England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Clavering St Mary & St Clement

The Parish

The parish of Clavering lies in the extreme northwest of Essex forming a lengthy stretch of the county's border with neighbouring Hertfordshire. Clavering is located roughly 8 miles north of the Hertfordshire market town of Bishop's Stoprtford and sits on the B1038 road which links Newport with the Hertfordshire town of Buntingford. Clavering is a mid-sized and rather linear village stretching southwestwards from the banks of the infant River Stort for a little over a half mile either side of the B1038, a scatter of properties east of the Stort at Hill Green and Stickling Green are also small villages within the extensive parish. "Greens" are a feature of the parish, further settlements within the parish are at Roast Green, Deer's Green and Starling's Green and these "Greens" reflect the creation of openings in what would once have been an extensive forest. Clavering is a typical Essex parish economically, farming forms the backbone of that economy and arable methods are dominant. The infant Stort drains the parish southwards, passing through Bishop's Stortford and on to meet the Lee at Hoddesdon, passing through eastern London it exits into the outer Thames Estuary. Clavering is sited at around 90 metres above the sea with some of its "Greens" some 20 metres higher forming the highest ground around for some distance. As already mentioned Clavering parish is one of the largest in its county, covering almost 3,700 acres it is more than twice the size of a typical lowland rural parish; that acreage would have supported a population of around 1,150 parishioners. In Domesday times Clavering was an equally important rural holding, one held by a Saxon survivor Swein, its 80 households at that time was sufficient to place it amongst the largest 20% of recorded settlements by population, its assets of 25 ploughs backed up by extensive meadows and woodland together with an extensive litany of livestock were testament to its relative importance and wealth.

The Church

St Mary & St Clements' church sits tucked away within an enclosure of surrounding properties, accessed from the B1038 by a narrow lane of picturesque houses. The church is entirely a product of the late medieval period much altered by twin phases of Victorian restoration. The church is entirely in the Perpendicular style on the site of an early medieval predecessor, the chancel was first to be completed and dates from the late 14th century, the beginning of the Perpendicular era. The end of the 14th and the early 15th century saw the main fabric of the church completed in pebble rubble and elaborately covered throughout with battlements. The nave is particularly impressive in its styling and is lengthy consisting of 5 bays with clerestory of 3-light windows above. The first phase of restoration fell in the mid 1860s and was followed by a further phase of the mid 1890s, the most noticeable impact being by refacing all of the outer surfaces. As the lane approaching the church is rather narrow and has little room for turning it is recommended to park in the main village and approach on foot, the lane commences with a small tree-filled triangular green. Whilst the churchyard is expansive to the north of the church to its south it is a little constricted by trees removing some of the favoured aspects and making for a challenging subject on a sunny day.