Last week D and I decided to visit Kenilworth Castle - I was chaffeuring B to an event and it was somewhere we could go before picking him up.
In the past Kenilworth Castle was a royal castle for much of its history and today many buildings remain unaltered from Elizabethan times.
The first castle was built in the 1120's on a low sandstone hill by Geoffrey de Clinton, the Royal Chamberlain. He built the Great Tower and also founded Kenilworth Priory.
In the early 13th century King John added an outer stone circuit wall and built a dam to retain a large lake. The castle, now strongly fortified, withstood a siege in 1266.
It wasn't long before the castle was used a palace and John of Gaunt, son of Edward III, created the Great Hall and its apartments.
In the 15th century Lancastrian kings visited to hunt and Henry V had a retreat constructed at the end of the lake called "the Pleasance in the Marsh".
Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, was given the castle in 1563 by Queen Elizabeth I and he turned it into a place where he could entertain her.
After the Civil War the fortifications were removed in 1650 and Leicester's Gatehouse was used as a residence by Colonel Hawkesworth, a Parliamentarian Officer.
The ruins of the castle were used by Sir Walter Scott as a setting for his novel "Kenilworth" which romanticised the story of Robert Dudley and Elizabeth I.
In 1958 Lord Kenilworth gave the castle to the town and it has been managed by English Heritage since 1984.
In the photo below Leicester's Building is on the left and the Great Tower on the right. Robert Dudley built the former as apartments for Queen Elizabeth I to use when she stayed.
To the right in the photo below can be seen Mortimer's Tower built by King John c1210-15. It is possible that the name is connected to Roger Mortimer, one of the Marcher Lords, who held a tournament at Kenilworth in 1282.
This is believed to have been the tiltyard where tournaments were held.
Great Tower
Leicester's Gatehouse built by Robert Dudley in 1571/2.
The Stables - now a cafe and there is a very good exhibition in there on the history of the castle.
Lunn's Tower
The fountain is the centre piece of the garden. The new fountain, like the original, is made of white carrara marble from Tuscany, Italy. The base is octagonal and the centre column has two Athlantes (Atlas figures holding up the sky).
Panels at the base are carved with eight scenes from the "Metamorphoses" (Ovid's narrative poem) which reveals the lives and loves of gods and humans and describes their transformations into animals or plants. Two additional panels have been added to today's fountain.
The carvings include:
- Neptune with his trident
- Neptune's son Titus drawn by fish
- Proseus (another of Neptune's sons) herding sea bulls.
- Doris and her daughters
- The Nereids (sea nymphs)
- Thetis in her chariot drawn by dolphins
The aviary with its top painted to make it look as though it is encrusted with diamonds, emeralds, rubies and sapphires.
The Bear and Ragged Staff - the badge of Robert Dudley.
The kitchens were mainly built in the time of John of Gaunt. Hearths, fireplaces and bread ovens and a furnace can be seen. Along with herringbone masonry.
The Great Hall. The windows have perpendicular tracery. The hall itself was on the first floor and below was a vaulted cellar.
Weathered red sandstone
Leicester's Building
We sat outside the cafe and had a sandwich and cup of tea.
D spotted these flowers in the pub garden while we were waiting for B to appear. First time he has met with old office colleagues since before pandemic!
We were too early to pick B up so did a detour to get a photo of Berkswell Windmill. Some years ago we went to an Open Day here and had a lovely time.
I bought a couple of teatowels from the English Heritage shop as I am trying to replace gradually ones that are years old and a bottle of English Heritage ginger wine which I adore for an occasional treat.
I hope everyone is staying safe and well.
Photos marked *D taken by my son with the Canon SX50HS. Rest of photos taken by me with the Pansonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera. If anyone ever wishes to use any photos on this blog I would be grateful for an email please. Thanks.
Reference: English Heritage Guide Book on Kenilworth Castle and information boards around the site.
15 comments:
Stunning place to visit could be high on my list. I love going around places like that
Billy Blue Eyes - Thanks so much. It is a super place to visit - far better than the over commercialsed Warwick Castle.
Too far away for me to visit, so it was lovely seeing your photos. What history this place has, truly amazing.
Bovey Belle - Thanks so much. It is a wonderful castle :)
Lovely. I'm glad you were able to go back for another visit. It looks like you had a great time. Your mention of Carrara marble took me back to a holiday in Tuscany in 1990 when we stayed at nearby Marina di Massa. One of our days out was to the Carrara Marble quarries. I still have six little blocks of different coloured marble we bought whilst there. Interesting to see the mill looking in good shape. Many of the mills we saw recently on our venture into Lincolnshire were closed or minus sails and caps:)
Rosie - Thanks so much. Its only about 300 minutes from us and we both EH members so free entry and parking :) That sounds a fascinating visit to the Marble Quarries in Tuscany. Always nice to buy a little souvenir. I have a little tea light holder made from Beer stone from when we visited Beer Quarry Caves. Although have to admit parts of that tour were scary - wasn't overkeen on being underground and then we had to descend an open staircase with what looked like a huge drop underneath!!!!!!
The windmill has been restored at Berkswell. There is a campaign atm to stop new homes being built in a field right next to it!!!
The breadth of your knowledge always amazes me, both the history and architecture. Lovely to see Timothy putting in an appearance. I do love windmills!
Rosie - OOPS Sorry meant 30 minutes from home :)
Rustic Pumpkin - Thanks so much for your very kind comment. You are so kind but really I just research using guide book etc :)
Lovely photos of Kenilworth Castle.
I am happy to see that Timothy had enjoying a grand adventure.
Ted has been a little sleepy lately and chose to stay at home on our recent visit to Tewkesbury.
CherryPie - Thank you. Timothy does sometimes stay at home too.
was it busy? anyway looking good not been for ages.
BTW if you are a member get your 10% off the food ;)
Quacks and co waves to Timothy
The Quacks of Life - thanks Pete. It was the quietest I have seen it even quieter than a weekend in January!!! Not school hols yet though and thankfully no school parties there! I know I forgot to remind David. Did remember to get 10% off in shop though!
Timothy waves back to Quacks and co :)
This is a really interesting place! Love the Elizabethan garden, much as I love wild landscapes I do love a formal parterre garden too, when they have been well designed. Thanks for the history lesson as well, not that I can remember most of what I have just read, lol! :-)
Millymollymandy - Thanks so much. We love Kenilwort Castle. English Heritage have struck a good balance there a not over commericalised like Warwick Castle owned by a different organisaton. LOl! I forget too once typed!
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