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Clarendon Font

The original bracketed slab serif

Robert Besley (1845) · Bracketed slab serif · 1845 · × Paid license (in Adobe Fonts)

Download Free Alternative

Bevan · closest free match to Clarendon

Clarendon font poster: brown slab serif headline on a weathered barn wall posterClarendon style slab serif on a wooden trail sign and a vintage can labelClarendon style character set: uppercase and lowercase alphabet, numbers and symbols

Illustrations of the Clarendon style made for DaFontFonts. Letterforms are approximate; check the official specimen before you buy.

Download Clarendon

License:
Paid license (in Adobe Fonts)
Font Type:
Paid
Download:
Free alternative: Bevan (OFL-1.1)
Format:
TTF
Total Files:
2 styles + licence
Download Free Alternative

Clarendon itself is not free to download. This button gives you Bevan, the closest free match, licensed for commercial use. Clarendon on Adobe Fonts

About Clarendon

Clarendon was registered in 1845 by Robert Besley of the Fann Street Foundry in London. It defined a new kind of type, the bracketed slab serif: heavy, block-like serifs joined to the strokes with soft curves, which made the letters bold and sturdy but still friendly. It quickly became a favourite for dictionaries, posters and display work.

Clarendon is the face of the American West in popular imagination: wanted posters, circus bills and old shop fronts. In the twentieth century it found new life on park signs, food packaging and editorial headlines, and modern digital versions keep it popular for heritage and outdoor brands.

Where Clarendon works best

  • Vintage and Western posters
  • Park and outdoor signage
  • Food and heritage packaging
  • Bold editorial headlines

Free alternatives to Clarendon

Open-licence fonts with a comparable feel, every one verified free for commercial use and downloadable from DaFontFonts.

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
Bevan Serif · 2 styles ✓ OFL

Bevan is a digital reworking of a heavy 19th-century slab in the Clarendon spirit. It only comes in one very bold weight, so it covers Clarendon's poster role, not its text styles.

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
Arbutus Slab Serif · 1 style ✓ OFL

Arbutus Slab has gently bracketed serifs and a sturdy, friendly color that echoes Clarendon at text and subhead sizes. It is lighter and more casual than a true Clarendon bold.

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
Crete Round Serif · 2 styles ✓ OFL

Crete Round is a warm slab with rounded details, matching Clarendon's approachable, old-fashioned tone. It includes an italic, which many free slabs lack.

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
Bree Serif Serif · 1 style ✓ OFL

Bree Serif is a loose match: an upright slab with friendly, almost handwritten touches. It works for Clarendon-style branding that leans cheerful rather than antique.

Compare all Clarendon alternatives

Clarendon is a trademark of its owner. DaFontFonts does not host or distribute the Clarendon font files; download and licence links go to the official source.

Questions

Is Clarendon font free?

Quality digital Clarendons are paid or come with Adobe Fonts. Free files named Clarendon are often low quality or not properly licensed. Bevan and Bree Serif are safe free alternatives.

Who designed Clarendon?

Robert Besley of the Fann Street Foundry in London registered Clarendon in 1845.

What is a bracketed slab serif?

A slab serif whose thick serifs blend into the main strokes with curved brackets, giving a softer, friendlier look than square slabs like Rockwell.

What is a free alternative to Clarendon?

Bevan is close for heavy display use, Arbutus Slab and Crete Round give a softer feel, and Bree Serif works for friendly headlines.

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