Lord of the Manor of Wilford

Issue-

Lord of Glapton.

Issue-

fl. 1218

Issue-

Lord of Wilford.

Issue-

m. AMFLICIA- d. of Sir William Sampson of Epperstone
d. 1324

Sir Gervase purchased the manors of Clifton and Wilford from the de Rodes family in the last 13th century which were confirmed by Edward I in 1281. He served as Sheriff of Nottingham and Derby on four occasions beginning in 1279 and was also Sheriff of Yorkshire four times. He was briefly imprisoned for irregularities relating to a writ. He was M.P. for Nottinghamshire in 1294.

Clifton Hall in 1676 from Thoroton's "The Antiquities of Nottinghamshire

The large tower on the left was from the original building and was demolished in the late 18th century when the entire house was remodelled. The five gabled three story house was built in the early 17th century.

The University of Nottingham is in possession of the family and estate papers of the Clifton family from the late 12th century until the late 19th century including manorial rolls, legal and polical papers and inventories.

Issue-

m. ALICIA de RABACY, d. of Sir Robert de Rabacy of Glapton, Notts
d.c.1316

Issue-

m. EMMA de MOTON, d. of Sir William de Moton
d.c.1327

Issue-

m.1. MARGARET PIERREPONT, 2. Isabella Harbord (m.1. William Scott of Brabourne, Kent)
d. 1391

Gervase "The Chevalier" was Sheriff and Escheater for Nottingham and Derby in 1345 and M.P. in 1347-8 and was a member of the Commission of Array for Nottinghamshire in 1367.

Gervase got a jury to inquire what damages he sustained by reason of trenches being made to bring water from the River Trent to Nottingham Castle for the benefit of the King's mills and then on to Wilford meadows. The jury awarded him �100 of which �52 7s. satisfied his "arrearages when he was last Sheriff."

Issue-

m. AGNES, d. of Lord Grey de Wilton
d. before 1391

Issue-

m. KATHERINE CRESSEY, d. of Sir John de Cressy of Hodsock
killed at the Battle of Shrewsbury 1403

Sir John was an M.P. for Nottinghamshire in 1402 as well as Sheriff of Nottingham and Derby. He was created a Knight Banneret on the morning of the Battle of Shrewsbury but was killed later that day in the service of Henry IV.

Sir John's marriage to Katherine led to the Clifton's acquisition of Hodsock and other estates in the north of Nottinghamshire as well as in Yorkshire.

The Gatehouse at Hodsock

The massive brick gateway was built in the early 16th century and the original hall (of which no trace now remains) ceased to be used by the Clifton family following the Civil War.

A brief reference is made to Sir John Clifton in Shakespeare's Henry IV Part 1. In Act 5, Scene 4 Douglas casts doubt on King Henry's right to be king and the two fight. Prince Henry interupts them and Douglas flees at which point the Prince conveys the news that Sir Nicholas Gawsey and Sir John Clifton have sent requests for support:

"Prince : Cheerly, my lord: how fares your Grace? Sir Nicholas Gawsey hath for succour sent, and so hath Clifton: I'll to Clifton straight.

K.Henry: Make up to Clifton: I'll to Sir Nicholas Gawsey."

Issue-

m. ISABEL FRAUNEYS (d. 13 June 1457 Clifton), d. of Robert Frauneys
d. 8 Dec. 1453

Sir Gervase was an M.P. for Nottinghamshire in 1425-6 and was a magistrate for the county a number of times.

Issue-

13I. ROBERT (ALVERED 1, ROBERT 2, GERVASE 3, GERVASE 4, GERVASE 5, GERVASE 6, GERVASE 7, ROBERT 8, GERVASE 9, ROBERT 10, JOHN 11, GERVASE 12)

b. 1408
m. ALICE BOOTH (b.c.1415, d. 1470), d. of Sir John Booth of Barton and Joan Trafford (d. of Sir Henry Trafford)
d. 9 Apr. 1478- MI from brass at Clifton Church

Sir Robert began the College of the Holy Trinity at Clifton. He was Sheriff of Nottingham in 1450.

�Orate pro anima Roberti Clyfton militis fundator trill capplor collegii in hac ecclia qui obiit nono die mensis Aprilis anno domini millimo CCCClxxviii cuius anime propiciet de am�.�

�Pray for the soul of Robert Clifton Knight founder of a College for three chantry priests in this church who died the ninth day of the month of April in the year of the Lord 1478 on whose soul may God have mercy.�

Issue-

15I. GERVASE (ALVERED 1, ROBERT 2, GERVASE 3, GERVASE 4, GERVASE 5, GERVASE 6, GERVASE 7, ROBERT 8, GERVASE 9, ROBERT 10, JOHN 11, GERVASE 12, ROBERT 13)

b. 1438
m.1. 7 Nov. 1456 ALICE NEVILLE (b. 1445, m.1. Richard Thurland, d. 1500), d.Thomas de Neville (1405-1485) and Elizabeth Babington (1415-1470)
2. Agnes Constable
d. 12 May 1491 London

Sir Gervase of Rolleston, Nottinghamshire was esquire to King Edward IV and Knight of the Bath at the Coronation of King Richard III.(1) He was Sheriff of Nottingham and Derby in 1471 and 1477 and Receiver General of those counties as well as Surveyor of the King's Works and Reparations of Nottingham Castle. He was a loyal supporter of the Yorkists and received many honors and appointments including Treasurer of Calais in 1482. He fought at the battle of Bosworth Field in 1485 on the side of Richard III. The major part of his estates were saved by the intervention of his uncle, Sir John Byron, who was a Lancastrian.

