Warwick Castle: Difference between revisions

| name = Warwick Castle

| native_name =

| partof =

| location = [[Warwick]]

| nearest_town =

| country = England

| image = Warwick Castle May 2016.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Warwick Castle and the [[River Avon, Warwickshire|River Avon]]

| image2 =

| alt2 =

| caption2 =

| type =

| coordinates = {{Coord|52|16|46|N|01|35|05|W|region:GB_type:airport|display=inline,title}}

| pushpin_map = Warwickshire

| pushpin_map_caption = Shown within Warwickshire

| pushpin_label = Warwick Castle

| ownership = [[Nick Leslau|Secure IncomeLXi REIT Plc]]

| operator = [[Merlin Entertainments]]

| controlledby =

| site_other_label = <!-- for renaming "Other facilities" in infobox to something more fitting -->

| site_other = <!-- for other sorts of facilities - radar types etc -->

| area =

| code =

| built = {{Start date|df=yes|1068}}

| used =

| builder =

| materials = Stone

| height =

| fate =

| condition =

| battles =

| events =

| commander = <!-- current commander -->

| commanders = <!-- past notable commander(s) -->

| garrison =

| occupants =

| open_to_public = 1978

| website = {{url|warwick-castle.com/}}

| image3 =

| alt3 =

| caption3 =

| footnotes = <!-- catchall in case it's needed to preserve something in infobox that doesn't work in new code, historical building reference number, etc-->

In 2007, the Tussauds Group was purchased by [[the [[Blackstone Group]], which merged it with [[Merlin Entertainments]]. Warwick Castle was then sold to [[Nick Leslau]]'s investment firm, Prestbury Group, under a sale and leaseback agreement.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6902797.stm | work=BBC News | title=Alton Towers sold in £622m deal | date=17 July 2007 | accessdate=18 July 2007}}</ref> Merlin continues to operate the site under a renewable 35-year lease.<ref name="telegraph.co.uk">{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/markets/2812377/Merlin-conjures-up-leaseback-deal.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/markets/2812377/Merlin-conjures-up-leaseback-deal.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Merlin conjures up leaseback deal|date=17 July 2007|access-date=2 December 2017|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Warwick Castle is situated in the town of Warwick, on a [[sandstone]] [[Cliff|bluff]] at a bend of the [[River Avon, Warwickshire|River Avon]]. The river, which runs below the castle on the east side, has eroded the rock the castle stands on, forming a cliff. The river and cliff form natural defences.

When construction began in 1068, four houses belonging to the [[History of Coventry#Early history|Abbot of Coventry]] were demolished to provide space. The castle's position made it strategically important in safeguarding the Midlands against rebellion.<ref name="The castle and castle estate in Warwick">{{cite web|title=The borough of Warwick: The castle and castle estate in Warwick, "A History of the County of Warwick: Volume 8: The City of Coventry and Borough of Warwick" (1969)|pages=452–475 |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=16051|access-date= 23 June 2008}}</ref>
During the 12th century, King [[Henry I of England|Henry I]] was suspicious of [[Roger de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of Warwick|Roger de Beaumont, 2nd&nbsp;Earl of Warwick]]. To counter the earl's influence, Henry bestowed [[Geoffrey de Clinton]] with a position of power rivalling that of the earl.<ref>{{harvnb|Crouch|1982|pp=116–117}}</ref>
The lands he was given included [[Kenilworth Castle|Kenilworth]]&nbsp;– a castle of comparable size, cost, and importance,<ref>{{harvnb|Brown|2004|p=121}}</ref> founded by Clinton<ref name="Kenilworth Castle">{{PastScape|mnumber=333827 |mname=Kenilworth Castle|access-date=3 July 2008}}</ref>&nbsp;– which is about {{convert|8|km|mi|0}} to the north.

