Clare Castle
Clare is a small town in Suffolk, about 25 miles south-east of Cambridge and 30 miles west of Ipswich.
The remains of the castle now form part of the Clare Castle Country Park.- postcode CO10 8NW
Clare is one of the last castles to come into Mortimer hands, being acquired by Edmund Mortimer ((d1381) 3rd earl of March, through his marriage to Philippa, Countess of Ulster, daughter of Lionel, duke of Clarence.
Originally built by Richard FitzGilbert around 1090, it still has an enormous motte, 100 feet high. The top of the motte is 67 feet across and there is a significant section of tall walling still to be seen there. The castle became very extensive. As well as an inner bailey there were two outer baileys side-by-side, separated by a ditch. Beyond these baileys there was also a large area described as a water garden. Although several mounds and ditches remain, there is little masonry above ground except for a significant section of wall separating two sections of the castle.
The Stour Valley Railway arrived in 1865 and cut straight across the castle. The remains of the railway station are in the country park, a short distance from the motte.
Richard FitzGilbert was a Norman knight who came with the Conqueror, and was rewarded with 176 manors across England. In particular, he was given permission to build castles at Clare and at Tonbridge in Kent. Gradually the patronymic name-form was dropped and they became ‘de Clare’. Over the course of 250 years, and nine generations, the Clare family amassed titles and huge estates in England, Wales and Ireland. Gilbert de Clare (1291-1314) was the 8th earl of Gloucester, 7th earl of Hertford, 10th lord of Clare, 10th lord of Tonbridge, 9th lord of Cardigan, and lord of Glamorgan. When he was killed at Bannockburn, the male Clare line came to an end.
Gilbert’s extensive estates were shared among his three sisters, and both Clare and Usk castles passed to Elizabeth de Clare (d1360). Her first husband was John de Burgh (d1313) and Clare passed to their son William Donn de Burgh (d1333) who was 3rd earl of Ulster. His granddaughter Philippa, 5th Countess of Ulster, was the daughter of Lionel, Duke of Clarence and, on her marriage to Edmund, 3rd earl of March, Clare castle passed to the Mortimers.