  The local and intermediate structure of stoichiometric LaMnO$_3$ has been
studied in the pseudocubic and rhombohedral phases at high temperatures (300 to
1150 K). Neutron powder diffraction data were collected and a combined Rietveld
and high real space resolution atomic pair distribution function analysis
carried out. The nature of the Jahn-Teller (JT) transition around 750 K is
confirmed to be orbital order to disorder. In the high temperature orthorhombic
($O$) and rhombohedral ($R$) phases the MnO$_6$ octahedra are still fully
distorted locally. The data suggest the presence of local orbitally ordered
clusters of diameter $\sim 16$ \AA ($\sim$four MnO$_6$ octahedra) implying
strong nearest neighbor JT anti-ferrodistortive coupling.
