Robert Clutterbuck (28 June 1772 – 25 May 1831) was an English

historian A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the st ...

. He spent 18 years writing ''The History and Antiquities of the County of Hertford''.

Life

He was the eldest surviving son of Thomas Clutterbuck, of

Watford Watford () is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, 15 miles northwest of Central London, on the River Colne. Initially a small market town, the Grand Junction Canal encouraged the construction of paper-making mills, print works, and ...

Hertfordshire by Sarah, daughter of Robert Thurgood of

Baldock Baldock ( ) is a historic market town and unparished area in the local government district of North Hertfordshire in the county of Hertfordshire, England, where the River Ivel rises. It lies north of London, southeast of Bedford, and north n ...

. He was born at Watford on 28 June 1772, and at an early age was sent to Harrow School. He went to

Exeter College, Oxford (Let Exeter Flourish) , old_names = ''Stapeldon Hall'' , named_for = Walter de Stapledon, Bishop of Exeter , established = , sister_college = Emmanuel College, Cambridge , rector = Sir Richard Trainor ...

as a

gentleman commoner A commoner is a student at certain universities in the British Isles who historically pays for his own tuition and commons, typically contrasted with scholars and exhibitioners, who were given financial emoluments towards their fees. Cambridge ...

. After graduating B.A. in 1794 he entered Lincoln's Inn, intending to make the law his profession; but became more interested in chemistry and painting (in which he took lessons from James Barry. In 1798 he married Marianne, eldest daughter of Colonel

James Capper James Capper (1743–1825) was a British army officer of the East India Company, known as a writer and meteorologist. Life The younger brother of Francis Capper, he was born 15 December 1743, and educated at Harrow School. He entered the East In ...

, and after a few years living at the seat of his father's in-law, Cathays, near

Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...

Glamorganshire , HQ = Cardiff , Government = Glamorgan County Council (1889–1974) , Origin= , Code = GLA , CodeName = Chapman code , Replace = * West Glamorgan * Mid Glamorgan * South Glamorgan , Motto ...

, he took possession of his paternal estate at Watford. He continued to live there until his death, on 25 May 1831. He was a county magistrate and a

Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...

Works

For 18 years he worked on a new

county history English county histories, in other words historical and topographical (or " chorographical") works concerned with individual ancient counties of England, were produced by antiquarians from the late 16th century onwards. The content was variable: ...

; it appeared under the title ''The History and Antiquities of the County of Hertford; compiled from the best printed authorities and original records preserved in public repositories and private collections. Embellished with views of the most curious monuments of antiquity, and illustrated with a map of the County'', 3 vols. London, 1815, 1821, 1827. The plates were in some cases from his own sketches, and he also had the assistance of Edward Blore and other prominent draughtsmen and engravers. Clutterbuck also published, in 1828, an ''Account of the Benefactions to the Parish of Watford in the County of Hertford, compiled from Authentic Documents''.

References

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Clutterbuck, Robert 1772 births 1831 deaths English antiquarians People educated at Harrow School Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford Members of Lincoln's Inn Fellows of the Society of Antiquaries of London People from Watford 18th-century English historians 19th-century English historians