Clayworth (Clavood or Claworth)
"Clayworth Parish comprises the two townships of Clayworth and Wiseton, which together contain 3,170 acres of land and 627 souls. It is intersected by the Chesterfield Canal, and bounded on the west by the River Idle. The two townships maintain their poor separately, and have both a fertile soil, that of Clayworth being a rich clay, and that of Wiseton a fine red sandy mould.
Clayworth is a good village on the east side of the canal, 6 miles north by east of Retford. It contains a population of 474 inhabitants, and 2,076 acres of land. The heirs of the late Peter B. Dickenson Esq. and lords of the manor, and the principal owners are the Rev. John Otter, G.C. Fox Esq., H.B. Simpson Esq., and Mrs Davenport.
The church, dedicated to St Peter, is an ancient edifice with a tower, and contains many old monumental inscriptions. The living is a rectory valued in the King's books at £26 10s 10d, now at £604, in the patronage of the Dean of Lincoln, and now enjoyed by the Rev. Thomas Henry Shepherd M.A."
[White's "Directory of Nottinghamshire," 1853]
- The parish was in the Gringley sub-district of the East Retford Registration District.
- The table below gives census piece numbers, where known:
Census
Year |
Piece No. |
| 1841 |
H.O. 107 / 849 |
| 1861 |
R.G. 9 / 2412 |
| 1891 |
R.G. 12 / 2638 |
- The Anglican Parish Church is dedicated to St. Peter.
- Portions of the church fabric show Saxon origins. Most of the building appears to be 12th or 13th century Norman work.
- The church was extensively restored in 1874 - 1875.
- The church is a Grade 1 historical building.
- The Anglican Parish register dates from 1540.
- There is a Rector's book with entries from March 27th, 1676 through 1701, written by Rev. William SAMPSON. The entries continue until 1901, written by various other clerics.
- The church was in the rural deanery of Retford.
- The Wesleyan Methodists had a chapel here by 1869.
- The parish was in the Gringley sub-district of the East Retford Registration District.
- Civil Registration started in July, 1837.
Clayworth is a village, a township and a parish a short distance from the Chesterton Canal and bounded on the west by the River Idle. The parish is 6 miles north of East Retford and 8 miles west of Gainsborough, Lincolnshire. The parish covers 3,080 acres and inclues the hamlet of Wiseton.
If you are planning a visit:
- Take the A631 trunk road between Gainsborough and Bawtry. Turn south onto the B1403 at Gringley, which will deliver you into Clayworth after about 1 mile.
- A Roman road ran from Bawtry ran through Scaftwort and Everton to Wheatley and Sturton. St. Peter's Church stands close to the path of the old road.
- Do you recognize the Clayworth Challenge Cup? What can you tell us about this goblet? Contact the site co-ordinator via the "Find help" link at the bottom.
- The national grid reference is SK 7288. Wiseton is at SK 7189.
- You'll want an Ordnance Survey Explorer #271 map, which has 2.5 inches to the mile scale.
- See our Maps page for additional resources.
- This place was an ancient parish in Nottingham county and became a modern Civil parish in December, 1866. At that time, Wiseton township was created as a separate Civil Parish.
- The parish was in the North Clay division of the ancient Bassetlaw Wapentake (Hundred) in the northern division of the county.
- The poor of the parish received a small dole at Easter and Christmas from rent-charges on local land.
- After the Poor Law Amendment Act reforms of 1834, this parish became a part of the East Retford Poor Law Union.
| Year |
Clayworth |
Wiseton |
| 1801 |
420 |
123 |
| 1841 |
627 |
- |
| 1851 |
474 |
127 |
| 1871 |
434 |
133 |
| 1901 |
410 |
154 |
| 1991 |
285 |
102 |
- The Parochial School was endowed in 1702 by the Rev. Willaim SAMPSON.
- Clayworth County Primary School is on Church Lane in Clayworth.
- The primary school is now closed and has been converted to a private dwelling. Children attend Clarborough Junior School.
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[Last updated: 24-June-2011 - Louis R. Mills]
