Discover Clipsham

Clipsham can be explored through several cultural and historical connections. Yew Tree Avenue was once the carriage drive to Clipsham Hall and can also be visited free of charge. The Church of St Mary is notable for building dates spanning several centuries and a monument by Pugin. Clipsham Stone was used at Windsor Castle and the Palace of Westminster in different centuries. The village thus combines a specific visitor attraction with a varied architectural history.

Yew Tree Avenue: former drive and visitor attraction

Yew Tree Avenue was once the carriage drive to Clipsham Hall. This former function creates a direct historical connection between the avenue and the hall. The avenue is over 200 years old and consists of 150 clipped yew trees in unusual shapes. You can visit the avenue free of charge; it is a place to sit and enjoy a picnic. Its former use and the opportunity to visit concern different aspects: the carriage drive is part of its history, while sitting and picnicking are part of spending time on the avenue.

The Church of St Mary and Clipsham Hall

The dating of the Church of St Mary spans several periods: most of it dates from the 12th, 13th and 14th centuries, while its west tower dates from around 1300. The date given for the tower is therefore more specific than the dating of most of the church. There is also a monument by Pugin inside. This brings together a building history spanning several centuries and a specifically named monument. For comparison with Clipsham Hall, the church offers above all its dates and west tower as points of reference.

Clipsham Hall’s entrance front features a semicircular, open porch with four Roman Doric columns. The term “Roman Doric” names the column order; the number four and the semicircular, open form add specific design features to this technical term. While the Church of St Mary is described in terms of its periods and west tower, the focus here is on a particular feature of the entrance front. If you look at architecture through different features, this offers a clear comparison: the church, dated by period, on one side, and the described entrance front of the hall on the other.

Clipsham Stone in two architectural contexts

Clipsham Stone was used at Windsor Castle in Berkshire in the 14th century. In the 20th century, the stone was used in the restoration of the Palace of Westminster in London. These are different periods and architectural contexts: use at Windsor Castle and use as part of a restoration at the Palace of Westminster. The locations point to Berkshire and London; the two examples also differ in their time frame and the way the stone was used. This use of the stone adds two more buildings to the connections with Yew Tree Avenue, the church and the hall.

The dates can be viewed at different scales: over 200 years refers to the avenue, the church is associated with the 12th, 13th and 14th centuries, and the uses of the stone span the 14th to the 20th century. This comparison arranges the historical connections chronologically without equating the avenue’s former function with the later architectural uses.

Discover more destinations: Cottesmore, Oakham, Morcott, Uppingham, Lyddington, Greetham, Seaton, North Luffenham

For the overall travel guide: Rutland.