King John's Palace

King John’s Palace stands on private land in Kings Clipstone, a village in north-west Nottinghamshire. The remains sit within the old boundaries of Sherwood Forest, once a vast royal hunting ground. The name dates from the 18th century, though the site was originally called the King’s Houses. Henry II began the first major building here between 1176 and 1180. Richard I held a meeting with the King of Scots at Clipstone in 1194. Edward I called a Parliament here in 1290. The palace was a busy royal centre for more than two centuries. Henry III visited three times, while Edward III came at least nine times. King John stayed nine days in total, spread over several visits. The complex once included a gatehouse, towers, halls, chapels and kitchens. Stables held two hundred horses, and a great pond supplied fish for royal feasts. Archaeologists have found traces of timber floors and ornately carved windows. Today a single stone chamber survives from around 1180. The Romanesque doorway and buttresses mark its entrance. The chamber once had an upper floor with windows overlooking the deer park. Nearby earthworks hint at the larger palace that once stood here. The site is still studied by archaeologists, who uncover new details each year. Visitors can walk among the ruins and imagine the grand halls and busy courtyards that once filled the clearing.