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Clement's (St.

CLEMENT'S (ST.), a parish, in the union of Headington, hundred of Bullingdon, county of Oxford; containing 1769 inhabitants. The parish is bounded on the west by the Cherwell, over which is a neat stone bridge leading into the city of Oxford. Near the bridge, baths on an extensive scale have been constructed. The living is a rectory not in charge, in the patronage of the Crown, with a net income of £120. From the inadequate accommodation which the old church afforded, a new building, in the Norman style, has been erected by subscription, on ground given by Sir Joseph Lock; it is situated near the margin of the Cherwell, and, as seen from Magdalene bridge, forms an interesting feature in the vale. Stone's hospital, here, for poor persons, was founded pursuant to the will of William Stone, principal of New Inn Hall, dated May 12th, 1685, for eight women; Boulter's almshouses were established agreeably to the will of Cutler Boulter, dated March 21st, 1736, for eight single men. Various lands and tenements, producing at present about £14 per annum, but capable, on the expiration of the present leases, of increase to the amount of £300 per annum, have been left, in moieties, for the benefit of the poor, and for repairing the church. Adjoining the parish, but on extra-parochial ground, is the hospital of St. Bartholomew, founded by Henry I., in 1126, for infirm lepers, and which, having suffered considerable impoverishment, was granted by Edward III. to Oriel College, on condition that the society should maintain a chaplain and eight almsmen in perpetuity. About the time of the siege of Oxford, the house was demolished, and rebuilt by the society; the remains are now appropriated to stabling and cow-houses. Here were preserved relics of various saints, the supposed efficacy of which, in performing miraculous cures, attracted numerous pilgrims. On the demesne lands of Mr. Morrell, a skeleton of a gigantic horse was discovered in 1821, completely caparisoned in the Roman costume.

Transcribed from A Topographical Dictionary of England, by Samuel Lewis, seventh edition, published 1858.

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