http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2072116 remains until today. It is situated on the edge of Clare Country Park > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2072118 and can be accessed via a footpath around the motte. The Country Park also houses the disused Clare railway station > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2072125 and a goods shed > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2072119 which is now the park's visitor centre. Austian Friars arrived in the town in 1249 and were given land here. They built a Friars House and the church > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2072712. The town has many historic houses > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2072565 and buildings, with Clare Ancient House > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2072752 being one of the oldest houses in Suffolk. It became the town museum in 1979 and is notable for its superb plasterwork which is an outstanding work of the local craft of pargetting > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2072761 that is still practised today. This decorated plaster-work can be seen on a number of houses, much of it done on old timber-framed buildings. While the plaster is still wet it is either worked over with wooden combs to produce herringbone, shell and similar patterns or shapes are applied with moulds or sculpted by hand to create more individuality.."> Clare Community Centre

Clare Community Centre

Introduction

The photograph on this page of Clare Community Centre by Evelyn Simak as part of the Geograph project.

The Geograph project started in 2005 with the aim of publishing, organising and preserving representative images for every square kilometre of Great Britain, Ireland and the Isle of Man.

There are currently over 7.5m images from over 14,400 individuals and you can help contribute to the project by visiting https://www.geograph.org.uk

Clare Community Centre

Image: © Evelyn Simak Taken: 18 Sep 2010

Formerly a Victorian school built on part of the site of an old farmhouse and granary which had been demolished in 1858. The school was built in 1862 in Gothic revival style with Early English style windows. There had been a grammar school in Clare since the 14th century, and a school for the poor since 1811 so the arrival of this building brought two old traditions together. Built to hold 200 children, within 20 years there were 367 there, and extensions were made. It was in use as a school until 1974. In 1990 the building was restored and brought into use as a community centre, with several inter-linking halls, a kitchen and other facilities. It is used for regular activities such as a day centre offering meals and companionship for pensioners and people with disabilities, play groups, and meetings. This information was taken from "A historical look at Clare" by David Hatton which is available on the Internet in pdf-format: http://www.clare-uk.com/pages/hatton-book-681.htm. Clare is situated on the A1092 road, about 8 miles from Sudbury and 8 miles from Haverhill. Clare once was a border fortress town between the kingdom of the East Angles and the Saxons and its name is believed to be derived from the Roman word Clarus, meaning illustrious or renowned. Clare is mentioned in the Domesday Book as a settlement of 600 inhabitants, with extensive vineyards. The latter no longer exist but it is possible that Claret got its name from Clare. A castle was built after the Battle of Hastings in 1066 in order to protect the surrounding land and its ruined castle's stone keep > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2072116 remains until today. It is situated on the edge of Clare Country Park > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2072118 and can be accessed via a footpath around the motte. The Country Park also houses the disused Clare railway station > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2072125 and a goods shed > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2072119 which is now the park's visitor centre. Austian Friars arrived in the town in 1249 and were given land here. They built a Friars House and the church > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2072712. The town has many historic houses > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2072565 and buildings, with Clare Ancient House > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2072752 being one of the oldest houses in Suffolk. It became the town museum in 1979 and is notable for its superb plasterwork which is an outstanding work of the local craft of pargetting > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2072761 that is still practised today. This decorated plaster-work can be seen on a number of houses, much of it done on old timber-framed buildings. While the plaster is still wet it is either worked over with wooden combs to produce herringbone, shell and similar patterns or shapes are applied with moulds or sculpted by hand to create more individuality.

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Image Location

coordinates on a map icon
Latitude
52.081556
Longitude
0.58082