On the banks of the River Avon, overlooking the town of Warwick lies Warwick Castle, possibly the finest example of a medieval fortification in England. This has been a place of power and influence from before the Norman Conquest up until the final years of the 19th century.
Brief history
There has been a fortification on this site overlooking the River Avon since AD 914, when Ethelfreda, daughter of Alfred the Great, ordered the building of a burh, earthen rampart, to protect the nearby settlement of Warwick.
William the Conqueror recognised the strategic significance of the position and established a motte and bailey fort here in 1068 as a means of pacifying the locality. His Castellan, or constable, was Henry de Beaumont and the castle stayed in the family until the line died out in 1242. In 1268 the castle passed into the possession of the Beauchamp family, and both castle and family began to grow in importance. Thomas de Beauchamp (1329–69) was one of Edward III's favoured commanders. He fought at Crécy and Poitiers and was one of the first to be made a Knight of the Garter, finally ending up as the military advisor to the Black Prince. His son, Thomas the Younger (1370–97), was deeply involved in the political wrangling that characterised the turbulent reign of Richard II, eventually being exiled in 1388 only to return in 1399 when Henry Bolingbroke usurped the throne to become Henry IV. His son Richard (1401–39) was also prominent in the Hundred Years War; it fell to him as Captain of Calais to preside over the trial and execution of Joan of Arc at Rouen. From Thomas the Elder onwards all the members of the Beauchamp family had spent large sums of money on the restoration and renovation of the castle itself. Richard was no exception and his profits from the Hundred Years War were directed towards an expensive rebuilding plan.
The Wars of the Roses provided the backdrop to the most eventful period in Warwick's history: in the late 1440s Anne Beauchamp married Richard Neville, ending the Beauchamp dynasty and passing the title Earl of Warwick to Neville. No earl, before or since, has wielded as much power as Neville. He earned the name 'Kingmaker' by helping to depose both Henry VI and Edward IV. Ultimately Neville overreached himself and was defeated and killed at the battle of Barnet in 1471 during the Wars of the Roses. Warwick castle then passed to the Duke of Clarence, the King's brother, who was himself killed in 1478. After his death his son, Edward, took the title; however, as the last Plantagenet he was a possible rival to the Tudor King Henry VII, and he was confined to the tower until his death in 1499.
The castle then reverted to the Crown until 1547, when the young Edward VI granted the title and lands to John Dudley. Dudley wielded enormous influence as Earl of Warwick and even sought to place his daughter-in-law, Lady Jane Grey, on the throne. However, Mary Tudor took power after a fortnight and both Dudley and Lady Jane Grey were executed.
From the 17th century onwards the castle (and the title from 1759) has remained in the hands of the Greville family, surviving both the Civil War and the Restoration. Robert Greville commanded the Parliamentary forces of Warwickshire and Staffordshire and the castle endured a siege by Royalist troops in August 1642. After his death in action at Lichfield Robert's son turned his back on his father's political views and aided the Restoration of Charles II in 1660. In the 1750s 'Capability' Brown transformed the gardens and successive earls renovated the interior of the castle. The castle enjoyed its final heyday from the 1890s when it became a favourite retreat for many of the most important people in Victorian society. Edward, Prince of Wales, later Edward VII, was a frequent visitor. In 1978 David Greville sold Warwick Castle to the Tussauds Group, and they now maintain and run the castle.
A tour of the castle
The castle nowadays holds many attractions for the visitor covering every period of its history.
A large number of exhibits, including the Kingmaker attraction, vividly bring to life the castle during the turbulent years of the Wars of the Roses. The Torture Chamber and Dungeon reveal the seamier side of medieval life, whilst the Armoury houses a vast collection of medieval weaponry.
Other permanent exhibits include the Jacobean-style Ghost Tower, which tells the tale of the murder of Sir Fulke Greville by an embittered manservant in 1628, and the magnificent State Rooms, which illustrate how the castle changed during the 17th and 18th centuries from a place of defence into a stately home to rival any other in the country.
The elegant tableau of 'A Royal Weekend Party, 1898' recalls the high society lifestyle of the late 19th century, including waxwork figures of Edward VII and a young Winston Churchill.
Outside the main building of the castle the grounds themselves are well worth a visit. The castle is set in 60 acres, including two formal gardens; transformed in the 1750s by 'Capability' Brown they remain a testament to the genius of his art. Set amongst these luxurious surroundings are a number of features including the Mound, the original site of the Anglo Saxon and Norman fortifications; the conservatory, originally erected as a home for the Warwick vase, a magnificent piece of Roman pottery; and the Victorian rose garden, which flowers through most of the summer and autumn.
In addition to these permanent attractions Warwick Castle is the scene of a huge number of special events.
The spring and summer are filled with such extravaganzas as Medieval Easter, including a mock siege of the castle; the May Day Festival, which includes displays of birds of prey; jousting weekends, recreating the pageantry of this medieval event; and even a Grand Fireworks Concert featuring music performed by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.
In addition to these events groups can enjoy a variety of themed tours: a Cromwellian trooper describes in depth the fortifications of the castle and how its towers and ramparts have remained unbreached throughout the centuries; the Bowman's story explains the crucial role of the bowman in the castle's history, and medieval English history as a whole, as well as giving a display of archery techniques; the Medieval Kingmaker tour tells the story of Richard Neville, his rise to power and his dramatic downfall; and the Victorian Countess Tour visits the Royal Party exhibit in the company of an expert guide who takes you through the intricacies of Victorian dress, lifestyle and etiquette.
Warwick Castle is situated just off junction 15 of the M40, only forty minutes from Birmingham and an hour and a half from London by car. There are also direct rail services from London Paddington and Marylebone to Warwick.