Clive, Shropshire Family History Guide
Clive is an Ecclesiastical Parish in the county of Shropshire, created in 1753 from a chapelry in Shrewsbury St Mary Ancient Parish.
Alternative names: Clive and Sansaw
Parish church: All Saints
Parish registers begin: 1671
Nonconformists include: Independent/Congregational
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Adjacent Parishes
Parish History
The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales 1870
CLIVE, a chapelry in St. Mary parish, Salop; on the Crewe and Shrewsbury railway, near Yorton station, 3 miles S of Wem. Post town, Grinshill, under Shrewsbury. Acres, 1,370. Pop., 302. Houses, 60. The chapelry was constituted in 1860. The property is much subdivided. Clive Wood, on Clive Hill, has a fine view. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Lichfield. Value, £111. Patrons, Trustees. The church is old but good; and there is an Independent chapel. Wycherley the poet, and afterwards Ireland, were natives here in one house.
Source: The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales [Wilson, John M]. A. Fullarton & Co. N. d. c. [1870-72].
Clive Gregory Shropshire Gazetteer 1824
Clive. A chapelry in the parish of St. Mary, Shrewsbury, and in the liberties of Shrewsbury. 54 houses, 306 inhabitants. 3 miles south of Wem. This is said to have been the birth place of the poet Wycherley; though some affirm that he was born at the Trench Farm, near Wem, and others, at Wem. Wycherley was one of the wits and poets of the reign of Charles the second, and was born about the year 1640. After receiving an education at school, he was sent to France, and conformed to the Roman Catholick religion. A little before the restoration he returned to England, and entered as a Gentleman commoner, at Queen’s college, Oxford; but, being never matriculated, he quitted the University without a degree, and took chambers in the Middle Temple. He soon, however, deserted the law for the Town; and following the taste of that dissipated age, devoted himself to the composition of comedies. His first piece, entitled “Love in a wood, or St. James’s Park,” made its appearance in 1672, and quickly brought its author into notice. He became a favourite with the Duchess of Cleveland, and was much esteemed by Villiers, the witty Duke of Buckingham, who presented him with a captain’s commission in his own company. His good fortune did not stop here, for he was honoured with the attentions of his Majesty, who paid him a visit when he was confined by sickness, and made him many promises of future promotion. But his prospects were blasted by his marriage with the Countess of Drogheda, without acquainting the king. The match did not prove a very happy one. His lady was excessively jealous of him; and though on her death, a few years after, she settled her whole estate on her husband, the title was disputed, and he became so involved in his circumstances, by law expenses and other incumbrances, that he was thrown into prison. He had remained in confinement about seven years, when James the second, going to see his comedy of “The Plain Dealer,” was so much delighted with it that he gave orders for the payment of the author’s debts, and granted him a pension of £200 a year. But the concealment of part of his debts, and the subsequent changes of the times, left him still under difficulties, which were not removed by his father’s death, when he became only a tenant for life of the estate to which he succeeded. In his old age he raised some money, and at the same time made a good bargain for a future widow, by marrying, a few days before his death, a younger woman with £1500, on whom he settled a jointure. Wycherley died in 1715, at the age of seventy-five. This writer is remembered only as a writer of comedies; of which, besides the two already mentioned, he composed two more, “The Gentleman Dancing Master,” and the “Country Wife”. The last of these, and the “Plain Dealer”, were the most noted; and the reputation he acquired was such that Lord Rochester pronounces Wycherley and Shadwell to be the only modern wits who have touched upon true comedy. This was one libertine judging of another; for the plays of Wycherley, are strongly marked with his own character, – some wit and strength of delineation, with much coarseness and licentiousness. It has been said of his manner, compared with Moliere’s, that Wycherley’s “Plain Dealer” is a misanthrope, and Moliere’s misanthrope a plain dealer. He attacks vice with the severity of a cynick, and the language of a libertine. A volume of poems which he published in 1704, succeeded so ill, that he applied to Pope, then a mere youth, with whom he had contracted an acquaintance, to correct the versification. The correspondence between them is printed in the collection of Pope’s letters, and the editor observes upon them, that to judge by the manner of thinking, and turn of expression, one might suppose that they were mistitled and that those assigned to the boy belonged to the man of seventy, and vice versa. Dr Johnson remarks, that ‘When Pope was sufficiently bold in his criticisms, the old scribbler was angry to see his pages defaced, and felt more pain from the detection, than pleasure from the amendment of his faults.’ The posthumous works of Wycherley, in prose and verse were published by Theobald, in 1728. 8vo.
Source: The Shropshire Gazetteer, with an Appendix, including a Survey of the County and Valuable Miscellaneous Information, with Plates. Printed and Published by T. Gregory, Wem, 1824
Clive Parish Registers
Clive Parish Registers 1671-1812 are included in Shropshire Parish Registers Diocese of Lichfield V. 7, The Registers of Hadnall and Clive Independent Chapels 1798-1837 are included in Shropshire Parish Registers Nonconformist and Roman Catholic Registers (1903)
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Shropshire Historical Directories
Directory Transcriptions
Bagshaw History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Shropshire 1851
CLIVE is a chapelry in the parish of St. Mary, Shrewsbury, 3½ miles south from Wem, and eight miles north from Shrewsbury. In 1801 there was a population of 289 souls, and in 1841 there were 61 houses and 273 inhabitants. The township contains 1370 acres of land, mostly highly productive; the soil is a mixture of sand and loam, and considered good turnip land. Rateable value, £2,546 10s. The Duke of Cleveland is the principal owner and lord of the manor; Mr. Joshua Holmes, George Harding, Esq., Mrs. Nickson, Mrs. Griffith, and others, are also freeholders. The village is pleasantly situated on high ground, and commands some pleasing views of the romantic and rural scenery by which it is surrounded.
