Clipsham: Yew Tree Avenue and Building History

Clipsham brings together the unusually shaped Yew Tree Avenue and a building history spanning several centuries. The avenue was once the carriage drive to Clipsham Hall; Church of St Mary, the entrance façade of the Hall and Clipsham Stone each add their own architectural touches. When choosing a holiday rental for your stay, these differences can help shape the focus of your holiday: time outdoors and a picnic break sit alongside interests in church architecture, façade details and historic materials.

Yew Tree Avenue: yew trees in unusual shapes

Yew Tree Avenue was once the carriage drive to Clipsham Hall. It is over 200 years old and consists of 150 clipped yew trees in unusual shapes. A visit is free, and the avenue invites you to sit and enjoy a picnic. This brings together its former use, striking tree shapes and a practical place to take a break. It makes for a different focus for an outing than the buildings, where dates and façade details take centre stage. The avenue combines its former role with a present-day outdoor break; the unusual shapes give a visit a clear visual focus.

Church and Hall: different architectural details

Church of St Mary is mostly a 12th-, 13th- and 14th-century church; its west tower dates from around 1300. The tower provides a more specific date, while the church as a whole spans several centuries. St Mary’s Church also contains a monument by Pugin. The monument adds a specific memorial to the building history and provides a different point of interest from the building’s date.

At the entrance façade of Clipsham Hall is a semicircular open porch with four Roman Doric columns. Here, the focus is on a clearly defined façade feature, while St Mary’s is shaped by a building history spanning several centuries. Those who enjoy comparing architectural forms will find different points of interest in the church and the Hall: a single porch motif in one, and several historical layers and a Pugin monument in the other.

Clipsham Stone between the Middle Ages and restoration

Clipsham Stone expands the architectural theme to include the history of a material. In the 14th century, the stone was used at Windsor Castle in Berkshire; in the 20th century, it was used in the restoration of the Palace of Westminster in London. The two examples differ both in date and in their building context: one concerns its use at Windsor Castle, the other explicitly a restoration in London. Clipsham Stone can thus be linked with medieval use and later restoration work. This offers a comparison across two centuries and two named buildings for exploring building history, in addition to the forms of the church and Hall.

This contrast can help you decide what to focus on during your stay: the avenue combines its former use with a free visit and a picnic break. Church of St Mary and Clipsham Hall draw attention to building dates, a monument and a distinctive porch; Clipsham Stone adds material use in Windsor and London to these themes. This lets you shape your holiday around whether you would rather spend time at the avenue or focus more on architectural forms and their history.

Discover more destinations

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

For the main travel overview: Rutland.