Warwick Castle is about {{convert|1.6|km|mi|0}} from [[Warwick railway station]] and less than {{convert|3.2|km|mi}} from junction 15 of the [[M40 motorway]]; it is also relatively close to [[Birmingham Airport]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Parking & Directions at Warwick Castle |url=http://www.warwick-castle.com/plan-your-visit/directions-and-parking.aspx |publisher=Warwick-Castle.co.uk}} Retrieved on 2 March 2014.</ref>

It was also at this time, that what is now [[Warwick School]] was founded in the castle - making it arguably the oldest boys' school in the country. It still resides just over the River Avon, visible from all of the castle's towers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Interactive Map of Castles in England |url=https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryMagazine/DestinationsUK/CastlesinEngland/ |access-date=2023-12-05 |website=Historic UK |language=en-GB}}</ref>

After the [[Norman conquest of England]], William the Conqueror established a [[motte-and-bailey]] castle at Warwick in 1068 to maintain control of the Midlands as he advanced northwards.<ref name="pastscape"/><ref>{{harvnb|Brown|2004|p=32}}</ref> Building a castle in a pre-existing settlement could require demolishing properties on the intended site. In the case of Warwick, the least recorded of the 11&nbsp;urban castles in the [[Domesday Book|1086 survey]], four houses were torn down to make way for the castle.<ref>{{harvnb|Harfield|1991|pp=373, 382}}</ref> A motte-and-bailey castle consists of a mound&nbsp;– on which usually stands a [[keep]] or tower&nbsp;– and a bailey, which is an enclosed courtyard. William II appointed [[Henry de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Warwick|Henry de Beaumont]], the son of a powerful Norman family, as [[constable]] of the castle.<ref name="The castle and castle estate in Warwick"/> In 1088, Henry de Beaumont was made the first [[Earl of Warwick]].<ref name="The castle and castle estate in Warwick"/> He founded the Church of All Saints within the castle walls by 1119; the [[Bishop of Worcester]], believing that a castle was an inappropriate location for a church, removed it in 1127–28.<ref name="The castle and castle estate in Warwick"/>

In 1153, the[[Gundreda wifede ofWarenne]] was tricked into believing that her husband, [[Roger de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of Warwick]], was tricked into believing that her husbanddead; was dead,she andthen surrendered control of the castle to the invading army of [[Henry II of England|Henry of Anjou]], later King Henry II of England.<ref name="The castle and castle estate in Warwick"/><ref>{{harvnb|Liddiard|2005|p=74}}</ref> According to the ''[[Deeds of King Stephen|Gesta Regis Stephani]]'', a 12th-century historical text, Roger de Beaumont died upon hearing the news that his wife had handed over the castle.<ref>{{harvnb|Potter|1955|p=235}}</ref> King Henry II later returned the castle to the Earls of Warwick, as they had been supporters of his mother, [[Empress Matilda]], in [[The Anarchy]] of 1135–1154.<ref>{{harvnb|Davis|1903|p=639}}</ref>

[[File:Warwick Castle - Guy's Tower 2017.jpg|thumb|upright|Guy's Tower, constructed 1330-13601330–1360, photographed in 2017]]

The line of the Beauchamp Earls ended in 1449 when [[Anne de Beauchamp, 15th Countess of Warwick]], died.<ref name="The castle and castle estate in Warwick"/> [[Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick|Richard Neville, the ''Kingmaker'']], became the next Earl of Warwick through his wife's inheritance of the title. During the summer of 1469, Neville rebelled against King [[Edward IV of England]] and imprisoned him in Warwick Castle. Neville attempted to rule in the King's name;<ref name="The castle and castle estate in Warwick"/> however, constant protests by the King's supporters forced the Earl to release the King. Neville was subsequently killed in the [[Battle of Barnet]], fighting against the King in 1471 during the [[Wars of the Roses]].

Warwick Castle then passed from Neville to his son-in-law, [[George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence]] (brother of King Edward IV). George Plantagenet was executed in 1478, and his lands passed onto his son, [[Edward Plantagenet, 17th Earl of Warwick]]; however, Edward Plantagenet was only two when his father died, so his lands were taken in the custody of [[The Crown]]. He was placed under attainder, and so could not inherit the throne, by King [[Henry VII of England]], being held by the King for fourteen years in the [[Tower of London]] until he was executed for [[high treason]] in 1499, supposedly for conspiring to escape with the 'pretender' [[Perkin Warbeck]].<ref>{{harvnb|Fuller|Nuttall|1840|pp=273–274}}</ref> Edward was the last Earl of Warwick of the title's first creation.<ref name="The castle and castle estate in Warwick"/>

