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 species; as well as the ...

. 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 non-metropolitan district with Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough status in Hertfordshire, England, northwest of Central London, on the banks of the River Colne, Hertfordshire, River Colne. Initially a smal ...

Hertfordshire Hertfordshire ( or ; often abbreviated Herts) is a ceremonial county in the East of England and one of the home counties. It borders Bedfordshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Essex to the east, Greater London to the ...

by Sarah, daughter of Robert Thurgood of

Baldock Baldock ( ) is a historic market town in the North Hertfordshire district of Hertfordshire, England. The River Ivel rises from springs in the town. It lies north of London and north northwest of the county town of Hertford. Nearby towns inc ...

. He was born at Watford on 28 June 1772, and was sent to

Harrow School Harrow School () is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English boarding school for boys) in Harrow on the Hill, Greater London, England. The school was founded in 1572 by John Lyon (school founder), John Lyon, a local landowner an ...

at an early age. He went to

Exeter College, Oxford Exeter College (in full: The Rector and Scholars of Exeter College in the University of Oxford) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, and the fourth-oldest college of the university. The college was founde ...

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 The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn, commonly known as Lincoln's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court (professional associations for Barrister, barristers and judges) in London. To be called to the bar in order to practise as a barrister ...

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

Cardiff Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...

Glamorganshire Glamorgan (), or sometimes Glamorganshire ( or ), was one of the thirteen counties of Wales that existed from 1536 until their abolishment in 1974. It is located in the south of Wales. Originally an early medieval petty kingdom of varying bo ...

, 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 The Society of Antiquaries of London (SAL) is a learned society of historians and archaeologists in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1707, received its royal charter in 1751 and is a registered charity. It is based at Burlington House in Pi ...

Works

For 18 years he worked on a new

county history A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) ''Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denotin ...

; 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 sketches, and he also had the assistance of

Edward Blore Edward Blore (13 September 1787 – 4 September 1879) was a 19th-century English landscape and architectural artist, architect and antiquary. Early career Blore was born in Derby, the son of the antiquarian writer Thomas Blore. Blore's backg ...

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 Burials at St Mary's Church, Watford