Clavering is one of the few villages in NW Essex that regularly runs history evening classes. These take place every autumn in this building, the Clavering Christian Centre in Stortford Road (formerly the URC and still a church, part of the Clavering Ecumenical Partnership).

The classes follow on from a tradition established by the late Eileen Ludgate to organise history lectures by visiting speakers, via the Clavering & Langley Local History Group which met for almost 20 years, and the summer lectures in church.

Such lectures still take place via the Clavering Village Society, albeit mixed with other subjects, and in the annual Eileen Ludgate Memorial Lecture. However, by holding classes over a number of weeks, it is possible to study a subject in more depth and this is what we have done since October 2003 when we had an introduction to landscape history course.

Out of this course, brilliantly tutored by Dr Susan Oosthuizen from the Cambridge Continuing Board of Education, we formed the Clavering Landscape History Group. This group carried out the Project Castle over a five-year period from 2003-2008 (see link on this website) and has continued to run exhibitions, organise work parties on the castle site and other events. Membership is only £5 a year or £7.50 couples/families - details from jacqueline.cooper@virgin.net

Since 2003, the classes have continued every autumn following a series of landscape history subjects including archaeology, timber-framed buildings, place names - all of these were organised under the umbrella of the Cambridge Centre for Continuing Education at Madingley. However, when government grant was withdrawn for such courses, they became too expensive for village groups like us, so the decision was made to become an independent evening class. This is now known as the Clavering History Centre and, being run without any overheads whatsoever, the fees are very affordable, sufficient to cover the hall and the tutor - any surplus is put towards conserving the local history collection.

Since becoming independent we have had a course on churches history, on village customs and traditions, and last year on urban history. The 2012 course will be our tenth and is currently being discussed on the subject of conservation and history of buildings (please email for details - see later announcement on this website). Most courses attract at least 30 or more participants and over the decade many have learnt and been inspired to learn more, in some cases going on to do certificate and degree studies. In addition we have had the annual Memorial Lectures on various subjects, with a collection in aid of Clavering Church.

Together with the History Group, the exhibitions, this website kindly provided by the village and its webmaster and other activities, the local history scene in Clavering is a lively one and we welcome support and participation. Our next big event is the Dig & Sow archaeology event on 12 May 2012.

Jacqueline Cooper
Clavering Local History Recorder