Earlier this week B wanted a lift to a local pub to meet friends for lunch so D and I took him and while he was there we took ourselves off to Kenilworth Castle. It was such a lovely warm, sunny day and we saw our first butterflies of the year - Brimstones galore plus bumble bees and native ladybirds.
One of the plant organisations is running a challenge to identify 100 plants in 2026. You can count wildplants, trees, ferns and horsetails but not mosses, lichens or fungi. D and I decided it would be a fun thing to to. We managed to add around 12 species to our list although I didn't count Primroses and Cowslips which were growing on a bank and which I suspected had been planted.
Lesser Celandine
Dog's Mercury
Ivy still with berries
Goat Willow
We also added - Daisy, Dandelion, Red Dead Nettle, Hawthorn (one tree still had berries on it which helped with id), Ivy, Early Dog Violet, Barren Strawberry, Bramble and Oak (which still had acorn cups on it :) We did find a self seeded Holly which I am uncertain about counting plus one of those tiny white flowers that are SO hard to identify!
We finally made it to the castle!
I will repeat the history but if you have read my posts before on Kenilworth Castle I would skip this bit as it is repetitive!
- The first castle at Kenilworth was built in the 1120's by Geoffrey de Clinton (The Royal Chamberlain) who had been given the land by Henry I. He built the Great Tower (Norman Keep) and also founded Kenilworth Priory.
- In the early C13th King John added an outer circuit wall and built a dam to retain a large lake. The castle was now strongly defended and withstood a siege in 1266.
- John of Gaunt, son of Edward III, built the Great Hall and its apartments.
- C15th Lancastrian Kings visited to hunt and Henry V built a retreat at the end of the lake called "The Pleasance in the Marsh".
- In 1563 Queen Elizabeth I gave the castle to Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. He turned the castle into a palace where he could entertain her building apartments and a privy garden for her use.
- After the Civil War the fortifications were removed and in 1650 Colonel Hawkesworth, a Parliamentarian Officer turned Leicester's Gatehouse into a private residence.
- In 1958 Lord Kenilworth gave the castle to the people of Kenilworth and it has been managed by English Heritage since 1984.
Mortimer's Tower built by King John in 1210. It may later have taken its name from Roger Mortimer, one of the Marcher lords, who held a tournament at the castle in 1282.
The Stables which house a tea room and an exhibition.
The Great Tower or Norman Keep
Dudley's Gatehouse and the entrance
Lunn's Tower
The Queen's Privy garden was a private garden created for Elizabeth I by Robert Dudley. The garden was recreated by English Heritage in 2009. The design was based on descriptions by Robert Longham who sneaked into the garden in the C16th. Archaelogical surveys and historical research were also used to help plan the garden.
The fountain (which looks as though it is being repaired, restored or just out of use?) is the centre piece of the garden. It is built of Italian Carrera marble like the original. Two Athlants (Atlas figures) support a sphere that discharges water.
More wild flowers found - Daisy and Red Dead Nettle.
We were hoping to have toasted sandwiches for lunch but the only food available was cake! So cake it was!
Some of the photos D took.
I was pleased to see Jackdaws and a Pair of Little Egrets. New species for the 2026 bird list! D thought the egrets were nesting nearby.
It was good to get out for a few hours. Having not had cellulitis for months I have been fighting it off yet again for the last month or so. Sadly, I don't think all the walking at the castle did it much good!
We haven't yet been the static caravan - the site re-opened on the 1st March. To be honest I am not looking forward to the first visit as when B drained it down himself he managed to put too much air pressure down the pipes! and he is concerned we may have a water leak when we turn the water back on! All I can do is cross my fingers that everything will be ok!
All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera and D with the Canon SX50HS. (I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone wishes to use one of mine or my son's I would be grateful for an email first - thanks).
Reference: English Heritage website and Guide Book to Kenilworth Castle.
Well, it could have been worse, I mean there might have been no cake at all, then what would Timothy have done?
ReplyDeleteLove the idea of the challenge to spot and name flowers, trees, grasses and et al. Right up my street.
So pleased you got out and about in some finally decent weather!
Thanks Debbie and you are right about the cake! Really enjoying the wild flower challenge - something different to do and hopefully I will learn to id more plants!
DeleteThank heavens for cake. Lovely to see Timothy in his t shirt after a long winter. The wild flower challenge sounds like a great thing to do and you made a good start at Kenilworth. I noticed loads of Lesser Celandine along the verges this last week. I hope all will be well when you finally manage to get to your caravan. It's certainly getting warmer now:)
ReplyDeleteThanks Rosie. Timothy enjoyed himself - he hasn't been out for ages. There are loads of Lesser Celandine everywhere - such a pretty flower. Thanks for good wishes re the caravan.
DeleteEngland has had much warmer weather this week than here, which has been cool and very windy (so cold!). I haven't seen any Brimstones yet.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy to read the history of the castle again as I would never remember any of it! Glad you got out despite having problems with the cellulitis again. Hope your walk hasn't made it worse.
Thanks Mandy. Hope weather improves for you soon. This week has been lovely but I suspect it won't last! The Brimstones at Kenilworth were the first butterflies I have seen this year.
DeleteThanks re history of the castle :) Cellulitis sadly not been good since the walk although that may be just coincidence!
An interesting castle as well as plants, and a nice walk. Spring has awakened many plants in nature and in our gardens, everything is full of various beautiful flowers, from snowdrops to tulips
ReplyDeleteStara - thank you for visiting my blog and leaving a comment. As you say the Spring flowers are looking lovely everywhere.
DeleteIt is a long time since I last visited Kennilworth Castle.
ReplyDeleteThanks - it is well worth a revisit.
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