Clare.  Situated in the beautiful, rolling Suffolk countryside you will find the old wool town of Clare. The town has a fascinating history, many interesting and compelling places to visit, and offers a wide range of shops, antique outlets and high quality local cafes and pubs.

 

Clare boasts many historical gems including a 13th century Augustinian Priory, Clare Country Park, the stone keep ruins of Clare Castle dating back to William the Conqueror, a Medieval Town Church, and the Ancient House Museum.

 

From Roman times and Roman camps (not much to see here though) and the present day. 

 

Anglo-Saxons settled here but again we don't know a great deal about them as records don't really start for Clare till the Norman Conquest and the Domesday Book. The Clare lords were among the greatest in the Kingdom and from 1066 till the battle of Bannockburn 1324 where the last de Bienfaites died  All then passed to the Moritmer family and at the end of the fifteenth century Clare became part of the Crown possessions.  Sadly a railway station now stands where the castle once was. 

 

In the 18th century Clare was thriving, there were eight life and fire insurance offices. A new Corn Exchange on the site of the present Town Hall which had been built in 1838 when the Market Cross was demolished. The professional class was represented by the vicar and curate, two non-conformist ministers, two surgeons and four attornies. Twelve farmers are mentioned, and several occupations were associated with farming; there were four blacksmiths, three mill-wrights, three wheel-wrights, and three corn millers. The needs of the town are indicated by the number and diversity of the shop keepers, including three chemists, six bakers, three butchers, four grocers and drapers, seven drapers, twelve boot and shoe-makers, a clog and patten maker, four watch and clock makers and eight milliners, to mention only a part. The only reference to industry proper is that of an umbrella and Tuscan straw manufacturer, for whom a number of women made straw hats. In all, we are left with the picture of a flourishing, busy little town.

 

Clare itself has been little altered, with its wide attractive streets enhanced by the many colour-washed timber-framed houses. The Church still dominate the town; and the castle keep and the baileys remind us of the glories of a past age.  This town is well worth a visit.