1: I've lost struggle (3)
2: Cooped up in Essex: pelicans, it would turn out (5)
3: Ancient historian understood America (7)
4: Entertain cable channel hosting Total Recall (5)
5: They teach large groups of swimmers (7)
6: One embracing a lover with a little pizzazz (7)
7: Belated top-and-tailing to gladden one's heart (5)
8: E.g., told story about cave-men (11)
11: Orchestra I'm reorganizing for certain conductor (11)
14: Taverns quoted cool clique (3)
16: He wrote a bit of poetry! (3)
18: Dirt caught in footwear (7)
19: Log support for unknown Housing Director (7)
20: Each retiring bachelor's promise finally cast in stone (7)
22: Quietly pulls electrical connectors (5)
23: Haughtiness of a bunch of cats (5)
24: In Howard's End - one has a passage here from Forster (5)
27: Choose to take the top off (3)