Clevedon Court Access Statement

Clevedon Court Tickenham Road Clevedon North Somerset BS21 6QU

Introduction Outstanding 14th-century manor house and 18th-century terraced garden, accessed by steps. The terraces are accessed by steep inclines and steps.

The home to the lords of the manor of Clevedon for centuries, the core of the house is a remarkable survival from the Medieval period. The ground floor has Medieval flagstone, and are uneven. Access to the upper floors are by steps only.

The house was purchased by Abraham Elton in 1709 and it is still the much-loved family home of his descendants today.

Mobile phone reception is very good, up to 4G. In an emergency call 999/112.

Assistance dogs are welcome only

Light levels are low inside the house, in some corridors, due to the Medieval character of the building. This is mainly in the entrance and a few passages on the ground floor.

Arrival & Parking Facilities Clevedon Court is well signposted, via brown signs, from junction 20 on the M5, and is situated on the B3130.

Parking is free, 50 meters, from the entrance. The car park is unsuitable for trailer caravans or motor caravans. Alternative parking is 100 yards east of the entrance in a cul-de-sac.

There are no designated spaces for disabled visitors in the main car park which is 20 meters from Visitor Reception. The ground surface is a mixture of loose gravel and 4 meters of cobbles, followed by a cobble courtyard outside of Visitor Reception.

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The car park is grass, accessed by a mixed driveway of gravel, cobbles and compacted stones in plastic matting. There is no transfer vehicle from the carpark to Visitor reception or the house.

Further parking, on tarmac, is available in a nearby cul-de-sac which is 100 metres from Visitor Reception, which is downhill from the main carpark.

WCs

The toilets are located in the main car park, 15 meters from the café, 40 meters form Visitor Reception and 60 meters from the house and gardens. The building is a brick built construction comprising of a separate female and male area accessed on opposite ends of the building through a door. There is no accessible toilet.

Female – Accessed via a stone step, 9cm high, and some loose gravel surrounding the step. The door way is 64cm wide. 2 cubicles. No hand rail. The light switch is 145cm high. 1 wash basin with cold water tap and additional hot water tap from a water heater. No hand dryer. Lighting is mainly fluorescent bulbs with some natural lighting.

Female toilet entrance Male toilet entrance

Male - Accessed via a stone step, 7cm high, and some loose gravel surrounding the step. The door way is 64cm wide. 1 cubicle. No hand rail. The light switch is 145cm high. 1 wash basin with cold water tap and additional hot water tap from a water heater. No hand dryer. Lighting is mainly fluorescent bulbs with some natural lighting.

There are no baby changing facilities.

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Visitor Reception

The building is brick built with a concreate floor. Inside the walls are whitewashed and lit by fluorescent. The building is also lit by natural lighting from the main door, which remains open unless severe weather when 1 side is closed. The entrance door is 2.5 metres wide, and 1.25 metres when half closed. Access is via a ramp 70cm long, 5cm high at a gradient of 10%.

Visitor Reception Entrance to car park and access to Visitor Reception from car park

The reception desk is 73cm high at its lowest point. There are 4 chairs available to sit on if required, no armrests. 1 large print guide book available on request.

Volunteers will come round to talk to someone who cannot see over or reach up to the desk, and there is a clipboard available for someone to use to write on if they cannot reach the desk

Unfortunately there no induction loops available at the reception desk.

Unfortunately there are no wheelchairs available for use.

House

The house is 60 meters from the car park and 40 metres from Visitor Reception.

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The surface towards the house from Visitor Reception is mixed surfaces, including loose gravel, tarmac and cobbles. The area immediately around the House entrance is loose gravel.

The house is accessed from 4 historic steps, initially 3, then 1 step. The height of each step varies due to the historic nature of them, namely 13cm, 15cm, 15cm and 14cm. The door width is 1.3 metres. There are brush mats in the South Porch 3cm high.

The front door is opened inwards by the volunteer on duty.

All down stairs rooms and corridors, except one (Justice room, which is carpeted), have either hard historic flagstones or wooden floor which can cause an echo, also the stairs to the upper levels is wooden.

Front door and stepped access

The house is lit by lamps with incandescent bulbs and natural lighting, window blinds are left open to allow light in.

Access to the 1st floor Access to the 1st floor

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Seating is provided in the Great Hall along the South side, window seating on the stairs and 1 chair is available in each room. Volunteers are available in each room.

Access to the 1st floor is by wooden steps, Queen Anne Stairs, with a banister. This access is the only access to the 1st floor so can become busy as it acts as the up and down. There are 18 steps, followed by 4 to the first room on the route, all in wood, then a further 3 steps, followed by 4 steps which are carpeted. Access into the chapel on the 1st floor is through a narrow doorway 64cm wide, followed by 3 steps down.

There is no access to the upper floors for wheelchairs due to the nature of the Medieval building.

Stepped access to the North Porch Corridor to Pump Court and Museum

At the end of the Screens passage are 2 historic steps, 15cm high, which gives access to the North Porch. Access to the Pump Court, Museum and East Lobby is via a flagstone floor corridor with a small step, 3cm high at each entrance.

There is a step to exit the house located in the East Lobby, 15 cm high on the inside, and 9 cm on the outside. After exiting the house there is either 9 stone steps or a stone slab ramp, 8% gradient, which returns to the Visitor Reception and car park areas, 10 metres from the exit door.

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Access to the museum Exit step from the house in East Lobby

There is no access for powered wheelchairs or powered mobility vehicles inside the house due to stepped access to the house.

Catering

Catering is located in the main carpark in a covered barn, accessed by grass. The covered barn flooring is woodchip and is level. Seating is provided under cover or outdoor cover on plastic garden chairs and tables.

The counter is 1.1 metres high with no lower counter level, however staff will assist if asked.

There is no induction loop available.

Catering kiosk

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Garden

The garden is made of 6 terraces with the first terrace the largest, and all accessed by steps or slopes. The garden entrance is 19 metres from the house exit comprising of 13 steps to access the terrace. A further entrance to the West of the terrace is available 52 metres form the house exit comprising of 18 steps with an iron handrail. There are benches and places to sit in the garden terraces. The surface is a mixture of grass and gravel and gently sloping to the North.

Access to the terraces are: terrace 2 to 3 has 3 steps and a gravel slope at 10% gradient, terrace 3 to 4 has 6 steps with a gravel slope at 13% gradient, terrace 4 to 5 has 7 steps with a gravel slope at 13% gradient, terrace 5 to 6 has 12 steps, along from terrace 6 you can access the top part of the estate up a grass slope at a 7% gradient.

Step access to garden

Most of the grass slopes on the terraces are either flat of range from 7- 8% gradient.

There is 1 door, open during visiting hours, for access to the upper terrace, via the 6th terrace.

There are places to sit in various locations on each terrace.

There are 2 water features, one is 29cm high, and is circular in stone on the first terrace, and the second is 40cm high and is semi-circular in stone on the second terrace.

Grass slopes showing terrace 1 and upper terraces

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Contact details for more information T: 01275 872257 E: [email protected]

Date: 17th December 2015

Map

Map of Clevedon Court showing route and levels

Exit

Entrance

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Plan of Clevedon Court showing the site layout

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