The Church is a plain stone fabric, dedicated to All Saints, and consists of nave and chancel, with a small turret containing two bells; it is neatly pewed, and the roof is of groined timber. The pulpit is of white free stone exquisitely carved, and a new front has recently been added. The windows on the south side and at the west end were beautified, and had new mullions introduced in 1849, when other alterations and improvements were made by the incumbent. The living is a perpetual curacy returned at £66 in the patronage of the corporation of Shrewsbury; incumbent, Rev. William Jaudwine, M.A. The Independents have a small chapel built in 1844; the congregation is under the pastoral care of the Rev. David Jones. Clive Hall, a plain substantial stone edifice in the Elizabethan style, was built by Daniel Wycherley, father of the poet William Wycherley; it is now the property of George Harding, Esq. Sansaw Hall, the residence of Captain Martin, a handsome and commodious brick residence, is delightfully situated in park-like grounds, and surrounded by lawns and shrubberies laid out with great taste and beauty. Shooters’ Hill, another good house delightfully situated, is the property and residence of Mrs. Griffiths.
Clive is said to have been the birth place of the poet Wycherley, though some affirm that he was born at Wem. Wycherley was one of the wits and poets of Charles II., and was born about the year 1640. After receiving an education at school, he was sent to France, where he embraced the Roman Catholic religion. A little before the restoration he returned to England, and entered as a gentleman commoner at Queen’s College, Oxford; but, being never matriculated, he quitted the university without a degree, and took chambers in the middle temple. He soon, however, deserted the law, and following the taste of that dissipated age, devoted himself to the composition of comedies. His first piece, “Love in a wood, or St. James’ Park,” made its first appearance in 1672, and quickly brought its author into notice. He was much esteemed by Villiers, the witty Duke of Buckingham, and was honoured with the attentions of his Majesty. His marriage with the Countess of Drogheda proved an unhappy one. His lady was excessively jealous of him, and though on her death a few years after, she settled her whole estate on her husband, the title was disputed, and he became so involved in his circumstances by law expenses and other incumbrances, that he was thrown into prison. He remained in confinement about seven years, when James II., going to see his comedy of “The Plain Dealer,” was so much delighted with it that he gave orders for the payment of the author’s debts, and granted him a pension of £200 a year. Wycherley died in 1675, at the age of 75. His posthumous works in prose and verse were published in 1728.
Abbot James, carrier to Shrewsbury
Cartwright Margaret, schoolmistress
Done Richard, quarry master and bricklayer
Green Hannah, shopkeeper
Griffiths Mrs., Shooters Hill House
Groom William, farmer
Harding Miss Elizabeth, The Hall
Harding Geo., farmer, Hall Farm
Hill Ann, schoolmistress
Huffa George, blacksmith
Huffa Sarah, vict., Three Horse Shoes.
Jones John, grocer, builder, and quarry master
Lea George, farmer, Sansaw farm
Lee Francis, farmer, Hopes.
Martin Capt. Murrey, Sansaw Hall
Massey Thomas Harris, farmer, The Wood
Needham John, farmer
Northwood Richard, farmer
Parker Thomas, shopkeeper and cattle salesman
Parr Lawrence, farmer, Clive farm
Peters Edward, shoemaker
Peters George, tailor
Puliston Mrs. Charlotte
Puliston Francis, farmer
Smith Thomas, quarry master and stone mason
Williams William, wheelwright
Yeomans William, farmer, Holbrook
Source: History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Shropshire by Samuel Bagshaw 1851
Clive Cassey Shropshire Directory 1871
Clive is a village and chapelry, in the parish of St. Mary, Shrewsbury, one mile and a half from Yorton station on the London and North Western Railway, eight miles from Shrewsbury, and three south from Wem, in the Southern division of the county, Albrighton division of Brimstree hundred, Wem union, and diocese of Lichfield, one mile east of the road from Shrewsbury to Wem and Chester. The chapel of All Saints’ is an old stone building, and was partially restored in 1849. The living is a vicarage, yearly value £111, with residence, in the gift of the trustees of the Shrewsbury Grammar school. Here is an Independent chapel; also one for the Primitive Methodists. About half a mile south of the village are extensive freestone quarries. The Duke of Cleveland is lord of the manor and principal landowner. The soil is mostly sand; subsoil, stone. The area is 1,444 acres, and the population in 1861 was 302. Gross estimated rental, £3,159; rateable value, £2,938.
Letters through Shrewsbury. Letters from Holbrook and Shooter’s Hill through Wem.
Gardner Robert, esq., J.P.
Harding George, esq., Clive hall
Massey Mrs., Clive Wood
Welch Rev. Henry Forster (vicar)
Cank Samuel, stone mason, quarry owner, builder, and contractor
Davis John, wheelwright
Done John, builder and contractor
Garner Robert, farmer
Huffa George, blacksmith
Jones William, farmer
Jones William, stone mason, monument engraver, and quarry owner
Massey James H., farmer, Wood
Northwood John, farmer
Parker Thomas, cattle dealer & farmer
Parr Joseph, shopkeeper
Phillips William, shopkeeper
Puleston Francis, farmer and land owner
Smith Richard, stone mason, monument engraver, and quarry owner, Bank house
Source: Edward Cassey & Co.’s, History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Shropshire 1871
Administration
- County: Shropshire
- Civil Registration District: Wem
- Probate Court: Court of the Royal Peculiar of St Mary Shrewsbury
- Diocese: Lichfield
- Rural Deanery: Wem
- Poor Law Union: Wem
- Hundred: Albrighton Division
- Province: Canterbury