Clifton St Mary

List of Incumbents

Gervase, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls c.1159.

William de Rodes, cler. Instituted 29 June 1242. Patron Ralph de Rodes

Master Gregory de Hugate, 1268, dismissed as not being appointed by the archbishop

John de Bocking, clerk, instituted 1268 in place of de Hugate

John de Clyfton, pbr., instituted 30 September 1302. Patron, Sir Gervase de Clifton, Knight. He resigned.

John de Chilwell, pbr., instituted 6 February 1336. Patron Sir Gervase Clifton Knight. He is probably identical with the John Martell or Chilwell, who resigned the rectory of Stanton-on-the-Wolds about this time.

Richard de Leycester, cler. Instituted 10 July 1369, on the death of John de Chilwell. Patron, Sir Gervase Clifton, Knight. He resigned.

Robert Riche, pbr., late Rector of Wilford, instituted 9 April 1373.

John de Clyfton, pbr., Patron, Sir Gervase Clifton, Knight. He resigned.

Ralph Bromley, cap., instituted 11 January 1391, Patrons, the Rector of Wilford, and two others. He resigned.

William Newton, pbr., instituted 6 June 1394. Patrons, John Gayleford and two others.

John Normanton, pbr., Same patrons. He resigned.

Robert Wyloughby, instituted 16 January 1399. Same patrons.

Robert Dawe, By his will dated Thursday next after the feast of St. Hilary, 1413, John Tannesley, of Nottingham, appointed Robert Dawe, Rector of the Church of Clifton, one of the supervisors of his will.

William Hide, cap., instituted 8 October 1428. Patron, Sir Gervase Clifton, Knight. Resigned.

John Warbyn, instituted 24 September 1432. Patron, Sir Gervase Clifton, Knight.

Henry Dysell, cler., instituted 9 August 1438. Patron Sir Gervase Clifton, Knight.

Richard Bate, pbr., Patron Sir Gervase Clifton, Knight.

Henry Pynson, pbr., instituted 2 August 1443. Patron, Sir Gervase Clifton, Knight. He resigned.

John Baddesworth, chaplain to the Archbishop of York, instituted 15 October, 1456. Patron Sir Robert Clifton, Esq. He resigned.

John Grene, “d.gr.Insulensis Ep’us,” instituted 25 April 1462. Patron, Sir Robert Clifton, Knight. He occurs as Bishop of Solor and Man in 1448 and 1454, and was instituted , 30 May 1461, to the vicarage of Blyth, Notts., whic he resigned for Clifton, where he was Rector at the time of his death.

John Averell, chaplain to the Archbishop of York, instituted 12 August 1467. Patron, Sir Robert Clifton, Knight. Collated to the Prebend of Norwell Tertia Pars., Southwell 26 October 1462. Died.

Robert Hill, cler., instituted 189 December 1472. Patron, Sir Robert Clifton, Knight. He resigned for the Rectory of Wilford.

Robert Yole, pbr., instituted 18 May 1479. Patron, Gervase Clifton. He died and was buried at Clifton. Vide post.(Yole was previously a clerk in the household of Sir Robert Clifton and, due to his influential relations, was awarded the benefice of St. Mary’s when the previous Rector resigned).

Silvanus Clifton, instituted 30 May 1506. Patron, Sir Gervase Clifton, Knight. Resigned for Norbiton, diocese of Winchester.

Edmund Thurland, pbr., instituted 6 November 1531. Patron, King Henry the Eighth, Gervase Clifton being under age. Died.

John Normanville, pbr. By his will, dated 30 April 1571, he desired to be buried in the churchyard at Clifton, and bequeathed £30 for the making of one bell.

John Alwood, cler., instituted 7 August 1571. Patron, the assigns of Sir Gervase Clifton, Knight. Resigned.

Henry Bacon, cler., Instituted 21 April 1587. Patron, Sir Gervase Clifton, Knight.

Henry Wylde, S.T.B., instituted 24 July 1623 on the death of Henry Bacon. Patron, Sir Gervase Clifton, Knight.

Robert Thirlby, M.A., instituted 11 November 1633, on the resignation of Henry Wilde. Patron, Sir Gervase Clifton, Knight. Benefice sequestered during Commonwealth, being held by Thomas Goodge and Thomas Boole. Died 19 October 1675 and buried in Clifton chancel.

Clifford Thirlby, M.A., instituted 10 November 1675. Patron, William Clifton, Esq., Died at Berwick on Tweed 2 May 1689.

Thomas Ouseley, inducted 24 September 1689. Buried at Clifton June 1721 (Also Rector of Stanton-on-the-Wolds).

William Standfast, M.A., instituted 16 November 1721. Patron Thomas, Lord Middleton. Died 4 June 1754 and was buried in the chancel.

Abel Collin Launder, M.A., instituted 2 October 1754, on the death of William Standfast, LL.D. Patron, Sir Robert Clifton, Bart.,  K.B. Died 29 August, 1803 and was buried at Elton, Notts., of which place he was also Rector.

William Clifton, instituted 16 September 1803 on the death of Abel Collin Launder. Patron, Sir Gervase Clfton, Bart.

Henry Spencer Markham, instituted 1 May 1830 on the death of William Clifton. Patron, Sir Robert Clifton, Bart. Collated to the Prebend of Wetwang (having resigned that of Gevendale), York, 30 January 1833. Died 2 September 1844 and was buried in Clifton churchyard.

Edwin Proctor Dennis, B.C.I., instituted 27 December 1844, on the death of H.S.Markham. Patron, Sir Juckes Granville Juckes Clifton, Bart.

William Holdsworth, D.D. instituted 4 June 1853 on the resignation of E.P.Dennis. Patron, Sir Robert Juckes Clifton, Bart.

William Howard, instituted 17 March 1866 on the death of William Holdsworth, Same patron. Died 25 April 1873.

John Clough, M.A., instituted 3 October 1873, on the death of William Howard. Patron, Henry Robert Clifton, Esq.

Henry William Wynne Ffoulkes, 1891

Francis Rosslyn Courteney Bruce, 1904. This gentleman wrote The Clifton Book during his time as Rector of St. Mary’s Clifton.

Edward Marychurch Vaughan, M.A., 1912

Hon. Walter James Barville Chetwynd,  1915

Thomas Bird, M.A., 1920

Joseph de Acquino Craig, 1937

Priests in Charge

Ven. John Henry Lawrence Phillips, M.A. 1958-1960

John Paul Henry Holst, M.A. 1962-93

Malcolm Charles Compton Melville, B.Sc., 1963-65

Lynne Fox, 1994-98

Rectors

Wilfred Badger Wilkinson B.D. AKC 1965 – 86

Alan Heaton  B.D., M.Th., AKC  1987 – 93

Rev. Canon Eric Paul Forshaw, B.Sc., M.A. ThD 1994 – 2001

Stephen Jarrett, 2004 – 2008, Team Rector

Sarah Clark, 2009 – 2010

Anne V. Noble, 2011 – date.