Abraham Clavey and his family lived here in the early 1700s. His sons included Richard, a carrier like his father, Abraham, a vicar at Heytesbury, Charles, a linen draper in London and Joseph, a carrier in Frome.
Just over a mile to the west of Clavey's Farm lies the village of Soho, a curious name to find in the countryside of Somerset. Its origin makes an interesting story.
The word soho was originally a hunting cry and recorded as such back over time, preceding the tally ho cry by many centuries. About 800 years ago, Soho, in London, was named because it was a favourite hunting ground for stag, the locality subsequently becoming known as Soho Fields.
Now in 1649, Lucy Walter, the mistress of Charles 11 gave birth to a son, James who, being illegitimate, could never be heir to the throne. Nevertheless Charles was very fond of his son and in 1663, he was officially acknowledged and made Duke of Monmouth, subsequently marrying the Countess of Buccleuch and rapidly acquiring popularity and significance. By that time Soho had become a centre of fashionable life and in 1681 Monmouth built himself a house in Soho Square.
However by 1683, he had become involved in arguments over who should succeed to the throne, he or Charles' brother James. Following some political manoeuvering Monmouth was banished to Holland. In 1685 Charles died and Monmouth launched his bid to overthrow his uncle James who had now become James ll..
On June 11th Monmouth landed at Lyme Regis and on June 20th at Taunton he declared himself to be the rightful king. His rebel army consisted mainly of discontented townsmen, many of them cloth workers of Somerset and Wiltshire and also the lead miners of Mendip. Looking for a password for his troop movements Monmouth adopted the name of his London house, i.e. “Soho”.
He then moved on to Bristol but was unable to take the city, so he marched east to Bath and then down to Frome. About 600 ft high the area which is now called Soho was part of his chain of outposts to discover the enemy's intentions. However Frome had been taken by the army of James II and so on June 30th Monmouth veered back west towards Shepton Mallet.
The retreat had begun and in a week's time the campaign reached its tragic climax at Sedgemoor where his army was broken and destroyed. Monmouth was captured and James ll had him executed on July 15th. Local Mendip folklore still remembers the cruelty of Judge Jeffreys who had hundreds put to death or sent as slaves to Jamaica.
Clavey's Farm was probably built in the 17th century although the 30inch walls suggest early 16th century. It would therefore seem that the occupants of the house may well have have looked out anxiously at the marches and countermarches of those stormy days of June 1685, or at sentinels whose password subsequently gave the little hamlet of Soho its name.
The Duke of Monmouth .......
All a fighting for the Crown.......
Soho boys, Soho
Clavey's Farm:
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