“Clutton is a parish situated on very high ground, ten miles south of Bristol, ten north from Wells and twelve west from Bath, to each of which Cities there is a turnpike road from hence. The parish is one tithing (now means a rural division) and contains 175 houses and 900 inhabitants”.
This was taken from Collinson’s History of Somerset written in 1797.
It is mentioned in the Doomsday survey as Clutone, being one the many manors, given by William the Conqueror to his favourite, the Bishop of Coutance. Turchel held it in the time of King Edward and paid 10 hides for it as tribute to the king. It included some arable, some pasture land and a mill of thirty pence rent, and a wood half a mile long and half a mile broad. It is quoted as being worth £3 and later £6.
In Edward III’s reign it is mentioned as being left by Robert Gyere to John de Greville by payment of a rose, (a gold coin worth 6/8d.) annually. This John de Greville was an ancestor of the Earl of Warwick. It seems that when the local people talk about “Gravel ‘Ood” they are more correct than those who say Greyfield.
The Warwicks held the Estate for many years, although no record can be found of their living here. It seems as if the manor house must have been next to the Church, as “Gastons” the name of the adjacent field, means “the ground for the guests” and was probably used to put the horses of the guests who came to visit the manor.
When Lord and Lady Warwick visited Clutton, as they did occasionally for the shooting, they stayed at Oak Dene, Greyfield.
A part of the Estate, including the farms, was sold on August 26th, 1920. The remainder including the inns was sold on August 16th, 1945.
The only visible links with Warwick are the name on the foundation stone at the school, the inscription on the organ in the church which at one time stood in Warwick Castle and the Warwick Arms on the Upper Bristol Road, which was once an old coaching inn.
Near Greyfield Wood are vestiges of an ancient fortification called Highbury, where British weapons have been found. The remains of the walls of a Roman encampment can still be seen. A solid gold chain was once found there which when examined by experts was believed to be part of the accoutrements of a horse, belonging to the legions of the Emperor Claudius Caesar, who gave his name to Temple Cloud.
Rumour says there is a gold coffin buried there.
Later, Highbury was said to be the scene of a battle between Cromwell and the Royalists. This was probably when Cromwell was driven out from Wells and fell back to Claverton.
Much excitement must have prevailed in the village when the Duke of Monmouth’s troops (7,000 in number) marched from Shepton Mallet northwards in the vain hope of capturing Bristol. His troops, however, were repulsed and driven Eastwards to Norton St. Philip (8 miles away).
Extract from - The Story of Our Village - Clutton (Published by the Clutton WI)