Clifford Manor, Stratford upon Avon, England

The following is from the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest.

HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT

The manor of Clifford was given to Gloucester Abbey in about 1099 by Roger de Busli, the revenues of the property being used to support the monastic chamberlain (Victoric Countu History). The abbey established a grange at Clifford Chambers, and in the late 15th or early 16th century a timber-framed farmhouse was constructed (Tyack 1994). In the early 16th century the manor was let to William Rainsford. At the Dissolution the property passed to the Crown, the Rainsfords continuing as tenants until 1562 when it was purchased by Charles Rainsford. Following the death of Charles Rainsford in 1578 Clifford Chambers passed to his son, Hercules (died 1583), and subsequently to his grandson, Henry (died 1622). Henry Rainsford's grandson, also Henry, supported the Crown in the Civil War and suffered heavy financial penalties in 1646 which led, in 1649, to the sale of the manor to a sitting tenant, Job Dighton. Dighton died in 1659 leaving Clifford Chambers to his second son, Henry (died 1687). The property remained in the Dighton family until 1807 when Henry Dighton's grandson, Lister, died without issue.

The manor was inherited by Lister Dighton's nephew, Arthur Annesley, Rector of Clifford Chambers. At the Rev Annesley's death in 1845 the estate passed to his children, who in 1869 sold it to James Roberts West of neighbouring Alscot Park (see description of this site elsewhere in the Register). In 1890 Arthur Annesley's grandson, the Rev Francis Annesley, bought back the manor house, and in 1903 sold it to John Gratrix. Tudor Owen was employed to remodel the house in 1903-9. In 1909 the house was sold to Kathleen Wills, daughter of Sir Frederick Wills. With her first husband, Dr Edward Douty, Kathleen Wills made extensive alterations to the house and gardens in 1909-11, and repurchased much of the land originally associated with the house. Douty died in 1911, and his widow subsequently married Lt Col G B Rees-Mogg. In 1918 the house was seriously damaged by fire; Edwin Lutyens (1869-1944) was commissioned to undertake the reinstatement. Further changes were made to the gardens which have been attributed jointly to Lutyens and Gertrude Jekyll (1843-1932) (Brown 1982). This work was described in Country Life (1928). When Mrs Rees-Mogg died in 1949 the estate was divided, the manor house being sold to Mr C Bradshaw, who in about 1951 sold it on to Major J P P Taylor. Clifford Manor has changed hands several times in the mid- and late 20th century (Country Life 1951, 1971, 1986), and today (2000) remains in private ownership.