While in the care of The Crown, Warwick Castle underwent repairs and renovations using about 500&nbsp;loads of stone. The castle, as well as lands associated with the earldom, was in Crown care from 1478 until 1547, when they were granted to [[John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland|John Dudley]] with the second creation of the title the Earl of Warwick.<ref name="The castle and castle estate in Warwick"/>
When making his appeal for ownership of the castle Dudley said of the castle's condition: "...&nbsp;the castle of its self is not able to lodge a good baron with his train, for all the one side of the said castle with also the dungeon tower is clearly ruinated and down to the ground".<ref name="The castle and castle estate in Warwick"/>

Warwick Castle had fallen into decay due to its age and neglect, and despite his remarks Dudley did not initiate any repairs to the castle.<ref name="The castle and castle estate in Warwick"/> [[Elizabeth I of England|Queen Elizabeth I]] visited the castle in 1566 during a [[Royal Entry|tour of the country]], and again in 1572 for four nights. A timber building was erected in the castle for her to stay in, and [[Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick]], left the castle to the Queen during her visits.<ref name="The castle and castle estate in Warwick"/>

When Ambrose Dudley died in 1590 the title of Earl of Warwick became extinct for the second time. A survey from 1590 recorded that the castle was still in a state of disrepair, noting that lead had been stolen from the roofs of some of the castle's buildings, including the chapel.<ref name="The castle and castle estate in Warwick"/>

Greville was granted the ruinous Warwick Castle by King [[James I of England|James I]] in 1604 and it was converted to a country house.<ref>[http://great-castles.com/warwickghost.php The Ghost Tower of Warwick Castle] at great-castles.com</ref> The conversion of the castle coincided with a period of decline in the use of castles during the 15th and 16th centuries; many were either being abandoned or converted into comfortable residences for the gentry.<ref>{{harvnb|Friar|2007|pp=90–91}}</ref> In the early 17th century, [[Robert Smythson]] was commissioned to draw a plan of the castle before any changes were made.<ref name="The castle and castle estate in Warwick"/> Whilst the castle was undergoing repairs, it was peripherally involved in the [[Gunpowder Plot]] of 1605. The conspirators involved awaited news of their plot in [[Dunchurch]] in Warwickshire. When they discovered the plot had failed they stole cavalry horses from the stables at Warwick Castle to help in their escape.<ref name="The castle and castle estate in Warwick"/>

When the title of Earl of Warwick was created for the third time in 1618, the Greville family were still in possession of Warwick Castle. Fulke Greville, who was himself ennobled as Baron Brooke in 1621, spent over £20,000 (£{{Formatprice|{{Inflation|UK|20000|1618|r=-6}}|0}} as of {{CURRENTISOYEAR}}) {{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}} renovating the castle, while occupying a suite of rooms in the Watergate Tower;<ref name=guide>{{cite book|last=Brooks|first=J.&nbsp;A.|title=Warwick Castle|year=1972|publisher=Jarrold & Sons, Norwich|page=unpaginated}}Guidebook.</ref>
according to [[William Dugdale]], a 17th-century antiquary, this made it "a place not only of great strength but extraordinary delight, with most pleasant gardens, walks and thickets, such as this part of England can hardly parallel".<ref name="The castle and castle estate in Warwick"/>

Under [[Robert Greville, 2nd Baron Brooke]], Warwick Castle's defences were enhanced from January to May 1642 in preparation for attack during the [[First English Civil War]]. The garden walls were raised, [[Glossary of architecture#B|bulwarks]] – barricades of beams and soil to mount artillery – were constructed and gunpowder and wheels for two [[cannon]]s were obtained.<ref name="The castle and castle estate in Warwick"/>
Robert Greville was a [[Roundhead|Parliamentarian]], and on 7 August 1642 a [[Cavalier|Royalist]] force laid [[siege]] to the castle. Greville was not in the castle at the time and the garrison was under the command of [[Edward Peyto|Sir Edward Peyto]]. [[Spencer Compton, 2nd Earl of Northampton]], [[Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire]] commanded the [[Cavalier|Royalist]] force. [[William Dugdale]], acting as a herald, called for the garrison commander to surrender the castle, but he was refused. The besieging army opened fire on the castle, to little effect.<ref name="The castle and castle estate in Warwick"/> According to [[Richard Bulstrode]]:

