Warwick Castle Worksheets
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Fact File
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Table of Contents
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Summary
- Location
- History
- Origins
- Medieval Period
- Tudor and Stuart Era
- Modern Era
Key Facts And Information
Let’s find out more about Warwick Castle!
Warwick Castle is a historic castle in Warwick, England, built on a cliff by the River Avon. Its location made it easy to defend and control the surrounding area. The site began as an Anglo-Saxon fort in 914, became a Norman motte-and-bailey castle in 1068, and was later rebuilt in stone with towers, walls, and living buildings. Over the centuries, it was home to important families and played a role in wars and royal visits.
From the 1600s, the castle became more of a grand home. The Greville family improved the rooms and gardens, and famous visitors included Queen Elizabeth I and King William III. In 1871, a fire damaged part of the castle, but it was repaired. Today, it is a popular tourist attraction with shows, jousting, trebuchet demonstrations, ghost tours, and themed overnight stays, while being protected as a historic building.
Warwick Castle
Location of Warwick Castle
- Warwick Castle is in the town of Warwick, in Warwickshire, England, built on a sandstone cliff at a bend in the River Avon. The river runs along the east side of the castle and has worn away the rock, creating a natural cliff that, together with the river, helped protect the castle from attack. Its position allowed it to control the surrounding area, especially the Midlands.
- Today, the castle is easy to visit. It is about 1.6 kilometres (1 mile) from Warwick railway station, less than 3.2 kilometres (2 miles) from junction 15 of the M40 motorway, and fairly close to Birmingham Airport.
History of Warwick Castle
Origins
- Warwick Castle began before the Norman Conquest. In 914, an Anglo-Saxon fort was built on the site by Æthelflæd, who was the daughter of Alfred the Great. This fort was one of ten built to protect the kingdom of Mercia from Viking attacks.
- The site was selected for its strong defensive advantages. It looked over the River Avon, a river crossing, and the Fosse Way, an important Roman road. From here, people could control movement through the river valley and nearby land. A mound near the castle is called “Ethelfleda’s Mound”, but this is misleading. The mound was built later by the Normans and was not part of the Anglo-Saxon fort.
- Around this time, Warwick School was also founded, possibly within the castle area. It is often said to be the oldest boys’ school in England. Today, the school is still just across the River Avon and can be seen from the castle towers.
Medieval Period
- During the medieval period, Warwick Castle was an important military and political centre in the Midlands. After the Norman Conquest, William the Conqueror built a motte-and-bailey castle in 1068. This type of castle had a mound (motte) with a tower on top and an enclosed courtyard called a bailey. To make room for the castle, four houses belonging to the Abbot of Coventry were removed. Henry de Beaumont, from a powerful Norman family, became the first Earl of Warwick and the castle’s first ruler. He also built the Church of All Saints inside the castle, though it was later removed because the Bishop of Worcester thought a church should not be inside a castle.
- In 1153, the castle was briefly taken by the army of Henry of Anjou (later King Henry II) after the Earl’s wife, Gundreda de Warenne, was tricked into giving it to them. The castle was later returned to the Earls of Warwick because they had supported Empress Matilda during a civil war called The Anarchy.
- During the reign of Henry II (1154–1189), the wooden castle was replaced with a stone castle. All the main buildings were built against the walls for extra strength. The castle was used to store supplies during the Barons’ Rebellion of 1173–74. Ownership passed through the Beaumont family until 1242, then through Margaret de Beaumont and her husband, and later back to the king for a short time, before returning to the family. During the Second Barons’ War (1264–1267), the castle was captured in a surprise attack, and part of the northeast wall was damaged.
- From 1312, the castle was owned by the Beauchamp family, who added many improvements over the next 180 years. In 1312, Piers Gaveston, the Earl of Cornwall, was held in the castle before he was executed. Between 1330 and 1360, Thomas de Beauchamp, 11th Earl of Warwick, strengthened the castle by adding a gatehouse, barbican, and two towers on the northeast side: Caesar’s Tower and Guy’s Tower. The Watergate Tower was also built at this time.
- Caesar’s and Guy’s Towers were residential, possibly inspired by French castles. Each floor was made of stone, and the walls had machicolations, holes for dropping things on attackers. Caesar’s Tower had a basement dungeon, sometimes called Poitiers Tower, which may have held prisoners from the Battle of Poitiers in 1356. The gatehouse had murder holes, two drawbridges, a gate, and portcullises for defence.
- By the 14th century, the side of the castle facing the river was built mostly to show the wealth and power of the Beauchamp Earls, rather than to defend the castle. At this time, castles were often symbols of status as well as fortresses.
Tudor and Stuart Era
- During the Tudor and Stuart period (late 1400s to 1600s), Warwick Castle changed from a mainly military stronghold into more of a home and residence. After the Beauchamp Earls died out in 1449, the castle passed to Richard Neville, the Kingmaker, through his wife. In 1469, Neville rebelled against King Edward IV and briefly held the King prisoner at the castle. He was later killed in 1471 during the Wars of the Roses.
