Discover Clavering

Clavering combines historic buildings with trails for walking and cycling. When planning your stay, two interests may guide your choice: local history, with its castle, church and historic buildings, or time outdoors along riverside paths and on the routes.

Clavering Castle and the River Stort

Clavering Castle is one of the historic sites. The castle and its associated earthworks are well preserved; they may predate the Norman Conquest. The ringwork is rectangular and measures 150 m from east to west and 100 m from north to south. It is surrounded by a ditch 26 m wide and 5 m deep. This makes its east–west extent 50 m greater than its north–south extent.

Earthworks associated with Clavering Castle extend 200 m west along the River Stort. They include features believed to have belonged to a former mill. These possible mill features bring another historic use into view alongside the fortification.

Church and historic buildings

The Church of St Mary and St Clement is built of flint rubble and dates from the late 14th or early 15th century. Inside the church is a 13th-century octagonal font made of Purbeck marble. The two dates differ considerably: the font is older than the church building. A history corner in Clavering Church is used for family history research and exploring the history of the church.

The Bury was originally a royal manor house dating from the early 13th century. Much of the original timber framing is visible inside. The Old Guildhall dates from the late 15th century, is timber-framed and has rendered exterior surfaces. It served as a workhouse from 1760 to 1835. The construction dates, original functions and later use as a workhouse offer different clues to the local history of the two buildings.

Trails through Clavering

A riverside path runs about a mile south from Clavering, to where the river crosses the road to the village of Berden. The Hundred Parishes Guide suggests a circular walk through the centre of Clavering. Clavering also provides access to the long-distance Essex Way. These offer different options: a riverside path heading south for an approximate distance, a suggested circular walk through the village and a long-distance trail.

National Cycle Network Route 11 passes through Clavering along quiet country roads. As route details can change, check the current route before setting out. Clavering is also on the B1038.

Clavering Fishing Lakes

The Specimen Lake at Clavering Fishing Lakes covers 3 acres; carp are listed among its fish species. Catfish, pike and perch are listed for the Predator Lake. If fishing is one of your travel interests, you can consider the two lakes based on these different details.

Discover more destinations: Canvey Island, Maldon, Rivenhall, Ingrave, Halstead, Great Yeldham, Weeley, Colchester.

For the broader travel overview: Essex.