I don't think any National Trust location has evoked an immediate response of: "I really want to see that", quite like Baddesley Clinton did when I first saw it. The medieval-looking moat with a single bridge allowing access to the 13th Century manor house, something about the whole aesthetic makes this a place that triggers the imagination of all the things that could have happened throughout its history. It is a beautiful patchwork of colours and architectural styles, plus the modest grounds that you are free to roam make for a great little day out.
Almost smack-dab in the middle between Solihull and Royal Leamington Spa, Baddesley Clinton is easiest to reach via car; should you wish to take public transport, the nearest train station at Lapworth would be about a half-hours walk away down country lanes. Getting here by car is pretty straight forward, based near the meeting of the M42 and M40 plus major through roads nearby such as the A4141 and A4177, you will only be on country lanes for a couple of miles before arriving at Baddesley Clinton's car park.
Baddesley Clinton is both a Scheduled Ancient Monument and Grade I Listed Building. It would have been constructed sometime in the 14th century, and its name derives from Baeddi, a Saxon who cleared the site and the de Clinton family who dug the moat. The land passed hands multiple times throughout its history, with much of the house we know today finally being constructed by the 16th century - the Ferrers family constructed large portions of the current house and grounds.
Perhaps the most interesting part of this home's history is its connection to the Catholic church, as a brief bit of background, during the late 16th century there had been a dispute over succession pitting sisters Mary and Elizabeth against each other. The sisters had been raised in different faiths, with Mary a Catholic and Elizabeth, who would eventually take the throne, being a protestant; this combined with many other factors the French, the Scottish, the Pope, ex-communication and revolts (it's yet another fascinating part of history, well worth digging into) led to a law being passed: any attempts to convert English subjects to Catholicism, with "the intent" to disrupt allegiance to Elizabeth I, was punishable by death. As a result, Catholic Priests were forced into hiding and many of the great houses of England constructed priest holes to conceal priests in the event of a raid. Baddesley Clinton has several such priest holes and it is thought they were actively used at least once in 1591 when a conference of Jesuit priests was raided. Be sure to take the time to explore the interior of the manor house, not only to see the priest holes but it is a typically well-preserved house of this era, as you would expect of a National Trust location.
On first appearances, Baddesley Clinton is, relative to its fellow National Trust locations, on the smaller side. That said, the grounds to Baddesley Clinton are lush and should you want a greater walk you can explore the boundaries of the estate for a walk. The main attractions include Baddesley Clinton's moated manor house and the expected collection of well-manicured National Trust gardens. Just beyond the manor house is the vegetable gardens, typically active year-round and usually, you will run into someone well versed in all things horticultural; again this is not the largest National Trust gardens but they make effective use of the space they have available to them.
If you decide to go on the extended walk all around Baddesley Clinton's grounds then you will be treated to a fairly easy-going walk in the Warwickshire countryside. The route, as detailed by the National Trust themselves, will see you exiting out from the car-park and venturing over the nearby fields so take decent boots if you are walking in the winter months. You will pass near St Michael's Church before following the perimeter all the way around, passing over the "Heart of England Way" walking path and eventually onto a fir forest where you can do a bit of bird watching at the bird screen. At that point, you are not too far from being back at the car-park, just follow the route across the fields until you rejoin the entrance road.
That about covers Baddesley Clinton, its a picture-perfect little manor house well worth the price of admission just to enjoy the exterior and grounds. This is certainly one of those places I cannot wait to return to, as our initial visit was in late winter and while the house was still as spectacular as I had envisioned, it is always worth seeing National Trust gardens in full-bloom to get the best experience. As this is one of the smaller National Trust locations you can absolutely enjoy this beauty spot as part of a greater days adventure if you just happen to be passing through!
Did you like or find this useful?
