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Kenilworth Castle

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 original fortification here was Saxon. The origin of the ruined building now seen at Kenilworth is Norman. The characteristically square Norman keep was built by Geoffrey de Clinton, who was Treasurer and Chief Justice of England to the Norman king Henry the First. Henry the Second then took control of the castle and worked to improve its defences. This work was continued by Henry the Third, making the castle into one of the strongest in the Midlands. A huge lake was built to keep attackers and their missiles well away from the walls. Unfortunately these works are now lost.

Ironically, following all this work on its defences, Kenilworth Castle was given by Henry the Third to his brother-in-law Simon de Montfort. Later de Montfort would become a leader of a rebellion against the king. This rebellion, sometimes known as the Second Baron's War, was a very early attempt to create a kind of parliamentary democracy in England. Kenilworth Castle served as de Montfort's headquarters, and Henry the Third's son Prince Edward, later Edward the First, was briefly imprisoned here. Edward turned the tables in 1266. With de Montfort already dead, killed at the Battle of Evesham the previous year, Edward laid siege to the rebels remaining at Kenilworth. 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 give 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 was then given by Elizabeth the First to her 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, and much lavish entertaining at the castle, Elizabeth still 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 the 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 incidentally, 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 the Second gave it to his long time friend and advisor Edward Hyde, who he created 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, where he was to write The History of the Rebellion, one of the finest pieces of historical writing in English. 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. Kenilworth is open from 1st April to 31st May 10am - 5pm, 1st June to 31st August 10am - 6pm, 1st September to 31st October 10am - 5pm, 1st November to 29th February 10am - 4pm, 1st to 20th March 10am - 5pm. A tearoom is open April to October. Last admission is 30 minutes prior to closing.

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!) Phone 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:

phone: 01926 852078

web site: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/kenilworthcastle/index.asp