Clophill Heritage Trail

The trail starts at The Flying Horse at the west end The ‘Statty’ Fair was held on Garton’s Field Yard, which was 36 High Street. Oakley House dates from the 18th century 53 High Street was built about 1620 and was a hardware 104 High Street (See Photo) was a shop run for a long of the village and takes you along the High Street to behind the Green Man where Beverley Court now stands. and possibly from the mid 17th century. The single storey shop then the post office and village shop in the latter part time by Ebenezer and Hannah Goss as shown by the the former Rising Sun. It was a Statute Fair originally held for hiring labour. wing was originally thatched. It has the same unusual of the 20th century. (See photo) censuses of 1861 until 1901. The 1911 census shows that brackets supporting the door-hood as at Clophill House they are still living here but are retired at the ages of 74 The Flying Horse public house which dates from 1731 Later they developed into amusement fairs and the 52 High Street, Ivy House. In 1851 this was a girls’ and Ivy House. and 69. Later the shop was run by Mr and Mrs Stokes. was an important coaching inn on the A6 and would Clophill Statty had steam-driven roundabouts owned by boarding school, later a doctor’s house and, at the end of have had stabling for horses. By 1927 it was reported that Will Thurston. 45 High Street was built about 1836 by James Parrish, the First World War, a magistrate’s house. 108 High Street. Taylor’s Cottage was built as a Girls’ the business “gets main road traffic, has good yard, gets a grocer and draper. He named it London House and it Sunday School in 1799 by the Rector William Nethersole. The Green Man Public House was first mentioned as the 79 High Street was The Compasses public house. The first charabanc parties, mainly a weekend trade” and it was was used as a school for training drapers. About 1870 Girls at the school wore a shawl known a tippet; the doll Shepherd and Dog in the will of John Richardson in 1758. reference to it comes in a conveyance of 1828 which refers “best pub in village”. it became known as Clophill Barns because of the farm which is on show in the church on special occasions It may have been known by this name as early as 1719. By to it as the Red Cow. Two years later a gang of poachers, buildings to the north of it. The present owner uses the represents one of the pupils wearing one. The inscribed Walk along the pavement to the left of the Flying Horse. 1798 it was called the Green Man and re-fronted. tried at the Quarter Sessions, is recorded as having met old name. stone on the front wall translates as ‘The gateway to life (is) there before trespassing in Cainhoe Park. It closed as a The Lock-up & Pound were built 1851 by magistrate the word of the Lord’. Carefully cross Mill Lane. public house in 1992. Captain Moore of Maulden Cottage. They were used for St Mary’s Church was built in a convincing Gothic style the overnight control of paupers, mischief makers and Clophill House. In Tudor times (1586) this was two small between 1848 and 1849, when the old church on the drunks together with their livestock. As Clophill had six cottages, the origins of which can still be seen to the right hill was too small to house the congregation. The church pubs, the lock-up often housed the occasional drunk on a of the main building. Some time between 1719 and 1738 is open to visitors and there is a free guide on the table Saturday night! Thomas White rebuilt Clophill House to give it its current inside. Georgian frontage. Notice the parapet surmounted by The Old Bridge. Before the A6 was rerouted in 1937 it “pineapples”. The pineapple motif was widely used as a passed in front of the Flying Horse, through The Green and symbol of hospitality in the eighteenth-century. over the Old Bridge. When motorcycles became popular the bridge was notorious for accidents particularly at The front gate was bought from the Grange on North End weekends and it is said that two nurses used to stay in the Road in Hammersmith, London when it was demolished in lock-up over the weekend to deal with the accidents. the 1930s. It had once been the home of Edward Burne- Jones, the Pre-Raphaelite painter, and the young Rudyard Carefully cross over The Green (noting the three fine The Green Man Kipling, who came to stay there, described the gate as “the lime trees) to the north side of the road. wonderful gate that led me to all felicity”. King’s Cottage and the Cross Tree

