Baddesley Clinton

Baddesley Clinton
stately home
Baddesley Clinton
Country	England
State	Warwickshire
Region	Midlands
District	Warwickshire
Municipality	Warwick
Founded	13th century
Owner	National Trust
Visitation	accessible to the public with a fee (year round)

Baddesley Clinton (grid reference SP199714), is a moated manor house, located some 8 miles (13 km) north-west of the historic town of Warwick in the English county of Warwickshire. The house probably originated in the 13th century, when large areas of the Forest of Arden were cleared for farmland. The site is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and the hall a Grade I listed building.

In 1438, John Brome, Under-Treasurer of England, bought the manor, which passed to his son, Nicholas. Nicholas was responsible for the extensive rebuilding of the nearby parish church dedicated to Saint Michael, done as penance for killing the parish priest, a murder reputed to have taken place in the great house itself. The house from this period was equipped with gun-ports, and possibly a drawbridge. When Nicholas Brome died in 1517, the house passed to his daughter, who married Sir Edward Ferrers (High Sheriff of Warwickshire) in 1500. The house remained in the ownership of the Ferrers family until 1940 when it was purchased by Thomas Walker, a relative of the family who changed his name to Ferrers. His son, who inherited it in 1970, sold the estate in 1980 to the National Trust, who now manage it.

Henry Ferrers "The Antiquary" (1549–1633) made many additions to Baddesley Clinton, including starting the tradition of stained glass representing the family's coat of arms. Such glass now appears in many of the public rooms in the house. It is thought that he was responsible for building the great hall. In the 18th century the great hall was rebuilt in brick, and the east range was extended, though with great care to continue the style of the original building.