King John's Palace

Clipstone became a favoured residence of the monarchy for over two hundred years. The historian David Crook listed the following visits: Henry II in 1181 and 1185, Richard I in 1194, John in 1200, 1201, 1205, 1210 and 1215, Henry III in 1244, 1251 and 1255, Edward I in 1279, 1280, 1284, 1290 and 1300, Edward II in 1307, 1315, 1316, 1317, 1318 and 1320, Edward III in 1327, 1328, 1330, 1331, 1332, 1334, 1335, 1345 and 1363, and Richard II in 1387 and 1393 Such visits could be brief, such as John's overnight stay on 19 March 1200. The reign of King John saw the endowment of the chapel of St Edwin in 1205. He is also said to have held a parliament at the nearby Parliament Oak during one of his…

The site is open to visitors subject to advance application to the Bradley family (the landowners) of Waterfield Farm, King's Clipstone. In the summer of 2009, a permanent interpretation panel was unveiled during an open day at the palace. The panel was written and designed by James Wright and features a reconstruction drawing, by local artist Ray Straw, of the palace complex as it may have appeared in the mid-14th century. The panel is fixed to the 1991 pre-cast masonry wall on the north-west elevation of the ruin. There is also an annual open day in July at the site known as the "Picnic at the Palace". Details of this are usually logged with the Council For British Archaeology's Festival…