Clevedon Court
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Clevedon Court is a manor house in Clevedon, North Somerset, England, dating from the early fourteenth century. It is now owned by the National Trust.
The house was built in the early 14th century, possibly on the site of a Roman dwelling, and incorporating remnants of a 13th century building which lie at an angle to the rest of the house. It was situated a couple of miles inland from the parish church of St Andrew (which predates it slightly) and the village of Clevedon, which was then a small collection of cottages. The builder was Sir John de Clevedon, a descendant of the Norman Ildebert who was given the manor of Clevedon after the Norman Conquest. Because of the distance to the parish church, the manor house included a chapel dedicated to St Peter. The house has undergone considerable change since it was built, almost every century seeing structural alterations, but it still largely retains the character of a mediaeval manor.
The de Clevedon family line ended in 1376, and the manor passed to the Northamptonshire family of Wake, who were Lords of the manor until 1630. John Wake made major additions to the house in the late 16th century, including additional rooms on either side of the porch, and a new west wing. The manor was sold by Sir Baldwin Wake to Sir John Digby in 1630. Digby's estates were confiscated after the English Civil War, but were recovered after the Restoration by his heir. In 1709 the house was bought by Abraham Elton, a merchant from Bristol.
The Eltons were a prominent Bristol family, and Abraham had been a member of the Society of Merchant Venturers and Sheriff of Bristol. In later years he was Mayor of Bristol, High Sheriff of Gloucestershire, and Member of Parliament for the five years preceding his death in 1727. He was created a Baronet in 1717. The family wealth came from the slave trade and other commerce, and property (including mining in the Mendip Hills).
Sir Abraham Elton was succeeded by four further Sir Abraham Eltons. Sir Abraham II and his son Sir Abraham III were also Sheriff and Mayor of Bristol in their time, Sir Abraham II was also MP for Taunton and subsequently Bristol. The feckless Sir Abraham III died bankrupt, and the estate (which had been entailed to protect it from his creditors) passed in 1761 to his brother, Sir Abraham IV (Abraham Isaac Elton). Sir Abraham IV made substantial changes to the house and grounds in the then fashionable Gothic revival style, and was succeeded in 1790 by his son, Sir Abraham V. Sir Abraham V was ordained as a young man, and was a curate in West Bromwich before inheriting the title. He was a supporter of Hannah More, and a fervent opponent of Methodism, at one time inducing the vicar of Blagdon to sack his curate, causing national scandal. His second wife Mary made further alterations to the house in the early 19th century, and also made many improvements to the town, including a school. One of the town's modern primary schools is named after her.
The line of Abrahams came to an end in 1842 when Sir Charles Abraham Elton succeeded his father. Sir Charles was a gifted writer, and contributed to several periodicals including The Gentleman's Magazine. Sir Charles's sister Julia was married to the historian Henry Hallam, and his nephew Arthur Hallam is buried in the Elton family vault at St Andrew's church. Arthur Hallam is the subject of Alfred Tennyson's In Memoriam, and Tennyson stayed at Clevedon Court in 1850. William Makepeace Thackeray was a frequent visitor to the court during Sir Charles's time, and wrote part of Henry Esmond there.
Sir Arthur Hallam Elton inherited the house and title in 1853, and like his father was a writer. He resigned as MP for Bath in 1859 due to his opposition to the Crimean War, and spent the rest of his life improving the town, setting up a lending library and allotments, and building and funding the cottage hospital (still in existence). All Saints' Church, near the Court, was built in 1860 on the orders of Sir Arthur, and he also made additions to the fabric of the Court itself. The west wing of the house was largely destroyed by a fire in 1882 and rebuilt. During these building works, the chapel was rediscovered, the large external window and altar having been disguised inside and outside with masonry (perhaps during the English Protestant Reformation), and the room having been known until then as the "Lady's Bower".
Sir Edmund Elton, nephew of Sir Arthur, inherited in 1883. Sir Edmund was an enthusiastic voluntary fireman, and inventor of one of the first forked bicycle brakes, as well as a device to prevent ladies' skirts from becoming entangled in bicycle wheels. He was also a well-known potter, setting up a pottery in Moor Lane opposite the court, with the help of a local boy called George Masters. "Elton ware" became popular, especially in America where it was marketed by Tiffany & Co. Elton and Masters' work typically has a variety of rich colours, bas-relief decoration of flowers in a style similar to Art Nouveau, and in the later works metallic glazes are often used.
Sir Edmund's son Sir Ambrose succeeded him in 1920. His son Sir Arthur was one of the pioneers of documentary film making in the years prior to the Second World War, working with John Grierson. Sir Arthur inherited the title on his father's death in 1951. The house was donated to the National Trust in part-payment of death duties, and the west wing (rebuilt after the fire of 1882) was demolished in 1960. Sir Arthur died in 1973 and was succeeded by Sir Charles. The Elton family is still resident in the house, which is now open to the public.
