Nestled in the beautiful Upper Stour Valley is Suffolk's smallest town, Clare. Home to around 2000 people, this dinky market town, 33 minutes drive from Bury St Edmunds, 43 minutes from Cambridge and 54 minutes from Ipswich, is well worth a visit. From the remains of a Norman castle to an intriguing medieval Wool Church, Victorian railway buildings, an enormous country park and endless countryside walking routes, Clare is a really lovely day out in Suffolk.
What to do in Clare:
1. Start your day at the Clare Castle Country Park:
36 acres of green space, woodland and paths along the River Stour and the old railway line. Great for families, picnics, cycling and walking, this is also where you'll find the old Victorian railway buildings - a goods shed with crane, platforms and the ticket building which is now a café, all dating from 1865.
The country park has a good sized car park which costs £3 all day Monday to Friday and £5 all day at weekends - it's also a handy location for exploring the rest of the town.
2. Clare Castle:
The first thing you'll see when you enter the Country Park are ruins of a Norman Castle sitting proudly on a 60ft motte, one of the tallest in the country Built in the 11th century by Richard FitzGilbert, a Norman Knight, on lands gifted by William the Conqueror, you can climb the steep winding ramp all the way to the top for great views over Clare and the Park. Most of the castle has gone, but there is lots of interesting information signage about the site's history. FitzGilbert and his descendants were fabulously wealthy - his granddaughter, Elizabeth de Clare founded Clare College, now part of Cambridge University, and the castle flourished until her death in 1360.
3. St Peter and St Paul's Church:
This beautiful old Wool Church has two striking pointed towers and some interesting features inside: a carved Green Man above the 15th century oak door, a medieval brass eagle lectern, a curious 32 pint beer jug called "the Gotch" and an attractive gallery pew.
4. Clare Ancient House Museum:
Right beside the church is a Grade I medieval house with wonderfully ornate plasterwork (a local decorative technique called pargeting). If you're visiting on a weekend between Easter and September, the building opens as a free museum of local history from 12 - 4pm
5. The Town Trail - For a fun way to learn more about Clare and see lots of its listed buildings, follow the Clare Town Trail - a self guided circular route starting and finishing in Clare Castle Country Park, following 21 brass pavement markers and 7 posts. You can download map from the Visit Clare website.
6. Stop for a pint:
Clare has three characterful pubs worth a visit: The Swan has what is believed to be the oldest sign in England - a 3 metre carved block of oak above the door, depicting a chained swan with a crown around it's neck - the royal symbol of King Henry IV. It's thought that the sign was originally part of a window in Clare Castle and that it dates from the early 15th century! Inside, the historic pub has exposed beams and a fireplace, local beer on tap and home cooked meals, and a large beer garden with play area outside.
The Cock Inn dates from 1636 and serves a large rotating collection of cask ales and lagers and a cracking Mexican menu alongside gourmet pub grub (closed Mon/Tues).
The Globe doesn't sell food but has a large beer garden and live music on a Sunday afternoon.
7. Support small businesses:
Clare has loads of independent shops to browse, selling clothes, books, antiques, gifts, art and vinyl records. Why not pick up some supplies at the Roughacre microbrewery shop (open Wed-Sat) and from J.R. Humprey and Sons butchers? We got some outstanding local bacon for breakfast the next day.
8. Explore the countryside:
You have a choice of 6 circular walks starting from the Clare Castle Country Park, ranging in distance from 2 to 7 miles. We particularly enjoyed number 3, a 7 mile loop to the village of Cavendish and back. Bear in mind that all of the routes have stiles to climb, agricultural fields to cross and some narrow, overgrown sections, and so they're not wheelchair or buggy friendly. You can download maps for all of the walking routes here
9. Clare Priory:
Originally founded in 1248 as the first house of the Augustinian Friars in England, Clare Priory has a rich history. Like many other religious houses in England, Clare Priory was dissolved during the Reformation under King Henry VIII and its lands and property were seized by the Crown. In the 19th century, the ruins of the priory were restored and converted into a private residence and in the 1950s, an Augustinian community moved into the restored buildings and re-established Clare Priory as a religious house. Today, Clare Priory serves as a retreat centre, offering a peaceful and contemplative environment for individuals and groups seeking spiritual renewal.
If you're visiting in mid July, you might be lucky enough to get to Clare Priory's annual craft fair which often gets up to 10,000 visitors over 2 days! As well as food, live entertainment, kids' activities and over 150 stalls you can see demonstrations of traditional crafts such as lace-making, wool-spinning, metalwork and woodturning.
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