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Clare, a Historic Market Town in Suffolk
Clare is a charming Suffolk market town, typical of the wool towns that are long associated with East Anglia. Clare is full of interesting places to visit and is the perfect base to explore other parts of west Suffolk, so stay a while at one of the friendly family run B&B's in the town, or the Bell Inn (from 1580) which is also one of the best places to eat in.
There are several unique places to visit in Clare, starting with Clare Ancient House which was built in 1473 and became the town museum in 1976. This amazing building has superb plasterwork on its exterior, which is an example of the local craft of pargetting. Inside the museum offers a full history of the town's development over the centuries.
Another very special place to see is Clare Priory, dating back to 1248. This is the base of the Augustinian Friars in Britain, who offer religious retreats for all comers. When the Priory was first established the friars were dependant on local people for their daily needs and they would have been familiar figures in the streets of Clare in their black habits as they went around begging and preaching. Fortunately we no longer witness this in Clare, but if you would like to stroll around the priory and it's grounds they are open to the public.
Clare Country Park is in the middle of Clare and its 25 acres contains the ruins of Clare Castle. This was built upon Saxon earthworks and covered 20 acres! In the Park you'll also find the former train station and a small museum which was previously a Great Eastern Railway Shed, housing natural history, conservation and railway history exhibitions. The Park has walks and woodland, the River Stour running through it, and a fully equipped playground for our younger visitors.
Additionally Clare has a wonderful Gothic church of St Peter and St Paul. The base of the tower is 13C but the remainder is mainly from the 15C. During your visit to the town it is well worth strolling around to see some lovely old houses dating back to the Tudors right through the Georgina period and into the Victorian era, that are now private residencies.
But that's not all! After all this sightseeing you might want to do a little shopping and Clare has a range of independent 'corner' shops, including a butcher, pet shop, ladies boutique plus a few antique shops and an Auction House that are well worth a visit. There's also a recently refurbished Café in the heart of Clare for some light refreshment, or if you want a substantial meal, Clare has its own Indian restaurant and several pubs (including The Swan Inn which has a 14C carved sign outside), that serve lunch and dinner. For more information see http://www.suffolktouristguide.com/Clare.asp
Suffolk Tourist Guide is the leading online Guide for Suffolk tourist attractions and things to do. For more information on Clare see http://www.suffolktouristguide.com/Clare.asp
Source: www.isnare.com