11th - 19th  Century Clowne
More History.
Twelfth Century.
In the summer of 1138, the Scots invaded England, advancing as far south as North Yorkshire. The English met them in battle at Northallerton in what was to become known as, The Battle of the Standard.The English prevailed, and it is interesting to note that the bulk of the English fighters were men from North Derbyshire, No doubt a number of these men came from the Scarsdale Wapentake, which would include men from Clowne.
During this period, the castle at Bolsover, was a key fortress and also represented the Crowns authority in this area. Towards the end of the century, Richard I, gave Bolsover Castle to his brother John.Local men, from Clowne as well as men from Bolsover garrisoned the castle.

Thirteenth Century.
King John stayed at Bolsover Castle in 1201,When in 1215, the rebellion that led to the signing of Magna Carta, occurred, Clowne men took up arms against the king. Under the banner of the Earl de Ferrurs, they took the castle.
At this period, rebellion was no stranger to Derbyshire folk. This time, in 1260,with John's successor, Henry III on the throne, local men again under the auspices of De Ferrers rebelled. A result of this was that in 1263 there began a period in which this part of the country was pillaged and wasted by the king's men. In 1266 local rebels were defeated by the king's men at Chesterfield and again had to suffer the Kings anger.
By the time that the next monarch, Edward I visited the area in 1290, the Derbyshire populace had become staunch loyal subjects. Edward visited Bolsover Castle after hunting in Sherwood Forest and found the area "hospitable and friendly".
Two local families supplied the county with two of its earliest MPs, they were, Giles de Meynell in 1295, and Robert de Freschville in 1299.

Fourteenth Century.
This century saw more trouble for this area than at any other time. From the death of Edward I in 1307, the county suffered disaster after disaster. In 1322, when the Earl of Lancaster rebelled against Edward II, Clowne and its surrounding areas was pillaged by the Earls men as they fled from the kings forces, this was followed by the kings men doing the same, in retribution for the alleged support that had been given to Lancasters forces!
In 1333, the Scots again threatened Edward III. He issued a warrant that this county should supply him with 200 light horsemen, and more importantly with 600 archers, for which the county and this area in particular, was justly famous.
Due to the high esteem Derbyshire bowmen were held many were drafted to France throughout the wars there
1348 saw the worst calamity to affect the county. The Black Death, after ravaging the South and West of the country reached Derbyshire.The early summer of 1350 saw it running riot through the area. Two thirds of the population were wiped out.

Fifteenth Century.
In 1485, Jasper, Earl of Pembroke, Lord of the Manor of Bolsover with Clowne, held a court at Bolsover.
Among those recorded there are,……
Richard Marshall, of "Cloune", for trespassing in the Lord's Wood, fined 2d.
Amongst six bakers charged with giving short measure, is ,…….
Celia Barker, of Cloune fined 1d.
John Marten, of Romeley Hall, (on the Southern reaches of the parish) was fined together with a man called Watson, 6/8d, for cutting down woods belonging to the lord.
John Turner, Robert Hill and Robert Marples were fined for over loading the common pasture.
Richard Watson and William Barlow were fined for cutting down 2 elm trees belonging to the lord, whilst Nicholas Calton was fined for cutting ONE stick on Clowne Moor.
Sixteenth Century.
It was during this period that William Inskip, rector of Clowne 1528-1582, founded the first school in the village. Although schools at Stavely and Chesterfield existed, it was rare that a village of Clowne's size should possess such a facility. It is indeed likely that this school did not survive, there appears to be no records of one until the 1700's.
The really important event that shook the community to the core occurred in 1586,when what became known as" The Great Plague of Chesterfield", began..
The outbreak reached its peak in June 1587, when 54 people died, the following month a further 52 died. These figures should be viewed against the normal mortality rate of the period of 3 deaths a month. The whole area, including Clowne, was effected. The dead from this plague were so numerous that they were not buried in the churchyard, but were interred in an area to the north of the village, that would be known as, Monument Field, or as generations of Clowne children would know them," The Monnies".
Despite such set backs, the century ended optimistically for the villagers of Clowne, along with a new school, much work was done to the parish church and people generally became wealthier.

Seventeenth Century.
In 1606, the plague that had destroyed so much 20 years before reappeared. Fortunately the new outbreak was far less virulent than it's predecessor. With the enclosure of common lands, which had begun in the previous century, riots soon ensued. This came to a head in 1610, when landowners fenced off Clowne Common and thereby denied the locals their grazing rights.
In 1642 the Civil War broke out, and Clowne men along with most of the men from Derbyshire, took the side of Parliament against the king. By the winter of 1643 the parliamentary forces had defeated the Royalist Earl of Newcastle, at Chesterfield, Stavely and Bolsover, leaving the area firmly in the control of the Parliament.
With the end of the war in 1646, the earlier troubles over land enclosures soon reared their heads again.
A reliable estimate of the population of Clowne during the mid 1600's shows around 350 rising to 400 by the close of the century. In the 1669 "Roll of Ale-houses" Clowne is accredited as having eleven houses. (This to serve an adult population of around 280!).

Eighteenth Century.
During this period, several gifts were made by individuals to the church, (see A potted History of Clowne Church) the foremost being Charles Bassildine.
In 1745 the Jacobite Rebellion, which finally came to a sticky end at Derby, seems to have bypassed the area, as no official references are to be found. Of much more importance to the local populace was the final ratification in 1780 of the Land Enclosure Act by parliament. 
During the 18th century the population of Clowne increased from 400 in 1700 to 480 in 1801. At the turn of the century Clowne was still a peaceful rural community, but the new century would soon alter this state beyond all recognition.
Bolsover Castle.