Warwick Castle
Location History
There’s much to recommend in Warwick, and one of the highlights is undoubtedly the castle. The position where is stands, overlooking the River Avon, was originally the site of a fort built by Æthelflaed (Alfred the Great’s daughter) in 914AD. Æthelflaed located the fort to offer protection from Danish invaders.
The first castle was built out of wood by William the Conqueror in 1068. Its central position, and proximity to both the river and the Fosse Way (the longest Roman road in Britain) gave William a stronghold from which to move troops. Victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 was just the beginning of William’s conquest, and Warwick provided a strategic location from which to extend his reach further north.
Although the wooden structure has long gone, the motte remains as the oldest surviving part of the castle. Known as the Mound, or the Conqueror’s Fortress, the motte (upon which the wooden keep would have stood) was created from layers of shale and soil. It is a testament to the skills of the Norman builders that it remains in place today.
In the second half of the twelfth century, the wooden construction was replaced with a stone keep. The town of Warwick continued to grow around the castle.
Owners and Visitors
Warwick castle has been owned by 36 individuals during its history, including four periods as crown property under the rule of seven different monarchs. The first Earldom was created in 1088 and included a clause specifying the right of inheritance through the female line. The following section is not exhaustive, but details some particularly notable owners and visitors.
The youngest owner was Anne Beauchamp, who inherited the castle from her father, Henry, in 1446. Anne was only two at the time of her inheritance. On her death, aged 5, the castle passed to Henry’s sister and her husband.
Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick, was among several notable owners. Also known as The Kingmaker, Neville was one of the wealthiest landowners in the country during the 1450s and 60s. During the Wars of the Roses, he was a key political power in the country, and in 1461, he helped Edward IV depose Henry IV to become king. After a falling out with Edward, he switched allegiance back to Henry IV and supported Henry’s reinstatement as king in 1470.
Elizabeth I visited the castle during her tour of England in 1566. She visited again in 1572, staying for four nights in a timber building within the grounds which was constructed specifically for her. Ambrose Dudley, the third Earl of Warwick and owner at the time, left the castle to Elizabeth during her visits. [Note Richard Neville was the sixteenth Earl during the title’s first use. The first round of the title was forfeited when Edward Plantagenet, the seventeenth Earl, was beheaded for treason in 1499. In 1547, the title Earl of Warwick was reinstated, and Ambrose was the third titleholder during the second revival.]
Elizabeth was succeeded by her closest relative, James I of England. The year 1605 saw the failed Gunpowder Plot to assassinate the king by blowing up the Houses of Parliament. Conspirators waited in Dunchurch, Warwickshire to hear news from Westminster. On learning of the plot’s failure, they broke into Warwick Castle and stole cavalry horses on which to escape north. Their planned regrouping failed though, and they were caught on Friday 8 November in Staffordshire.
In the 1640s, the castle defences were fortified to prepare for the English Civil War. During this time, Warwick Castle was held by the Parliamentarians, who withstood a siege by Royalist forces in 1642. Later in the war, Royalist prisoners were held at the castle.
Today
This post has covered just a small section of the castle’s fascinating history. Today, it is operated by Merlin Entertainments, and a visit to the castle offers a full family day out. Attractions include the Horrible Histories Maze, Zog’s playground, peacock gardens, bird of prey displays … and that’s before entering the building to see the great hall and state rooms, visit the gaol, and perhaps take a guided tour of the dungeon. Leave time to enjoy the extensive gardens, landscaped by Capability Brown in 1750.
Britain’s largest working siege machine, a trebuchet, is located at the castle. Used originally to fire boulders, burning objects, and even carcasses over the castle walls, the trebuchet is now used during a visitor show.
I avoided showing our son any pictures of the castle before we visited. His face on seeing the building for the first time was a picture. Listed in the Rough Guide’s best castles to visit, Warwick is well worth taking a day or more to explore.