- The castle then went to Neville’s son-in-law, George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence, and then to his young son, Edward Plantagenet. Because Edward was a child, the castle was held by the Crown. Edward was executed in 1499, ending this line of the Earls of Warwick.
- In the 1480s, King Richard III started building two gun towers, Bear Tower and Clarence Tower, which were mostly unfinished when he died in 1485. These towers were built so they could defend the castle even if part of the garrison rebelled. Around this time, the position of Keeper of the Artillery was created to manage the castle’s guns.
Caesar's Tower
- By the 1500s, the castle was in poor condition. Parts were ruined and lead had been stolen from the roofs. The castle stayed in the Crown’s care until 1547, when it was given to John Dudley, Earl of Warwick, but he did not repair it.
- Queen Elizabeth I made visits to the castle in 1566 and again in 1572. For her stay, a timber building was built inside the castle. When Ambrose Dudley died in 1590, the castle was still in bad repair, with roofs and buildings falling apart.
- In 1604, Sir Fulke Greville was given Warwick Castle by King James I. He began converting it into a comfortable country house, spending a lot of money on repairs, decorating rooms, and creating gardens and walks. Greville lived in the Watergate Tower, which later became known as the “Ghost Tower” after his murder in 1628.
- During the English Civil War (1642–1660), the castle was strengthened again. Robert Greville built defences, gun positions, and a garrison. The castle was attacked in 1642, but the garrison held out. Caesar’s and Guy’s Towers were used to hold prisoners. After 1660, the garrison was removed, and the castle returned to being a private home.
- By the late 1600s, the castle was modernised further. Rooms were renovated to suit the latest tastes, and in 1695, it was in good enough condition to host a visit by King William III. The castle had by then fully changed from a fortress into a grand residence.
Modern Era
- From the late 1600s onwards, Warwick Castle became less of a fortress and more of a grand home. In the 1700s, Francis Greville, 8th Baron Brooke, who later became the Earl of Warwick, made many improvements. He fixed the buildings and rooms, and redesigned the gardens to make them beautiful.
- The famous landscape designer Lancelot “Capability” Brown helped create lawns, paths, and trees that linked the castle to the River Avon. The castle was also painted by the Italian artist Antonio Canaletto.
- In the 1800s, the castle was briefly given to other owners because of debts, but it returned to the Greville family in 1813. Repairs were done to the Great Hall and Watergate Tower to keep the castle safe and looking good.
- On 3 December 1871, a large fire broke out in Lady Warwick’s rooms. The fire destroyed the Great Hall, the roof, and some private rooms, but most of the castle’s structure survived. Some valuable paintings and books were saved, including works by Rembrandt, Rubens, and Van Dyke. Two children, Eva and Sydney Greville, were carried to safety by their nurse just before part of the staircase collapsed. The fire was later found to have been started on purpose by an under-butler to hide a theft. The castle was repaired from 1872 to 1875 by Anthony Salvin, with money raised from the public.
- Visitors had been coming to Warwick Castle since the late 1600s, and tourism grew in the 1800s. Queen Victoria visited in 1858, which was a big event for the town. By 1900, the castle had a ticket office and guides for visitors. During the Second World War, the castle provided a safe place for people fleeing Coventry, which had suffered heavy bombing. Parts of the castle were used by the Ministry of Supply, and it was said that Nazi war criminal Rudolf Hess stayed there for one night while being moved to London.
- In 1967, Charles Greville, 7th Earl of Warwick, gave the castle to his son, Lord Brooke. In 1978, Lord Brooke sold it to the Tussauds Group, ending 374 years of Greville family ownership. Tussauds repaired the castle and grounds, opened rooms with wax figures of historic people, and kept the castle’s armour collection, which is second only to the Tower of London. The castle also hosted seasonal shows like jousting, falconry, and live actor experiences such as the Castle Dungeon.
- Later, the castle changed owners a few times. In 2007, it was sold to Blackstone Inc. and then to the Prestbury Group, but Merlin Entertainments still runs it. Today, attractions include a working trebuchet, live shows, ghost tours, and music events. Visitors can also stay overnight in themed tents at Knight’s Village or lodges in the Woodland Hideaway. The castle is a Grade I listed building and a scheduled monument, keeping it protected while remaining a popular tourist site.
Frequently Asked Questions About Warwick Castle
- What is Warwick Castle?Warwick Castle is a medieval castle located in Warwick, Warwickshire, England. It was originally built as a wooden fortress by William the Conqueror in 1068 and later rebuilt in stone during the 12th century.
- Why was Warwick Castle built?The castle was built to defend England after the Norman conquest and to control the surrounding region. Over time, it also served as a residence for nobles and later became a historic attraction.
- Is Warwick Castle open to the public?Yes. Warwick Castle has been open to the public as a tourist attraction since 1978, offering historical displays, shows, and events.