Clavering, Essex
Encyclopedia
Clavering is a village and also a parish
in north-west Essex
in England
. The name 'Clavering' means 'place where clover grows'.
Clavering is situated 20 miles (32 km) south of Cambridge
on the River Stort
, close to the border with Hertfordshire
. It is one of over 100 villages in the district of Uttlesford
. Local towns are Saffron Walden
, which is just over six miles north-east of the village, and Bishop's Stortford
, eight miles to the south. The closest railway stations are Newport (Essex) railway station
and Audley End railway station
. Clavering is located 10 miles from London Stansted Airport
.
Today Clavering is a large and scattered village community that encompasses seven 'greens' and three 'ends', which are: Hill Green, Stickling Green, Starlings Green, Roast Green, Sheepcote Green, Birds Green, Deers Green, Mill End, Ford End and Further Ford End. It retains many old timber-framed and thatched buildings. The oldest remaining parts of medieval Clavering's village centre are located at Church End and Middle Street, close to the church and the river.
s. These include Clavering Lakes - a series of five purpose-built lakes created in 1991. Clavering has a primary school and large village shop with post office
on Stortford Road, and there is a long-established garden centre/nursery on Hill Green called FW Whyman.
Village clubs and societies include Clavering Players, an amateur drama company that began life in 1945 as Cheerio's Concert Party. Clavering Cricket Club plays on Hill Green and has done so since the turn of the 20th century. The pavilion was built in 1950 and features seating from Lord's, the home of English cricket.
Chef and TV presenter Jamie Oliver
comes from and lives in Clavering. His father Trevor runs one of the two village pubs, The Cricketers. The Fox and Hounds is located at the other end of the village opposite the River Stort. Both the Fox and The Cricketers attract people from nearby villages such as Arkesden
, Wicken Bonhunt
and Langley Upper Green
as well as Clavering residents.
and the former Clavering guildhall - now known as The Bury. The remains of the castle are now just ringworks and earthworks. The castle is believed to date from pre-Norman
times. The former guildhall is a medieval Grade II* listed building. The building, which was constructed in the early 14th century, was restored following a fire in December 1991.
The parish church of St Mary & St Clement is largely 15th century, but contains some features from a pre-medieval church that stood on the site. Notable objects include the carved Elizabethan pulpit and beautiful stained glass. There is a memorial in the church to Mary Wales, whose brother Charles Green
and husband William Wales
sailed on Captain James Cook's first and second voyages.
Two other church buildings stand in Clavering. There is a brick built Primitive Methodist chapel (now a private home), dating from 1877-8 on Hill Green. Clavering Christian Centre, now (an ecumenical church/community centre, is on Stortford Road in a building that originally housed a Congregational church.
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
in north-west Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The name 'Clavering' means 'place where clover grows'.
Location and local area
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
on the River Stort
River Stort
River Stort is a tributary of the River Lea which it joins at Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire at Feildes Weir-Overview:River Stort takes its name from Bishop's Stortford, a town through which it flows. It was given the name in the 16th century....
, close to the border with Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
. It is one of over 100 villages in the district of Uttlesford
Uttlesford
Uttlesford is a local government district in Essex, England. Its council is based in Saffron Walden.Its name is derived from the ancient Hundred of the same name....
. Local towns are Saffron Walden
Saffron Walden
Saffron Walden is a medium-sized market town in the Uttlesford district of Essex, England. It is located north of Bishop's Stortford, south of Cambridge and approx north of London...
, which is just over six miles north-east of the village, and Bishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford is a historic market town and civil parish in the district of East Hertfordshire in the county of Hertfordshire in England. It is situated just west of the M11 motorway, on the county boundary with Essex and is the closest large town to London Stansted Airport and part of the...
, eight miles to the south. The closest railway stations are Newport (Essex) railway station
Newport (Essex) railway station
Newport railway station serves the village of Newport in Essex, England. To the North of the Victorian station is the little known Audley End Viaduct...
and Audley End railway station
Audley End railway station
Audley End railway station serves the small village of Wendens Ambo and the nearby town of Saffron Walden. The station is named after the manor of Audley End in Essex. There was formerly a platform at the east end of the station for a branch line to Saffron Walden, though this was closed in 1964...
. Clavering is located 10 miles from London Stansted Airport
London Stansted Airport
-Cargo:-Statistics:-Infrastructure:-Terminal and satellite buildings:Stansted is the newest passenger airport of all the main London airports. The terminal is an oblong glass building, and is separated in to three areas: Check-in concourse, arrivals and departures...
