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Warwick Castle was founded in 1068 and was rebuilt and updated a number of
times. Today it combines castle ruins, largely of the fourteenth century with
one of the finest great houses in England. Two small projecting towers, which
date to the late fifteenth century are said to have built as artillery
platforms. Note the landscaped park below the towers.
Warwick Castle rises like a precipice above the River Avon, it is of Norman
origin. On this natural cliff William I founded a motte castle in 1068, on lands seized from a nearby Saxon convent. A wooden tower built on the motte was evidently still there in the reign of Henry II, by which time a polygonal shell enclosure had been raised round the motte top. Only fragments of the shell enclosure now remain, incorporated in the rebuilt shell, which is of much later date.
Late in the fourteenth century, by which time some additional buildings such as the great hall and residential blocks had been put up in the bailey, the castle passed to Earl Beauchamp who initiated a fresh
programme of works. These were substantially what can be seen today. They included restructuring the great hall and a range of other buildings on the
south-east, a water-gate, and on the west front a high and stout defensive curtain leading from a gatehouse to a very tall polygonal tower, known as Guy's Tower, which is 39.4 metres (128 ft) tall.
The gatehouse is a remarkable building: a pair of towers above the doorway passage, which had portcullises and
murder-holes. Projecting from the east side of the gatehouse is a tall rectangular building leading to another tower. This latter tower is 45.2 metres (147 t to ,six
storeis, trilobed (or six-lobed if the smaller bulges are counted) and capped by a
two-fold system of battlements with machicolation all round below the battlements. It is called Caesar's Tower. The three main storeys in the tower are each vaulted, and have stone fireplaces.
The castle is completed by curtain walling and further, much smaller, flanking towers. The wall at the west leads up the motte to the restored shell enclosure and down again southwards to the south range. The whole is thus a powerfully defended enclosure.
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| Warwick Castle is a magnificent castle rising sheer
above the river Avon, seat of the earls of Warwick founded since the
11th. century. Founded by Willliam the Conqueror on 1068, it owes its
present grandeur to the fourteenth century Beauchamp earls and provides
us with a fine example of fourteenth century fortifications complete
with dungeons. |
View of Castle from the highest point on the towers |
View of a portion of
the embattlements again from the tower
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A young lady performing handicrafts of the times in authentic dress |
A meeting of the
"Lord of the Manor" with some of his knights preparing for
war.
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- An example of the "Waxworks", A leather worker at his
craft. |
| Grant Goodine, 17, from
Ontario Canada, Wrote: |
| I had the luck to
visit this castle during my rugby tour in March 2001. From the moment I stepped
through the gate I was home. This may be the only catle I've had the
luxury to visit but I must say it is quite an experience to see the
"Kingmaker" exhibit as well as the Armory. If you get the
chance to see it, I must say, "Do it" because it is an
experience you'll never forget. |
| Mrs. M. Fodor, 60, from Naples, Florida
USA, wrote: |
| Just returned from 12 glorious days in
England. Warwick Castle was the most impressive sight outside London.
Well done with script and figures to illustrate the times and struggles
they endured. A monologue by "The Red Knight" on his faithful
steed was magnificent. The "peacock garden" was beautiful. |
| Antonio A. Pedroza, 33, wrote: |
| I spent nearly seven months in England
in 1992. The castle I liked mostly was undoable this amazing Warwick
castle. Its location, near Stratford Upon Avon, its history, architecture,
anyway, everything was so charming and unforgettable. If I come back again to England, I sure I will visit Warwick Castle
again. |
| Bill Dingley from Mont Belvieu, Texas U.S.A. wrote and
send us the above pictures. |
| I'm enclosing five photos of Warwick Castle, Warwick,
England to (hopefully) be included in your magnificent pages. I consider this
castle to be one of the best restoration works anywhere and with the work done by Madame Toussaud's since their purchase of the
property much of the lifestyle of the times can really come to life. |
| Pam Fassett, 29, from Pacific Northwest USA, wrote: |
| Warwick Castle was everything I had imagined a
castle to be. I was able to climb the walls around the castle, which
overlook the English town of Warwick. The castle has a small dungeon,
but frightening just the same. What impressed me the most were the wax
figures created by Madame Toussaud's. As you walk through the castle,
you are struck by the realistic recreations of what life was life for
the royals who lived in the castle in the late 19th century. The rooms
have been brought to life, which is an added bonus to simply viewing
ornate furniture. The grounds are beautiful as well. It was amazing to
walk the same cobblestone path that William the Conqueror walked when he
lived in the castle in 1066. I felt like a time traveler. |
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