WARWICK CASTLE - TUDOR TIMES
Medieval Ghosts and Love Birds in Warwickshire
Warwick
Castle is one of the best preserved of medieval castles in England,
indeed in Europe. Most great European castles at one time or another
became the targets of wars or factions fighting for the supremacy of
crown or country with siege machines, like nearby Kenilworth , or later
the hail of cannon balls. Many just fell prey to the ravages of time.
Warwick Castle managed to avoid the calamity of turbulent times, though
a few of the long line of Earls of Warwick were not so lucky.
John
Dudley, Earl of Warwick and 1st Duke of Northumberland was beheaded
for trying to place Lady Jane Grey on the throne. However, fortunately
for today's tourist, their castle on the river Avon, just downstream
from Stratford-Upon Avon (see Shakespeare
The Stratford Man) remained intact, with 16th Century
Tudor era living apartments inside the complete protective curtain
walls, towers and battlements. Built on the sight of an earlier Dark
Ages
fortress,
the
Mound under
the town side wall commands an impressive view of the Warwickshire
countryside. And all-in-all Warwick is one of the prettiest castle
on the British Isles.
In
modern times Wartwick Castle has come to be rather a medieval
family amusement park and one of the most visited in England. Shows and
demonstrations of medieval jousting and archery, with one of the most
impressive shows,
the trebuchet
catapault
are given daily from April to October. The haunted castle show “Warwick
Ghosts Alive” is presented in the Ghost Tower, once occupied
by 
Sir Fulke Greville and
reputed to still be haunted by his wandering spirit following his gruesome
murder in 1628. The shows are very popular with kids in this very family
friendly historic park, but one wonders what a ghost may think of have
to watch his death reenacted 16 performances a day. Another interactive
exhibit "The Kingmaker" demonstrates the pivotal role of
the 16th Earl, Richard Neville played in the War of the Roses.
Warwick
Castle in days past had a somewhat better collection of medieval armor
than it does today, but still presents a good sample of arms and armor
on display in the Elizabethan era wood-paneled Great Hall. The castle
apartments are decorated with fine examples of medieval furniture and
hauntingly inhabited by fairly life-like figures of Henry VIII and
assorted relatives, which give the oddest feeling that they might actually
speak, or perhaps order you to be hauled in irons to the dungeon torture
chamber (see Tower
of London).
The
dungeons are a trippy adventure into the dark ages with a collection
of spiked iron maidens and other devices not meant as spa treatments.
For a look at early engineering machines, a water mill wheel still
operates below on the river wall of the castle. Outside the mill house
two lovebird swans have inhabited the mill pond for several years and
apparently refuse to depart, happily swimming around the romantic pond
which some wags have suggested are the returned souls of Queen Elizabeth
I and Robert Dudley, the "virgin" queen's true love whom
she had beheaded (see Kenilworth
Castle). But maybe medieval castles with many legends
just lend themselves to romantic hideaways, even for swans. © Bargain
Travel Europe
More Castles
Find best deals and reviews in Warwickshire at TripAdvisor
Web
Info
Warwick
Castle
These articles are copyrighted and the sole property of Bargain Travel Europe and WLPV, LLC. and may not be copied or reprinted without permission.
SEE ALSO:
LITTLECOTE
HOUSE - TUDOR MANSION HOTEL
BLENHEIM
PALACE - WINSTON CHURCHILL'S SLIPPERS
CASTLE
HEDINGHAM - EDWARD DEVERE BIRTHPLACE
LONDON
EYE OBSERVATION WHEEL
STRATFORD,
OXFORD AND WARWICK CASTLE DAY TOUR
EUROSTAR
LONDON TO PARIS
