CLAVERING RECORDER’S REPORT 2014

What a busy year it was in 2014, history-wise, dominated by the Centenary commemorations for the First World War. This involved me in four related events, two of them in Clavering - a special issue of the Saffron Walden Historical Journal, and a new book about the War Memorials of Uttlesford (published by the Recorders of Uttlesford History). Many villages also published their own WWI commemorative books, and I completed a small volume in time for the special centenary event on 4 August, exactly 100 years after the war began. This was a collaborative effort between the History Group and the Royal British Legion, Church and other groups, and proved to be a most moving occasion, consisting of a service, lecture, exhibition and lunch. It was particularly touching to welcome relatives of half of those named on Clavering’s WWI memorial, some of them travelling a long way to be there and bringing photos and documents about their forbears (photo). The book is on sale at Clavering shop price £5.

Also published this year were two more titles in the Clavering Remembered series, vols 10 and 11, featuring the memories of Arnold Hitchcock and Malcolm Smither, with most enjoyable book launches at the Fox & Hounds, organised by Joy Barrow and Jane Laing. All previous titles are available priced £4 from Joy Barrow or Whyman’s Nursery.

A new village interest set up this year was the Clavering Phone Box Group, which aimed to save and maintain the redundant K6 phone box at Skeins Way. They persuaded the parish council to pay for its restoration, using the Easement Monies community fund, and the work was well done by Mike Smith during August/September. It was stocked up with useful information and officially opened as the Clavering Information kiosk in November by ‘Mr Clavering’, Jack Livings who gave a wonderful speech recalling the many uses the phone box had over the decades when few people had phones at home. The box also has a changing history display – the new one is about the history of shops in Clavering - and a children’s library of over 100 books for primary and pre-school children to exchange.

As well as these two groups, there is also the Clavering History Centre which looks after the local collection, the maintenance of which is paid for by an annual Study Day. Last year’s event in November was again well attended and much enjoyed with a variety of expert speakers on the subject, Design in the Landscape. Another event is planned this year, probably on archaeology.

Finally at the end of the year there were two new types of event – a lecture by Bill Hardy about carpenters’ marks, followed up by his visits to study at least three of Clavering’s timber-framed houses. The Christmas coffee morning with archives on display relating to Clavering Parish Church, was another new event. In addition members of the Group are undertaking training for a survey by English Heritage, organised by Essex Heritage Services, to survey listed buildings.

A special event on 31 May to celebrate the coming together of 6 parishes was a walk organised by Peter Cooper with people from Clavering, Langley, Arkesden, Wicken Bonhunt, Manuden and Berden walking in between the six churches over the course of the day.

Another special event was the unveiling of a WW1 memorial bench outside Clavering shop, by Legion veteran Jack Livings.

Meanwhile, the work of local history recording continues – photographing events and changing scenes, collecting newscuttings and ephemera, scanning, cataloguing and answering emails from family historians, as well as contributing history articles for the Information Box history features and the new website claveringvillage.org.uk It was also good to see the development of a dedicated Facebook page for Clavering, enabling the pooling of knowledge and communication when, for instance, the village was hit by a wave of shed burglaries in the summer.

The importance of our local heritage came to the fore in the latter half of the year when Gladman Developments put forward a proposal for a large housing estate on the arable field next to the vicarage in Pelham Road. At least 250 objections were sent in, with not one being in favour, and a new group Hands off Clavering formed to formulate a community response to this and any other large schemes that may hit Clavering in the wake of the NPFF. A lot of time was spent on formulating detailed objections to this, not least because it was also opposed by English Heritage (concerned about the impact on Clavering Castle Scheduled Monument), by Essex Historic Environment, by CPRE Essex and UDC conservation officers. The application was turned down but is expected to go to appeal.

Objection posters by HOC lined up o railings outside the Christian Centre

Jacqueline Cooper
Clavering Local History Recorder