Clifton-Campville
Clifton Campville.-This ancient and famous place was held, before the Conquest, by Earl Algar, and in the 20th year of King William by the crown. In the reign of Edward II. Sir William Camvile was lord of the manor; and before this date it had been the seat of the Camviles for many descents. Mr. Nightingale says neither Erdeswick, Burton, nor Dugdale say "how this manor of Clifton first came to the Campville family; but it appears to have been possessed by Geffrey, eldest son of William Campville, by Alberda, daughter and heir of Geffrey Marmion. Dugdale says the husband of Alberda, was a younger son of Richard de Campville, founder of Comb-Abbey. This Geffrey married Maud, grand-daughter and heir of Henry de Tracy, by whom he became seised of Barnstaple, and other large estates in Devonshire. He had summons to Parliament from 23rd to 24th of Edward I., and died 2nd Edward II., seised (inter alia) of the lordship of Clifton-Camville, which he held by the service of three knights' fees; leaving William, his son and heir, forty years of age. This William had also summons to Parliament in 2nd and 4th of Edward II., and was lord of this manor, 9th Edward II. This estate then passed to Sir William's heir. Erdeswick, Burton, and Dugdale vary in regard to the heir or heirs of this William. Erdeswick says he had but one daughter, Maud, married, first, to Richard Vernon, and after, to Sir Richard Stafford, Knt., second son of Edmund, baron of Stafford. Burton says he had two daughters, Maud and Mary; one married to Sir Richard Stafford, of Pipe, and the other to Sir Richard Vernon, of Haddon, in Derbyshire. Dugdale speaks only of one daughter, whom he names Isabell, who, he says, was wedded to Sir Richard Stafford; and in a note by Le Neve, cites "Tim, lev. xv., Mich. xxv. E. III.' 'Sir Richard Stafford, and Isabell his wife, cousins and heirs of William de Campville, and Albreda his wife, released to the abbot of Combe, &c.' These are the words of Dugdale. But in an interleaved copy of Erdeswick, once in the possession of the late Dr. Vernon, rector of Bloomsbury there are the following notes facing pp. 165, 166 :-'William de Camvile of Clifton, baron, had five daughters and heirs; viz., Maud, eldest daughter, wife of Sir William Vernon, of Haddon, co. Derby; 2, Isabella, wife of Sir Richard Stafford, of Pipe, co. Staff.; remarried to Gilbert de Birmingham; 3, Eleanor; 4, Nichola, uxor Joho St. Clere; 5, Catherine, uxor Robert Griesley.'"
In the reign of Charles I. the manor descended to John Coventry, heir of the lord keeper. The origin of the "Coventry Act" is one of the romances of history. His son was made knight of the Bath at the coronation of Charles II. and was elected a member of the Long Parliament. Sir John Coventry was one of the opposition members, and was subject to one of the most disgraceful acts of violence on record. It was proposed to lay a tax on the play-houses which was opposed by the court on the ground that "the players were the king's servants, and a part of his pleasure." Sir John asked, "Whether the king's pleasure lie among the men or the women that acted." The motion was carried, and the court party were especially indignant. It was said, "this was the first time the king was personally reflected on: if it passed over, more of the same kind would follow; and it would grow a fashion to talk so. It was, therefore, fit to take such severe notice of this that nobody would dare to talk at that rate for the future." Bishop Burnet says that he was told by the duke of York that "he said all he could to the king to divert him from the resolution he took; which was to send some of the guard, and watch in the streets where Sir John lodged, and leave a mark upon him." Sir Thomas Sandys, Charles Obryan, Simon Parry, and Miles Reeves waylaid him, and as he was going home they drew about him; "he stood up to the wall and snatched the flambeau out of his servant's hands; and with that in one hand, and his sword in the other, he defended himself so well that he got credit by it. He wounded some of them, but was soon disarmed; and then they cut his nose to the bone, to teach him (as they said) to remember what respect he owed to the king; and so they left him, and went back to the duke of Monmouth's, where Obryan's arm was dressed: that matter was executed by orders from the duke of Monmouth; for which he was severely censured, because he lived then in professions of friendship with Coventry." The perpetrators of this dastardly act fled before the storm which it raised. The House of Commons were naturally furious at this outrage on one of its members, and immediately passed a bill of banishment against the four assailants. They inserted a clause in it to the effect that it should not be in the king's power to pardon them; and made it death to maim any person. "This," says the historian, "gave great advantages to all those that opposed the court; and was often remembered and much improved by all the angry men of those times." Sir John Coventry died unmarried; and Lord Hardwicke said of his father, the founder of the family, that he "was very able, and contributed a great deal towards modelling the Court of Chancery."
The manor of Clifton Campville remained in the Coventry family till 1700, when it was purchased by Sir Charles Pye, Bart., who very much enlarged and improved the house. He died in 1721, and the following remarkable inscription is placed on his monument in Clifton church ;-
"To the pious memory of Sir Charles Pye, Bart., late of Clifton
Camville, co. Stafford, son of Sir John Pye, Bart., grandson of Sir
Robert Pye, Kt., auditor of the Exchequer to King James I.,
Charles I., and Charles II.
"Sir Charles was a gentleman of such fine talents as added lustre
to his ancestors, and of such bright and early parts, as, by his travels,
studies, and observations, to have acquired a complete knowledge of
the world at an age when most men do but begin to appear in it.
"He was a friend to the true liberties and great rights of mankind,
and a sincere lover of his country. Christian piety and moral virtues
were the guides of all his actions, so that he was highly esteemed
by his cotemporaries, and stands the fairest pattern to posterity. He
died, February 12, A.D. 1721, aged 70, and is buried in a vault near
this place.
"He was twice married-first, to Philippa, daughter of Sir John
Hobart, of Blickling, co. Norfolk, Bart., by whom there is no issue
surviving. His second wife was Anne, daughter to Richard Stevens,
Esq., of Eastington, co. Glouc., who lies here interred with him.
"The piety and virtues of that excellent lady appeared eminent in
every station in life, so happy in the endowments of her mind, that
she justly gained the highest esteem. She died much lamented, July
12, 1727, aged 60.
"This monument was erected A.D. 1737, by Rebecca, Philippa, and
Mary Pye
"To perpetuate the memory of their worthy parents, at the request
of their late brother, Sir Robert Pye, Bart."
There is also, on another monument, inscriptions to the memories of Sir Charles Pye, Bart., who died November 22, 1724, aged 36; and to "their last and much regretted brother, the Rev. Sir Richard Pye, Bart., who died May 10, 1734, aged 37."
In this church hangs also an achievement of the arms of General Severne, viz., A. chevr., B. charged with nine bezants. In the body of the church is a flat stone in memory of a servant of Sir Richard Clarke's, of Chilcote in this parish. There are also two monuments, apparently coeval with the church, in the south and north walls; the former under a round arch, the latter under a pointed one, having a figure of a cross on it. It is thought, but on what authority does not appear, that these are the monuments of the founder and his wife."
The parish contains the township of Harlaston, the hamlet of Haunton in Staffordshire, and the township of Chilcote in Derbyshire. It comprises 6004 acres, 885 inhabitants, 200 houses, and real property valued at £6543. The living is a rectory, united with the perpetual curacy of Chilcote, and is worth £950. The church contains several monuments of the Vernons and other former lords of the manor.