104 High Street

The Old Forge. To the right of “The Old Forge” was a St. Mary’s School. As early as 1630 attempts were made smithy’s shop. The blacksmith, Mr Cakebread, was kept to provide schooling for Clophill’s children. In 1871 the very busy because of the number of horses that had to be National Society (C. of E.) provided money to build schools shod. to accommodate 185 infants and juniors. The School Log Book for 6th Oct.1879 states “Owing to the harvest being Along the High Street the odd numbers are on the so backward this year, another week’s holiday was given to left-hand side. It is also safer to stay on this side enable the children to go gleaning” where there is a continuous footpath. The new building has developed since 1973 and it remains 3 High Street. Before motorised transport there were 110, 110a and 110b High Street. The Old Rectory. The a Voluntary Aided (church) school. All that remains of the carriers who regularly carried goods to and from Ampthill, rectory dates from 1700 when the timber and tiled old building is the bell tower in the grounds. Shefford and Bedford, where there were railway stations structure had a separate kitchen and bakehouse, which from the mid 19th century. Sam Gaylor, known as 53 High Street The Cross Tree (see photo) stood in the middle of the were thatched and had stone floors. The present building 15 The Green “The Carry”, lived here and made trips to Ampthill on junction of Little Lane, Great Lane and the High Street It dates from the mid 18th century and is now divided into Clophill Water Mill. The current mill dates from the late Tuesdays,Thursdays and Saturdays. was removed in 1939-40 as apparently it became a hazard separate dwellings. 7 & 9 The Green was built circa 1700. It is one of the oldest 18th century and has an undershot wheel which drove in the blackout at the beginning of World War 2. 120 High Street was the New Inn public house. First buildings overlooking the Green. Note the timber frame 19 High Street. Formerly known as “Taylor’s House”, it was a three pairs of stones. It ground both wheat for flour and recorded in 1839, it closed in 1959. construction of the right-hand cottage. The left-hand dairy farm with cattle sheds opposite and meadows down grain for animal feed. King’s Cottage was originally two cottages. They were cottage is also timber-framed but has been “modernised” the south side of the High Street and along the Causeway. bought for £400 in 1878 by Susan Collip, who had been a 126 High Street, Ladymead. The 1911 census shows that Clophill Methodist Church opened in 1937 uniting the with a brick cladding and enlarged dormer windows. The cattle were driven along the High Street to be milked. domestic servant in Kensington Palace Gardens. She ran John Blackburn, lino salesman, lived here with his wife, previous Wesleyan and Primitive Chapels. Note the Art The old granary borders the road. a shop here until at least 1911. Later the King family lived eight children and a niece. As all the children, from four to For the rest of the trail keep to the pavement on the Deco style window. here hence the current name. left-hand side of the road. 33 High Street. Charles Palmer ran his butcher’s business fifteen years of age, went to school (rather than working) 46 High Street Wootton House. James Wootton and from here. The slaughter house was to the left. There was he must have been fairly successful. 15 The Green. As can be seen in the photo, there was a family are recorded as living here in the 1861 to 1911 no refrigeration but the meat was fresh! The Rising Sun public house was a beer-house from 1851 shop window at the front. At the rear was a separate brick censuses. He was a tailor but he also ran a sub-post office until 1954 when it was granted a full licence. It is now a and tile bake house. For many years it was run as a shop 34 High Street. There was a hat factory run by Mr Manning staffed by members of his family. and bakery by the Juffs family. The oldest boy, Bert, was in the two-storey wing on the far side of the house which private house. the baker and delivered the bread on a baker’s cart. His employed about twenty women machinists. In the 19th This is the end of the trail. See over for return route. mother ran the sweet shop which was the meeting place century it was a straw plait school. for all the youngsters in Clophill in the 1920s.

of Top Farm, Beadlow, though there are no visible signs of it now. it of signs visible no are there though Beadlow, Farm, Top of

narrow streets and lanes do not have pavements. have not do lanes and streets narrow until at least 1850. least at until excavations have shown that it was in the field immediately east east immediately field the in was it that shown have excavations

Please take care as you walk around the village as many of the the of many as village the around walk you as care take Please of late 18th century and 1826 and may have been operating operating been have may and 1826 and century 18th late of to close the house and unite it with Saint Albans. Archaeological Archaeological Albans. Saint with it unite and house the close to

