Clare Castle

In the civil parish of Clare.
In the historic county of Suffolk (Modern Authority of Suffolk, 1974 county of Suffolk).

PastScape report reads "Motte and Bailey first documented in Domesday, although there appears to have been a castle at Clare in Saxon times. A secular college, dedicated to St John the Baptist was founded in Clare Castle circa 1045. In 1090 it became an alien priory cell for Benedictine monks and this was moved to Stoke-by-Clare in 1124." Castle existed by 1090, but allowed to decay from C15.

This site has been described as a;
Timber Castle
Masonry Castle.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Certain.
Masonry footings remains.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TL771452

Modern Map from Good for landscape form and features	Modern Map from Good for general location
Air Photo from	1st edition OS Map from

Sources of information, references and further reading

PastScape number; 379255

• Web site links
  • http://www.slamnet.org.uk/SuffolkAir/rural9.html
    http://www.clare-uk.com/about/short_history/page3.html
    http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_east_anglia/155/clarecastle.htm
• Books
  • Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles of East Anglia (Malvern) p74
    Martin, Edward, 1999 [3edn], 'Medieval Castles' in Dymond, David and Martin, Edward (eds) An Historical Atlas of Suffolk (Lavenham) p58-9
    Warner, Peter, 1996, The Origins of Suffolk p176
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p233
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p457
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p209
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
    Knowles, David and Hadcock, R Neville, 1971, Medieval religious houses in England and Wales (Longman) p83, 87, 414, 423
    Pevsner, N., 1961, The Buildings of England: Suffolk (London, Penguin) p150
    Thornton, 1928, History of Clare (Cambridge) p79-84
    Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co)
    Wall, 1911, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Suffolk Vol1 p594-5
    Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England (Heinemann) Vol1 p275-6
    Timbs, J. and Gunn, A., 1872, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales Vol2 (London) p176-8
    Grose, F., 1756, Antiquities of England and Wales Vol8 p124-5
• Journal Articles
  • Thompson, M.W., 1986, 'Associated monasteries and castles in the Middle Ages: a tentative list' Archaeological Journal Vol143 p308, 317
    Brown, R, Allen, 1959, 'A List of Castles, 1154–1216' English Historical Review Vol74 [Reprinted in Brown, R. Allen, 1989, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p249-280]
    Knocker, G.M., 1959, 'Clare Castle Excavations, 1955. (with Appendices by J.H. Thornton and J. King)' Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History Vol28 pt2 p136-52
    Corder, 1893, The Builder Vol64 p324
    Tymms, S., 1849, 'Clare Castle. (Read 14 Sep 1848)' Proceedings of the Bury and West Suffolk Institute [Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History] Vol1 pt3 p61-66
    1787, Gentleman's Magazine pt2 p788-90
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • William Camden, 1607, Britannia [http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/essexeng.html#suff5]