (a Welsh property sold by the present Sir Hervey Bruce) from his wife's family, the Lloyds of Aberferchan in Wales; the birth of his seven children (who included Sir Robert, Sir Juckes, and Sir Arthur) and his death in 1815. A very vivid picture of this old gentleman wearing a red coat is preserved in the red room at the Hall.

 

Sir William WHICHCOT of Fotherby, son of Hamen WHICHCOT (1576- ) and Millicent MARKHAM (1596- ), died circa 1657. He and Margaret CLIFTON had the following children:

 

7	George WHICHCOT (1653-c. 1720). George was born in 1653. He was christened on 6 June 1653. He was baptised on 8 June 1653 in Fotherby, Lincs.. He married Frances MERES on 11 November 1699 in London. He died circa 5 September 1720. He was buried on 9 September 1720 in Harpswell, Lincs..

 

Robert CARY had the title '6th Lord Hunsden'. He died in 1692.

 

5. Clifford CLIFTON, son of Sir Gervase CLIFTON Baronet and Lady Frances CLIFFORD, died in 1673. He married Frances FINCH.

 

Frances FINCH was the daughter of Sir Heneage FINCH of Kensington ( - ). She and Clifford CLIFTON had the following children:

 

8	William CLIFTON ( -1676). William had the title '3rd Bart of Clifton'. He died on 14 January 1676.
9	Catherine CLIFTON ( - ). Catherine married John PARSONS in 1686.
10	Arabella CLIFTON ( -1720). Arabella married Francis WHEELER on 11 November 1685. She died on 10 January 1720.

 

6. Robert CLIFTON, son of Sir Gervase CLIFTON Baronet and Jane EYRE, had the title '4th Baronet'.