Warwick is the historic county town of Warwickshire and is located approximately 150 kilometres north-west of London. It is a small town of only 25,000 residents which lies on the Avon River and is famous for being home to Warwick Castle in addition to the many other beautiful Tudor and 17th century historic buildings. The town centre has many independent speciality shops and restaurants which gives the town a unique atmosphere and a wonderful individual charm.
Warwick can trace its beginnings to AD914, when defences were constructed to ward off Danish invaders from the Kingdom of Wessex. The well preserved castle, built in the 14th century, is a formidable and awe inspiring stronghold, located on a commanding site above the River Avon. Converted into a house in the 17th century for the Earl of Warwick, and lived in by the family until fairly recently, it has now been taken over by the Madame Tussaud’s organisation and turned into a marvellous medieval experience for all the family with re-construction of events in history, arms and armour through the ages, a royal Victorian weekend party complete with waxworks, dungeons, torture and much more!!
Much of Warwick was destroyed by fire in 1694, but there remains some fine medieval architecture in Mill Street. Here, the oldest buildings are the East and West Gates, all that remains of the city walls and which dates from the 12th century. Above the West Gate can be found the Chapel of St James, which was restored in 1863. The ‘Lord Leycester Hospital’ was founded in 1571 by Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester and friend to Queen Elizabeth I, and was to provide homes for ‘such poor and impotent persons as shall hereafter be maimed or hurt in the service of the Queen, her heirs and successors’. It was built in 1450 by the then Earl of Warwick and now houses the Museum of the Queens Own Hussars. St Mary’s Church, which was built in 12th century and extensively rebuilt in the 14th century, was partly destroyed by the fire of 1694 but much of the medieval building survives including the Beauchamp Chapel which contains the tomb of Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick who died in 1439. The tomb is one of the finest medieval monuments in Britain. Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, and his brother Ambrose, Earl of Warwick are also buried here. Following the fire, many fine Georgian buildings were constructed to replace those destroyed. One such is the Shire Hall, which contains two octagonal courtrooms, whose shape is repeated next door in the old County Gaol. The dungeon, which dates back to 1680, is seven metres across and could be made to hold as many as fifty prisoners, all held by a single chain connected to posts and secured outside to the door!
An interesting museum of a different kind is located in Oken’s House at the centre of Castle Lane, a lovely timbered house originally the home of Thomas Oken who died in1573. It is the Doll Museum which houses a fascinating collection of dolls, dolls’ houses, prams and toys.
Other sites, in the city, worthy of mention:
St John’s House, an early 17th century mansion, houses two branches of the Warwickshire County Museum. On the ground floor is the museum of the domestic life of the country over the centuries, including period room settings, and on the first floor is the history of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and includes memorabilia of Field Marshal Montgomery.
The Warwickshire Museum, housed in the town’s old Market Hall, has displays of the geology, archaeology and natural history of the county.
Other places of interest within 30 kilometres:
Kenilworth Castle, has a ruined Norman Keep and the 14th century great hall, and a recently restored gatehouse, originally built by Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester for Queen Elizabeth. It is in the care of English Heritage.
Royal Leamington Spa, which owes its fame to the natural spring saline waters, is a spacious town and a fashionable health retreat.
Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire’s oldest market town and famous for its association with William Shakespeare. The town is also very close to Shottery, where Anne Hathaway’s Cottage can be found.
Packwood House, a Tudor house, much restored between the two World Wars, and a garden with notable topiary. A National Trust Property.
Charlecote Park, a National Trust property, is a superb Tudor house re-built in 1830s, with deer park landscaped by Capability Brown.
Did you know that – the Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, buried in St Mary’s Church, is the Earl portrayed in George Bernard Shaw’s ‘St Joan’ who was largely responsible for her execution.
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