.
Today Clavering is a large and scattered village community that encompasses seven 'greens' and three 'ends', which are: Hill Green, Stickling Green, Starlings Green, Roast Green, Sheepcote Green, Birds Green, Deers Green, Mill End, Ford End and Further Ford End. It retains many old timber-framed and thatched buildings. The oldest remaining parts of medieval Clavering's village centre are located at Church End and Middle Street, close to the church and the river.
Village amenities
The village has a large playing field, called Jubilee Field, with bowls and tennis facilities and children's play area. Adjoining Simon's Wood provides access to many countryside walks. The area has several accessible fishing lakes, which attract keen anglerAngling
Angling is a method of fishing by means of an "angle" . The hook is usually attached to a fishing line and the line is often attached to a fishing rod. Fishing rods are usually fitted with a fishing reel that functions as a mechanism for storing, retrieving and paying out the line. The hook itself...
s. These include Clavering Lakes - a series of five purpose-built lakes created in 1991. Clavering has a primary school and large village shop with post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
on Stortford Road, and there is a long-established garden centre/nursery on Hill Green called FW Whyman.
Village clubs and societies include Clavering Players, an amateur drama company that began life in 1945 as Cheerio's Concert Party. Clavering Cricket Club plays on Hill Green and has done so since the turn of the 20th century. The pavilion was built in 1950 and features seating from Lord's, the home of English cricket.
Chef and TV presenter Jamie Oliver
Jamie Oliver
James "Jamie" Trevor Oliver, MBE , sometimes known as The Naked Chef, is an English chef, restaurateur and media personality, known for his food-focused television shows, cookbooks and more recently his campaign against the use of processed foods in national schools...
comes from and lives in Clavering. His father Trevor runs one of the two village pubs, The Cricketers. The Fox and Hounds is located at the other end of the village opposite the River Stort. Both the Fox and The Cricketers attract people from nearby villages such as Arkesden
Arkesden
Arkesden is a village and civil parish in Essex, England. It is located southwest of Saffron Walden, is around 6 miles from Bishop's Stortford in nearby Hertfordshire and is northwest from the county town of Chelmsford. The village is in the district of Uttlesford and the parliamentary...
, Wicken Bonhunt
Wicken Bonhunt
Wicken Bonhunt is a small village in Essex population of about 200.-External links:...
and Langley Upper Green
Langley, Essex
Langley is a village and civil parish in the English county of Essex, seven miles west-south-west of Saffron Walden. The Parish of Langley consists of two parts, Langley Upper Green and Langley Lower Green which are linked by roads and footpaths...
as well as Clavering residents.
Places of historic interest
Notable sites in Clavering include Clavering CastleClavering Castle
Clavering Castle remains are situated in the small parish village of Clavering in the County of Essex, 50m north of the church of St Mary and St Clement on the southern bank of the River Stort, some 10 km south-west of Bishop's Stortford .-Pre-Conquest:...
and the former Clavering guildhall - now known as The Bury. The remains of the castle are now just ringworks and earthworks. The castle is believed to date from pre-Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
times. The former guildhall is a medieval Grade II* listed building. The building, which was constructed in the early 14th century, was restored following a fire in December 1991.
The parish church of St Mary & St Clement is largely 15th century, but contains some features from a pre-medieval church that stood on the site. Notable objects include the carved Elizabethan pulpit and beautiful stained glass. There is a memorial in the church to Mary Wales, whose brother Charles Green
Charles Green (astronomer)
Charles Green was a British astronomer, noted for his assignment by the Royal Society in 1768 to the expedition sent to the Pacific Ocean in order to observe the transit of Venus and the transit of Mercury, aboard James Cook's Endeavour.A farmer's son, he became assistant to the Astronomer Royal...
and husband William Wales
William Wales (astronomer)
William Wales was a British mathematician and astronomer.-Early life:Wales was born around 1734 to John and Sarah Wales and was baptized in Warmfield that year...
sailed on Captain James Cook's first and second voyages.
Two other church buildings stand in Clavering. There is a brick built Primitive Methodist chapel (now a private home), dating from 1877-8 on Hill Green. Clavering Christian Centre, now (an ecumenical church/community centre, is on Stortford Road in a building that originally housed a Congregational church.