Clandown was also known as Clapton and has the following entry in The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales 1870 by John Marius Wilson
CLAPTON, a tything and a chapelry in Midsomer-Norton parish, Somerset. The tything lies near the Radford canal, 7½ miles NNE of Shepton-Mallet town and r. station. Pop., 173. Houses, 27. The chapelry includes the tything, but is much more extensive; bears also the name of Clandown, and was constituted in 1849. Post town, Midsomer-Norton, under Bath. Pop., 1, 075. Houses, 206. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Bath and Wells. Value, £18. Patron, the Vicar of Midsomer-Norton.
As referred to in the press report of 1843 (see below), originally an agricultural hamlet with only a few inhabitants, it expanded due a coal mine in the early 1800s. The pits in the area closed down progressively from the late 1920s and mining eventually ceased in 1973. As reported in the Somerset Guardian of Fri 11 Oct 1929 p8:
The whole of the men and boys employed at the Clandown Colliery received a week's notice on Thursday to terminate their contract of service, the notices being due to take effect on Wednesday next. Some 130 men and boys are affected. Already steps have been taken to dismantle some of the districts in the mine, which could not be profitably worked, with a view to the permanent closing of these, but, so far as one can gather in the locality, dismantling is not general as regards the whole colliery. . . . Clandown Colliery is the oldest of all the collieries in the Somerset coalfield, and with the exception of temporary periods, occasioned by accidents or the result of industrial disputes, has, been in continuous working for about 150 years. . . .
From the Bath Chronicle of Thu 28 Sep 1843 p3 reporting on a meeting of the Bath and Wells Diocesan Curates’ Fund Society:
The remark of the prime minister was there truly borne out—that let the clergyman go and preach among the people, and there would soon be necessity for a church. Such was the case in the district to which he alluded, which contained a population of eight hundred persons, and was two miles from the church. He would remind the inhabitants of Bath that they were much obliged to that portion of his parish ; it was a part of Clandown where twenty years ago there were only two farm houses, and now there was that large number who were engaged in supplying the means of comfort to the inhabitants of this city. When, therefore, It should please God to move some person to set the building of a church there on foot, he pledged himself to come Bath and remind the inhabitants of their obligation to assist in the work. . .
From the Bath Chronicle of Thu 25 Sep 1845 p2:
BUILDERS disposed to CONTRACT for erecting a CHURCH, CLANDOW'N, near Radstock, may see the Drawings and Specification at my office, till SATURDAY the 11th Oct. next, which day the lenders (sealed, and endorsed, “Tender lor Clandown Church”) are to be sent 10 me, The lowest Tender will not necessarily be accepted.
G. P. MANNERS, Architect.
No. 1, Oxford Row. Bath; 20th Sept., 1845.
From the Bristol Mirror of Sat 25 Oct 1845 p10 in a report on the Church Building Society:
Towards building a new Church at Clandown in the parish of Midsomer Norton being the second new church built in that parish by the aid of the Association, the sum of 105l has been granted. The church is to contain room for 380 worshippers, all of them being offered free.
The same report appeared in the Bath Chronicle of Thu 18 Sep 1845 p6.
From the Bristol Mirror of Sat 24 Jan 1846 p5:
MIDSOMER NORTON — His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, as Duke of Cornwall, has given the sum of 100l towards the erection of a new church at Clandown, Midsomer Norton, Somerset. The Bishop of Bath Wells, the Dowager Lady Carrington, Colonel Gore Langton M.P., T.D., Acland, Esq., M.P., W. Miles, Esq., M.P., H. Labouchere, Esq., M.P., J. A. Smith, Esq., M.P., and F. H. Dickenson, Esq., M.P. have respectively given liberal donations.
From the Bristol Mirror of Sat 4 Jul 1846 p8:
NEW CHURCH AT CLANDOWN — The ceremony of laying the corner stone of the proposed Church at Clandown, in the parish Midsomer Somerset, took place on Monday. The proceedings commenced with Divine Service in the room which, for twelve years, has been licensed by the Bishop; the Rev. S. Franklin (the present curate and future incumbent) officiating. . . .
Holy Trinity church was declared redundant in 1983 and converted into a dwelling.
FindAGrave has 337 (!) burial records and 137 images of the surviving memorials, dating from 2016.