Safety may have been in existence by the 1740s. It is shown on maps maps on shown is It 1740s. the by existence in been have may poor condition that it barely supported two monks. He decided decided He monks. two supported barely it that condition poor

a brick kiln and was on the site now occupied by Kiln Farm. It It Farm. Kiln by occupied now site the on was and kiln brick a visited Beadlow in the early 15th century and found it in such a a such in it found and century 15th early the in Beadlow visited

on your way back. way your on

of roof tile have been found in this area. The second kiln was was kiln second The area. this in found been have tile roof of Priory de Bello Loco (beautiful place). The Abbot of Saint Albans Albans Saint of Abbot The place). (beautiful Loco Bello de Priory

buildings and locations in the village which you may like to visit visit to like may you which village the in locations and buildings

north of Old Kiln Lane is called “Tile Kiln Field”. Many fragments fragments Many Field”. Kiln “Tile called is Lane Kiln Old of north The Benedictine Priory was also known as Beaulieu Priory or the the or Priory Beaulieu as known also was Priory Benedictine The

In the rest of the pamphlet is information about other important important other about information is pamphlet the of rest the In

possibly until 1740 or later. On a map of 1719 the area to the the to area the 1719 of map a On later. or 1740 until possibly Beaulieu Priory Beaulieu

at the The Green near the A6. the near Green The the at

in existence by 1619 and continued until at least 1691, and and 1691, least at until continued and 1619 by existence in

which are presumed to represent a deserted medieval village. medieval deserted a represent to presumed are which

The main trail, in the centre fold, covers the High Street starting starting Street High the covers fold, centre the in trail, main The

(known as “The Kiln”). The first was a tile kiln which was probably probably was which kiln tile a was first The Kiln”). “The as (known

ditches. As well as the castle there is also a series of earthworks earthworks of series a also is there castle the as well As ditches.

There have been at least two kilns in the Old Kiln Lane area area Lane Kiln Old the in kilns two least at been have There

and retelling anecdotes. retelling and

century with a motte and three baileys well protected by by protected well baileys three and motte a with century

Tile and Brick Making Brick and Tile

This guide takes you around the village describing old buildings buildings old describing village the around you takes guide This Castle, an earthwork castle of the late eleventh or early twelfth twelfth early or eleventh late the of castle earthwork an Castle,

The Trail The To the south, across the Flit valley, stand the remains of Cainhoe Cainhoe of remains the stand valley, Flit the across south, the To

Cainhoe Castle Cainhoe

dating from 1138. from dating

At Cainhoe Castle is the remains of a motte and bailey castle castle bailey and motte a of remains the is Castle Cainhoe At is the remains of the moat in the orchard”. the in moat the of remains the is

position was just in front of the present Brickwall Farm and there there and Farm Brickwall present the of front in just was position

1140 and 1146 by Robert D’Albini. Robert by 1146 and 1140

Clophill Hall became the Lordship house or great house … its its … house great or house Lordship the became Hall Clophill

Benedictine Priory of Beaulieu which was founded between between founded was which Beaulieu of Priory Benedictine

Environment Record says “It seems likely the manor house of of house manor the likely seems “It says Record Environment

Near Top Farm, Shefford Road, Beadlow, is the site of the of site the is Beadlow, Road, Shefford Farm, Top Near

Clophill Hall first mentioned in 1354. The Bedfordshire Historic Historic Bedfordshire The 1354. in mentioned first Hall Clophill

“tree-stump hill”. “tree-stump Brickwall Farm, in Kiln Lane, could be the site of the manor of of manor the of site the be could Lane, Kiln in Farm, Brickwall

book of 1086, the village is called Clopelle, which means means which Clopelle, called is village the 1086, of book Clophill Hall Manor Hall Clophill

road running east-west through the village. In the Domesday Domesday the In village. the through east-west running road

Roman a for evidence is There history. long a has Clophill

open with fields between the High Street and Back Street. Back and Street High the between fields with open

the village has developed by infill it used to be much more much be to used it infill by developed has village the

a secondary residential area mostly along Back Street. Although Although Street. Back along mostly area residential secondary a

the south and the Greensand Ridge to the north where there is is there where north the to Ridge Greensand the and south the

“sore thumb schools”. thumb “sore

quarters of a mile lying along the River Flit with the Flit valley to to valley Flit the with Flit River the along lying mile a of quarters

a School for Plaiting Straw” in Little Lane. They were known as as known were They Lane. Little in Straw” Plaiting for School a

Clophill is a typical linear village with its High Street of three three of Street High its with village linear typical a is Clophill

