GenUKI Contents

Bedfordshire

CLIFTON

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"CLIFTON, a parish in the hundred of Clifton, in the county of Bedford, 1½ mile east of Shefford, its post town, and 4 from Biggleswade. The Great Northern railway has a station at Shefford-road, and the Leicester and Hitchin section of the Midland one at Shefford. It is situated on the west bank of the river Ivel. The living is a rectory (with parsonage and glebe) in the diocese of Ely, value £439, in the patronage of H. Miles, Esq. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, is a stone structure, and contains a brass dated 1528. The charities amount to £12 per annum. Henry Palmer, Esq., is lord of the manor. Clifton Spinnies is a meet for the Oakley hounds."

[The above was transcribed (and edited) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1868]
by Colin Hinson ©2023

Cemeteries

• Photographs of the over 130 gravestones in Clifton church graveyard.
• Photographs of the over 590 gravestones in Clifton cemetery.

Census

• The 1851 Census Index for Clifton can be found in the 1851 Index to Census of Bedfordshire, Volume 3, Book 3 available from the Bedfordshire Family History Society.

Churches

• Here are photographs of Churches etc. in the parish:
  • All Saints Church, Clifton.
  • The Providence Strict Baptist Church, Clifton.
• There are photographs and a description of All Saints on the Bedfordshire Parish Churches website.
• The following Churches have their own websites:
  • The Providence Strict Baptist Church, Clifton

Church History

• Church of England
  • The church of All Saints is an edifice of sandstone in the Decorated and Perpendicular styles, consisting of chancel, nave, north aisle, and an embattled western tower, with a turret; at the north-east angle, and containing a clock and 15 bells, 8 of which are hung for ringing and the rest for chimes : the church was thoroughly restored and enlarged in the year 1862, and reopened 23rd April, 1863, by the late H. Miles esq. at a cost of about £3,000: the stone reredos is divided by shafts of Devonshire marble, into panels, the centre panel representing "The Crucifixion," executed in relief, and those on either side containing figures of St. Peter and St. Paul: the pulpit is of carved alabaster, inlaid with marble : over the chancel arch is a "Majesty," in mosaic work : the west window and others are stained; there is an alabaster tomb to Sir Michael and Lady Fysher, beneath which and immediately beside it are effigies in incised brass of John, son of Sir Michael, ob. 1528, and his wife: the former being in plate armour worn over a hauberk. Some portions of what has been supposed by some to have been a rood loft, and by others a parclose screen originally surrounding Sir Michael's tomb; with paintings of saints, are now tied on the north and south internal walls of the tower: there is a small and curious crypt at the south-east corner of the nave; over the porch is a canopied niche with figure of the Good Shepherd. The register dates from the year 1538. [Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898]
• Non-conformist
  • The Particular Baptist chapel was erected in 1853 by voluntary contributions. The New Baptist chapel was erected in 1883, is a building of brick and will seat 150. [Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898]

Church Records

• Church of England
  • The parish record transcripts for All Saints are available on microfiche for the period 1538-1812 from the Bedfordshire Family History Society.
• There are entries in the Biggleswade district Marriage Certificates for this parish

Gazetteers

• A transcript of the Clifton parish entries from Samuel Lewis's 1831 Topographical Dictionary of England,
• A transcript of the Clifton parish entries from Samuel Lewis's 1835 Topographical Dictionary of England,
• A transcript of the Clifton parish entries from The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales, 1866-9

Military History

• The BFHS Project in conjunction with Roll of Honour contains the Clifton War Memorial transcription for WW1 and WW2 with details of the men found on it.