Clare Priory

It is situated on the banks of the River Stour, a short distance away from the medieval village of Clare, Suffolk.

The friary was suppressed in 1538 and the property passed through many hands until it was again purchased by the Augustinian friars in 1953.

Today the Priory offers modern retreat facilities for guests.

[1] By the 14th century the Augustinian order had had over 800 friars in England and Ireland, but these priories had declined (for other reasons) to around 300 friars before the anti-clerical laws of the Reformation Parliament and the Act of Supremacy.

[1] It retains some original features, such as the little cloister with the shrine, the vaulted porch, and stained glass.