East. The 1851 census shows that Lucy Ashby, aged 56, “Keeps “Keeps 56, aged Ashby, Lucy that shows census 1851 The East.

plaiting had died out in the face of cheap imports from the Far Far the from imports cheap of face the in out died had plaiting Introduction

plait from being imported. But by the end of the 19th century century 19th the of end the by But imported. being from plait

and high import duties excluded foreign, especially Italian, Italian, especially foreign, excluded duties import high and

The High Street with No 12 on the right and No 7 on the left the on 7 No and right the on 12 No with Street High The

came with the Napoleonic wars (1803 - 1815) when blockade blockade when 1815) - (1803 wars Napoleonic the with came

hat industry was centred on Luton (The Hatters). The heyday heyday The Hatters). (The Luton on centred was industry hat

hats has been carried out since the 17th century. The straw straw The century. 17th the since out carried been has hats

fall into ruin. into fall

n h fed. h patn o srw o te aig f straw of making the for straw of plaiting The fields. the in

remaining fittings were removed and the building allowed to to allowed building the and removed were fittings remaining

cottage industry as they could earn more than men labouring labouring men than more earn could they as industry cottage

the village. In 1956 the lead was stolen from the roof and so the the so and roof the from stolen was lead the 1956 In village. the

For the women (and children) straw plaiting was an important important an was plaiting straw children) (and women the For

hence the congregation) it was decided to build a new one in in one new a build to decided was it congregation) the hence

Straw Plaiting Straw

windows. Due to the rapid increase in the population (and (and population the in increase rapid the to Due windows.

censuses as “Ag. Lab.” “Ag. as censuses Perpendicular style. The nave, unusually, had just two large large two just had unusually, nave, The style. Perpendicular

worked on the land as agricultural labourers, recorded in the the in recorded labourers, agricultural as land the on worked century, at least. It is listed Grade II* and was built in the Gothic Gothic the in built was and II* Grade listed is It least. at century,

Like many rural settlements, the male inhabitants of Clophill Clophill of inhabitants male the settlements, rural many Like The old church on the hill was the parish church since the 14th 14th the since church parish the was hill the on church old The

Agriculture Old St Mary’s Church Mary’s St Old

Employment Ancient Sites Ancient

Heritage Trail routes This guide was produced by Clophill Parish Action with funding from Clophill Parish Council. Main route In the centre-fold is the main High Street Heritage Trail route. Thanks to everybody who supplied information or photographs Clophill When you have completed this you can return along the High including the Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Record Street or take the alternative return route which takes you Service and Wardown Park Museum. around other parts of the village and is described below. Enquiries: [email protected] Heritage Return route (See small map) More photos: www.clophillonline.co.uk/clophillphotos • Go up Church Path to the old church and have a look round. There fine views of the Chiltern Hills to the south. Then take Facilities Trail the footpath opposite the church to Great Lane. Turn left and Post Office and Stores. The Green. walk along the road to the orchard on the right and take the The Green Man. Italian restaurant. The Green. footpath to the left of the orchard to Kiln Lane. The Flying Horse. Country pub and dining. The Green. • If you haven’t time to visit the old church then return along The Stone Jug. Traditional village pub. Back Street. the High Street to Great Lane and proceed up Little Lane. After There are no public toilets in the village. the white thatched cottage on the left take the public footpath How to get to Clophill to Kiln Lane. The village is situated near the intersection of the A6 between • Turn left at Kiln Lane and walk down the road to the Y-junction Bedford and Luton and the A507 between Ampthill and with Mill Lane and turn right into Mill Lane. Shefford. There are half-hourly buses from Bedford and Luton and a less frequent service from Biggleswade and Ampthill. Postcode for Sat Nav – MK45 4AD

“Yet still there is a spell that charms us in this place. We walk along its narrow stream, which used to drive two mills, up and down among the cottages, in and out of the dark Warren Wood, and feel that from such • The junction of the the Slade, Mill Lane and Back Street place as this our folklore came.” was known as The Hiend which may have been a corruption of “The End”. The photo shows the well that served the houses in Arthur Mee, The King’s England, 1939. this area. • In Back Street you will find the Stone Jug public house. A small donation towards the production costs appreciated • Proceed along Back Street and turn left into Readshill. • Then right then left past Beverley Court and back to The Green.