Approach Kenilworth Castle through its Warwickshire park and your first impression might be of another ruined pile of ancient stones. But first impressions are often wrong. This is a fascinating place with almost 900 years of romantic stories: royal conflicts, religious conflicts, and possibly the most poignant case of unrequited love in the history of England. This is what you need to know to visit.
A brief history
The castle was built around 1120 for Geoffrey de Clinton, chamberlain to King Henry I. King Henry was the fourth son of William the Conqueror. The Normans, only a few generations away from their Viking origins, were a warrior group with murderous family feuds. Henry fought with his brothers for the throne and then his only legitimate son and heir was drowned. He tried to name his daughter Matilda his heir, but in 1120, the English were not ready for a woman on the throne, so he passed on to a nephew Stephen de Blois.
But Matilda finally got hers back. Poor Stephen: a civil war broke out between his supporters and Matilda’s almost as soon as he took the throne. He eventually made peace with Matilda’s forces, but only on the condition that his son, the grandson of William the Conqueror, be named his heir.
That was Henry II, who took over Kenilworth Castle and fortified it for all the family fighting, and the war, that followed with his many brothers. It was then that Kenilworth changed from an important estate to a military establishment where Henry II garrisoned soldiers.
What followed were several centuries of infighting and dynastic wars during which the castle stood, even withstanding a six-month siege, the longest in the history of England.
What ultimately reduced it to ruin was politics. At the beginning of the English Civil War between MPs and Royalists, Oliver Cromwell’s parliamentary forces took the castle. He never saw any action in the war, but later, in 1649, Parliament ordered it to become “unsustainable.” It was partially destroyed (as you can see now) so that Parliament does not have to spend money defending it from further rebellions.
Elizabeth and Dudley
Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley, who became the first Earl of Leicester, were childhood friends. They were reunited while incarcerated in the Tower of London during the reign of Mary, Queen Elizabeth’s half-sister. Dudley had been sentenced to death for his family’s support of Lady Jane Gray. Elizabeth was imprisoned on suspicion of being involved with the Wyatt Rebellion. Both were eventually released and Dudley became Queen Elizabeth’s favorite for the rest of her life.
There was even talk that they would marry when his peculiar wife Amy died. Amy never went to court and led a completely separate life from her husband. When she died under suspicious circumstances (falling down the stairs and hurting her head), Dudley proposed to the Queen. But due to the scandal over his wife’s death (was it suicide? Murder?), The marriage could never take place.
However, they stayed close. She gave him Kenilworth and often visited him there. In his last attempt to convince her to marry him, he virtually rebuilt Kenilworth in her honor. He added an enclosed hunting park, built a large guardhouse, set up a private garden with a jewel aviary, and built a 4-story tower in the castle’s inner courtyard, now known as the Leicester Building, which was for the use of only Queen Elizabeth and her closest servants.
Interest in the castle was revived in the 19th century when history, including Amy’s tragedy, was the basis for Sir Walter Scott’s (author of Ivanhoe) romance novel Kenilworth.
Things to do in Kenilworth
- Tower Views – In 2014, English Heritage opened a series of easy-to-manage and secure stairways and platforms on top of the Leicester Building so you can enjoy views that have not been seen in 400 years and were created specifically for the enjoy Queen Elizabeth I.
- Elizabethan Garden – Visit the private garden created for the Queen and recreated from drawings, descriptions and historical research by 21st century gardeners of English heritage. They have even recreated Elizabeth’s jeweled aviary.
- Leicester’s Front Door: The front door to the grand entrance was later converted into a private home in 1650. Today it houses an exhibition on the romance between Elizabeth and Robert Dudley. There is an Elizabethan room and an alabaster fireplace that once adorned the queen’s private rooms.
- Family Fun: Kenilworth is a family attraction. There are many action-in-life events scheduled, a downloadable step-by-step activity pack to help kids make the most of a visit, and a family menu at the Tudor-style Stables Tea Room.
Essentials
- Where: Kenilworth Castle, Castle Green, Off Castle Road, Kenilworth, Warwickshire, CV8 1NG
- When: Every day from late February to October, weekends only from November to mid-February. Check website for seasonal hours and mid-term openings.
- How Much: Full Price Adult Ticket £ 11.80 in 2019; Family tickets for two adults and up to three children £ 30.70. Tickets for students, seniors and children available. Kenilworth is included for free entry on the Foreign Visitor Pass.
- How to get there: From London, take the M40 to the A46 to Kenilworth. From Kenilworth town center, follow the signs for the castle on the B4103. It’s about 105 miles and in good traffic conditions it takes about two hours. Plan on taking longer or better yet, take the train. The nearest train stations are Coventry or Warwick, both five miles away and served by local taxi and bus service. Check National Rail Inquiries for train times and prices.
- Website
What else is close?
- Stratford-upon-Avon – Shakespeare’s hometown is about 15 miles away on the A46.
- British Motor Museum – Classic British cars on Banbury Road, Gaydon, 27 miles away via the M40 and Warwick Bypass
- Baddesley Clinton – A wonderful half-timbered Tudor manor house surrounded by a moat and lost in the woods. Nine miles away on the A1477.
- Warwick Castle – This is a heavily rebuilt medieval castle now operated by Merlin Entertainments, the same company that owns Madame Tussauds. It’s only five miles away, but it’s a totally different, kid-oriented attraction.