Legend has it that Sir Gervase made a pact with his Lancaster friend, Sir John Byron ( of Colwick, Nottingham ) swore to protect each others lands and titles regardless of the outcome of the war. During the Battle Of Bosworth, Clifton was fatally wounded and his friend found him shortly before he died with Clifton reminding him of his oath. Sir John kept his pledge and spoke up for the Clifton's to Henry VII protecting the Clifton heritage from ruin. We can dispute this tale since Sir Gervase Clifton is believed died long after the battle. It is probably more likely that Byron protected the Clifton estates because his family was linked to the Clifon's by marriage.

The story was put into verse by the poet, Sir John Beamont in his poem, Bosworth Field:

"...Recount, thy muse, how Byron's faithful love.
To dying Clifton did itself approve
For Clifton lighting bravely in the troop.
Receives a wound and now begins to droop.
Which Byron seeing though in arms his foe
In heart his friend and hoping that the blow,
Had not been mortal guards him with his shield
From second hurts and cries �Dear Clifton yield.
Take this my counsel.' 'Clifton' thus replied.
It is too late for I must now provide.
To seek another life, live thou. sweet friend
And when thy side obtains a happy end,
Upon the fortunes of my children look.
Remember, what a solemn vow we took,
That he whose part should prove the best in fight
Would with the conqueror try his utmost might
To save the other's lands from rav'nous paws.
Which seize on fragments of a luckless cause..."

In his will Sir Gervase listed possessions from his house at Hodsock including wall hanging which would indicate a prosperous establishment. He also commissioned masses to be held at the Clifton church in perpetuity for the residents of Hodsock.

St. Mary the Virgin- Clifton, Notts

Brass of Sir Gervase Clifton in the church of St. Mary the Virgin

�Orate pro aia Gervasii Clyfton militis filii et heredis Robti Clyfton militis ffundator collegii de Clyfton finiti / et stabilit p doni Gervasiu qui obiit in domo fratrum p�dicator apud london duodecimi die mese maii Ao. dni M�CCCC / lxxxxi cui corpus abinde p Agnetam filiain Rob�ti Constable de fflamburgh militis secunde uxor ejusdem / Gervasii et alios ejus executores juxta voluntatem suam istut honorifice et decent conductu fuit et sub hoc lapide / marmoreo hic humatu cuius anime ppiciet deus pro cuius quidem Agnetis pspitate dum vixit et p�ejus anima / cum ab hac luce migravit Speciales ordinantur memorie et oraciones per Gardianum et Capellanos / collegii pdci juxta composicoem et statuta inde ordinat ppetuis futuris temporibus devote fiende.�

�Pray for the soul of Gervase Clyfton Knight son and heir of Robert Clyfton Knight founder of the college of Clyfton completed and firmly established by Sir Gervase who died in the house of the friar preachers in London on May 12th A.D. 1491 whose body by Agnes daughter of Robert Constable of Flamburgh Knight and second wife of the same Gervase and by his other executors according to his wishes was brought hither with honour and seemliness and interred beneath this marble stone here on whose soul may God have mercy; for the prosperity of this Agnes while she lived and for her soul when she departed from this world special memorials and prayers are established to be offered by the Warden and Chaplains of the aforesaid college according to the deed and statutes there laid down as to be faithfully carried out in all future time.�

"The recumbent effigy of a lady in the North East corner, Thoroton says, "is a very good tomb of alabaster," and it is to the memory of Alice, daughter of Thomas Nevell, and wife of this Sir Gervase Clifton, whose brass, dated 1491, lies just below. On this altar tomb are the arms of Clifton and Nevell each twice. At her head lies a singularly beautiful recumbent effigy of a knight in armour, at his feet is a crouching lion, beneath his head a peacock, on his surcoat a lion rampant and upon his helmet the Clifton crest. As to the date of this alabaster altar tomb there is much uncertainty. Thoroton, Godfrey and others suppose that it is later than the brasses,�the son indeed of the Sir Gervase, of -the latter brass� modern experts, however, put it at a date nearly a century earlier, and the point is undecided. There is a pattern, which has seemed to some people to be an undeciphered inscription, on the helmet just above the forehead."(2)

Issue- all children by Alice.

Ref:

(1) Thoroton's original History of Notts- p.392, 1677
(2) The Clifton Book- Rev. Rossluin Bruce, M.A., B.D., Rector of Clifton, 1906 at: http://nottshistory.org.uk/monographs/bruce1906/contents.htm

University of Nottingham web site:
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/manuscriptsandspecialcollections/collectionsindepth/family/clifton/cliftonfamilyhistory.aspx Burke's Landed Gentry, 1937, pp. 430-1
Nottinghamshire Monumental Brasses- Joseph Bramley, in Transactions of the Thoroton Society- Vol. 17, (1913) at: http://www.nottshistory.org.uk/articles/tts/tts1913/brasses/brassesp5.htm

14II. GERVASE (ALVERED 1, ROBERT 2, GERVASE 3, GERVASE 4, GERVASE 5, GERVASE 6, GERVASE 7, ROBERT 8, GERVASE 9, ROBERT 10, JOHN 11, GERVASE 12) of Bradborne

m. MAUD FINCH, d. of Vincent Finch

Issue-