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Kenilworth Castle, Warwickshire

Kenilworth Castle: this image is copyright free

There has been a castle of one kind or another on the site of Kenilworth for well over a thousand years. The first fortification here was Saxon, while the ruined building now seen at Kenilworth was originally Norman. A characteristically square Norman keep was built by Geoffrey de Clinton, who was treasurer and chief justice of England to the Norman king Henry I . Henry II then took control of Kenilworth and worked to improve its defences. This work was continued by Henry III, making the castle one of the strongest in the Midlands. A huge lake was created to keep attackers and their missiles well away from the walls. Unfortunately the lakes are now lost.

Following all this work on its defences, Kenilworth Castle was given by Henry III to his brother-in-law Simon de Montfort. Later de Montfort would become a leader of a rebellion against the king. Kenilworth Castle served as de Montfort's headquarters, and Henry III's son Prince Edward, later Edward I, was briefly imprisoned here. Edward turned the tables in 1266, when he laid siege to rebels hiding at Kenilworth following the death in battle of de Montfort. The stand off that followed, lasting nearly a year, turned into the longest siege in English history. Edward won in the end, but was forced to allow the defenders favourable terms to secure their surrender.

The castle then passed down through England's royal family, until it was given to John Dudley, Earl of Northumberland in 1553. Northumberland was executed for his part in the attempt to replace catholic Mary Tudor with protestant Lady Jane Grey. The castle then passed to Elizabeth I's favourite Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester in 1563. Leicester was very keen to impress Elizabeth, hoping to persuade her to marry him. With this in mind he spent far more money than he could afford on Kenilworth, investing £60,000 over ten years, when his annual income was only £5000. Money also went into creating a beautiful garden, which has been restored. Very few Tudor gardens survive, so Leicester's garden represents a fascinating view into the past. But in spite of the garden, and all the money spent, Elizabeth did not marry Leicester. She still got very cross when he eventually married someone else.

It is suggested that Leicester's nephew, the poet Sir Philip Sidney, started his writing career at Kenilworth. As a courtier to Elizabeth he attended extravagant entertainment provided at Kenilworth for the queen in July 1575. The entertainment may have been extravagant but it was not sophisticated. There was bear baiting and hunting, which the queen loved, and various "comedy" presentations, such as a rustic wedding where "common" people would say stupid things and frequently fall over. Young Philip Sidney watched this nonsense and possibly thought to himself "I can do better." It is thought he started writing poetry at Kenilworth, or soon after leaving. I first studied Philip Sidney at Warwick University which is within walking distance of Kenilworth. I wish I'd left my pokey little room, wandered along to the castle with my book of Sidney's poems, and read them in the place where his career started.

Much damage was done to Kenilworth during the Civil War by parliamentarian troops. This is when the great water defences were destroyed. But unlike some other castles such as Corfe, the castle itself survived relatively intact. In 1660, after the restoration of the monarchy, Charles II gave Kenilworth to his long time friend and advisor Edward Hyde, who he made Earl of Clarendon. Sadly the capable Clarendon was eventually setup as a scapegoat for an unsuccessful war against the Dutch. He was dismissed from his post as chancellor and fled abroad. In spite of Edward's fall from grace, Kenilworth remained in the Clarendon family until 1937, when it passed to John Davenport, who presented the castle to Kenilworth in 1958. The castle has been cared for by English Heritage since 1984.

Extensive educational materials are provided for parents, teachers and school groups. The main topic covered is Tudor history.

 

 

Opening Times: Open all year round, except for Christmas and New Year periods.

March 1st to November 1st open daily 10am - 5pm.

2nd November to 28th February daily 10am - 4pm.

A tearoom is open April to October.

Last admission is 30 minutes prior to closing.

Address: Kenilworth Castle, Castle Green, Kenilworth, Warwickshire CV8 1NE

Directions: Follow the A452 to Kenilworth,and then follow signs. Buses from Coventry to Leamington Spa pass close to the castle. Click here for an interactive map centred on Kenilworth Castle.

Access: Level access is available via the north entrance (Queen Elizabeth's favourite entrance!) Telephone ahead to arrange this. Once in the castle there is level access to the Great Hall and kitchen, but upper floors can only be reached via spiral staircases. There is a special low level display for wheelchair users. Gardens are fully accessible. Audio tour and Braille guide are available. The audio tour includes a hearing loop. Adapted toilet facilities can be found at the Castle Green entrance and at the shop.

Contact:

telephone: 01926 852078

web site: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/kenilworth-castle/

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