History of Kings Clipstone.
Clipstone dates from the era of the Plantagenet kings of England and King John's Palace.
This introduction by Mickie Bradley explains more:
CLIPSTONE / NEW CLIPSTONE?
OLD CLIPSTONE / KINGS CLIPSTONE?
CONFUSED?
Two villages of Clipstone are separated by about a mile in distance and 1000 years in time. The old village, rural in nature, owned by the crown for some 300 years, followed by the estates of Shrewsbury, Newcastle and Portland (Welbeck) until 1945.
The new village of Clipstone built on the site of Clipstone Army Camp in 1926 by the Bolsover Mining Company as a model village with modern housing and amenity areas to provide accommodation and recreation for the mine workers. This was called New Clipstone whilst by this time the old village had returned to it’s original title of Clipstone as recorded in the Domesday book.
The title Old Clipstone only started to be used when two families with the same surname living in the different villages were getting their post muddled. Old was added to Clipstone and the title came into existence. Although immediately regretted by the resident that had coined the phrase, who wished she had reclaimed the title of Kings Clipstone that had been used in her childhood. Over the years New Clipstone lost the ‘New’ and became Clipstone and after 1000 years the old village had lost it’s title.
The title Kings Clipstone not a figment of imagination or illusions of grandeur by the residents of this tiny village but a name with it’s roots in historical fact, recorded in rolls of the day.
Edward I held parliament at Clipstone on 14th November 1290, recorded by the Queen's chronicler Thomas Merk as Clipston Regis. From this point in time the title Kings Clipstone is found not only in royal records but also on maps and in documents. Friendly Society records show James and Lucy Cutts, at the Gate Inn, Kings Clipstone in 1794. Mr A Stapleton wrote his history King’s Clipstone in 1890. Emma Bradley, born 1895 remembered letters being delivered addressed to Kings Clipstone. The older residents of the village have always been aware of the title.
In February 1998 a meeting was called inviting residents of the old village and interested parties with a view to writing a village history, reclaiming the title and holding a true Celebration of Kings Clipstone. Fifty five people attended and a committee formed with the intention of achieving the aims to commemorate the Millennium.
A letter was written to the chief executive of Newark and Sherwood District council asking the way forward to reclaim the title Kings Clipstone which had been used for some 600 years. The reply was to either create a parish or parish ward in Clipstone parish with the title Kings Clipstone but we needed to do this through a government Electoral Review.
The village was canvassed and 99.16 percent approved the creation of a Kings Clipstone ward. Fortunately a review was brought forward enabling a lengthy proposal to be put together which was submitted, accepted and rubber-stamped by John Prescott in autumn 2000.
After many years of no representation from the old village on Clipstone Parish Council, villager Len Sprigg was elected as our local voice on this new ward as our first representative and the old village residents are now guaranteed one representative of their choice in perpetuity.
There's more by Mickie here with illustrated notes about Castle Field, the flood dykes, Archway Lodge, Clipstone Forest and more. And a fuller article by Steve Parkhouse here with historic photos here.
Picture the Past also has many more old photos, including records from Clipstone Army Camp and Nottinghamshire History has much information about Kings Clipstone here.
Details about other Nottinghamshire fortifications are here.
The Thoroton Society is Nottinghamshire's principal historical and archaeological society.
Notts CC's Buildings at Risk Register shows details of the Grade Two-listed Clipstone headstocks here. King John's Palace was added to the register in July 2007 and the listing can be seen if you download this PDF. (English Heritage's 2007 entry is here.)
