Laura and I took a day trip to Kenilworth Castle. Outside of Coventry and stuck right in the middle of a cute country town are the ruins of this once massive castle. This castle's construction started in the 1100's and continued throughout the 1600's with new additions and refurbishments. Kenilworth was given to Robert Dudley by Queen Elizabeth as a show of her affection and Dudley’s loyalty to the crown. Dudley rebuilt the castle, adding new additions, that were specifically for his one true love, the Queen herself. He built her a stunning garden (much of which is still in great condition) and he built her private rooms with access to an upper level so she could look it at the lake that used to be there. It’s also possible that he made the rooms with secret access so that he could visit her without people knowing (even though everyone knew they were together anyways... eyeroll). Oh, drama!
(Looking up at Kenilworth Castle)
Queen Elizabeth made many summer visits, and on her last visit to Kenilworth in 1575, Robert Dudley hosted a giant party in her honor. He had plays, dances, music, special events, and banquets, all to show his love for the Queen. He hoped that she might concede in marrying him after long last, and this event was his last ditch effort to win her over. Alas, he failed and Elizabeth returned to London with no promise of marriage. After that Dudley gave up, fathering a bastard and marrying a widow. Queen Elizabeth remained unmarried her whole life, married only to her country. What a tragic story...
(Panorama view of the ruins)
Despite the castle passing from family to family, finally falling into disrepair, it’s history still remains. The English Heritage group has added stairs and exhibitions without changing the structure and has kept the castle in the best possible condition. It really is a stunning building! The land it’s on is beautiful and walking up to the main castle, one can only image how grand it really was! Strolling under the half-destroyed arches, you can still see the amazing detail that went into them, same with the windows and the architecture of the Great Hall. In the main building, there are fireplaces stuck out every 10 feet or so, and you can see the wood remnants of a floor in the stone.
(So that's a fireplace floating halfway up the wall!)
Stepping back in history was really fun and I would 100% recommend Kenilworth Castle to anyone in the area! It's worth taking a day to explore the castle and surrounding town and parks, where you can find great food and stunning countryside!
Next on the list was Warwick Castle! When my boyfriend Elijah came to visit, we had a hard time deciding what to do. Most of the English Heritage sites are only open on the weekends starting in November, and sadly he was only here for the week. So trying to find a cool castle for him to see became a problem, until we found Warwick! This castle is owned and operated by the Merlin Entertainment Group (once known as the Tussaud’s Group) and has turned into a huge tourist attraction. Not just for foreign tourists, but English ones too! And I can see why! This castle was exciting to see in comparison to Kenilworth because it has stood the test of time and has been refurbished and used all the way through the 1900’s.
(The walk up to Warwick proved that this castle was just as impressive as I was hoping!)
Warwick was first established as a protective fort in the 900's until Wiliam the Conquer built the moat and a larger fort in the 1060's. The castle is then attacked, rebuilt, attacked, fortified, attacked, built larger until finally, it is finished. Some fun historical events that took place at Warwick include; Joan of Arc being imprisoned and standing trial at the castle in 1431, the Earls of Warwick are killed for treason for generations (crazy family I guess, no one learns...), the castle is said to be haunted by various nobles who died within the walls of the castle, every royal ever has visited, and finally, after a thousand years of history, it has become a hotspot for tourists!
(Can you tell I love Panoramas?! The grounds of Warick Castle are amazing in themselves!)
Warwick is very lavish and has been refurbished, thus making it stunning visually. Sometimes it's hard to imagine what it was actually like and the wax figures placed on display kind-of throw off the historical tune of the place. It's a bit gaudy overall, but it really is very interesting to see! I loved this castle because I still felt like I learned a lot, and I loved getting to see all the stunning rooms and displays. You can also walk along the ramparts and up towers to get amazing views, and climbing up to the mound (which overlooks the castle) you also see the river Avon, a trebuchet, a mill and beautiful countryside. It really is worth a visit if you're around or thinking about visiting.
(Looking up at the Mound- thought to be the oldest part of the main castle due to it's fortifiable location.)
Anyways, I loved both Kenilworth and Warwick and I can't wait to explore more of the castles this amazing country has to offer! Here's to many more adventures and castles!
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