Baddesley Clinton — Land & Legacy

About this place

Baddesley Clinton is a moated manor house in the Forest of Arden, Warwickshire, its stone walls rising straight from the water on three sides.

The house probably began in the 13th century, when the surrounding forest was first cleared for farmland.

What sets it apart is its set of priest holes, cramped hiding places built into the fabric of the house for Catholic priests during periods of religious persecution.

The National Trust has looked after the house, park and gardens since 1980, and the moat still frames the building much as it would have looked centuries ago.

Read more on Wikipedia

History

The Ferrers family held Baddesley Clinton for several centuries, shaping the house that survives today, before it eventually passed into the care of the National Trust. During the Elizabethan persecution of Catholics, the house provided refuge for Catholic clergy. The property is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a Grade I listed building, recognising both its archaeological and architectural importance.

Architecture

The house is built largely of local stone and timber, arranged around a courtyard with the moat forming a defensive boundary on several sides, a layout typical of medieval and Tudor manor houses in the region. Later alterations added Tudor and Elizabethan touches to what began as a simpler medieval structure.

Worth knowing

The house's priest holes, built to hide Catholic clergy during periods of religious persecution, are a significant feature of the building's history.

Gardens & grounds

The gardens and parkland surrounding the moated house make for a quiet walk, with the water and old stonework giving the grounds much of their character.

Facilities