The siege was lifted on 23 August 1642 when the garrison was relieved by the forces of the [[Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex|Earl of Essex]], and the Royalists were forced to retreat to [[Worcester, England|Worcester]].<ref name="The castle and castle estate in Warwick"/> After the [[Battle of Edgehill]] in 1642&nbsp;– the first pitched battle of the English Civil War&nbsp;– prisoners were held in Caesar's and Guy's Towers.<ref name="The castle and castle estate in Warwick"/>

During the [[Second English Civil War]] prisoners were again held at the castle, including those from the [[Battle of Worcester]] in 1651. A garrison was maintained in the castle complete with artillery and supplies from 1643 to 1660, at its strongest it numbered 302 soldiers. In 1660 the [[English Council of State]] ordered the castle governor to disband the garrison and hand over the castle to Robert Greville, 4th Baron Brooke.<ref name="The castle and castle estate in Warwick"/> The state apartments were found to be outmoded and in poor repair.

Under Roger and William Hurlbutt, master carpenters of Warwick, extensive modernization of the interiors was undertaken, 1669–78. To ensure that they would be in the latest taste, William was sent to [[Dorset]] to make careful notes of the interiors recently finished at [[Kingston Lacy]] for Sir Ralph Bankes to designs by [[Roger Pratt (architect)|Sir Roger Pratt]].<ref>[[Howard Colvin]], ''A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects, 1600–1840'', 3rd ed. (Yale University Press), ''s.v.'' Hurlbutt Roger and William"., noting the accounts quoted in Victoria County History, ''Warwickshire'' viii, 460f.</ref>
On 4 November 1695 the castle was in sufficient state to host a visit by [[William III of England|King William III]].<ref name="The castle and castle estate in Warwick"/>

[[Francis Greville, 8th Baron Brooke]], undertook a renewed programme of improvements to Warwick Castle and its grounds. The 8th Baron Brooke was also bestowed with the title Earl of Warwick in 1759, the fourth creation of the title. With the recreation of the title, the castle was back in the ownership of the earls of Warwick. [[Daniel Garrett]]'s work at Warwick is documented in 1748; [[Howard Colvin]] attributed to him the [[Gothic Revival|Gothic]] interior of the chapel.<ref>Colvin, ''s.v.'' "Garrett, Daniel".</ref> [[Lancelot Brown|Lancelot "Capability" Brown]] had been on hand since 1749.<ref>{{harvnb|Jacques (|2001), |pp.&nbsp;=48,&nbsp;53.}}</ref> Brown, who was still head gardener at [[Stowe House|Stowe]] at the time and had yet to make his reputation as the main exponent of the [[English landscape garden]], was called in by Lord Brooke to give Warwick Castle a more "natural" connection to its river. Brown simplified the long narrow stretch by sweeping it into a lawn that dropped right to the riverbank, stopped at each end by bold clumps of native trees. A serpentine drive gave an impression of greater distance between the front gates and the castle entrance.<ref>{{harvnb|Hyams|1971|p=21}}</ref>

Gray's mention of Argyle Buildings, [[Westminster]], London,<ref>Argyle Buildings, Bath (now Argyle Street), were not constructed until ca. 1789 (Colvin, ''s.v.'' "Baldwin, Thomas").</ref> elicited a connotation of an inappropriately modern Georgian urban development, for the buildings in [[Argyll Street]] were a speculation to designs of [[James Gibbs]], 1736–40.<ref>Colvin, ''s.v.'' "Gibbs, James"; Terry Friedman, ''James Gibbs'' (1984:304); 'Argyll Street Area', ''Survey of London'': volumes 31 and 32: St James Westminster, Part 2 (1963), pp. 284–307. ([http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=41478 on-line text]). Date accessed: 10 September 2008: "The Argyll estate appears never to have been a fashionable place of residence."</ref>

In 1802 [[George Greville, 2nd Earl of Warwick]] of the new creation, had debts amounting to £115,000 (£{{Formatprice|{{Inflation|UK|115000|1802|r=-6}}|0}} as of {{CURRENTISOYEAR}}).{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}} The earl's estates, including Warwick Castle, were given to the [[Earl of Galloway]] and [[John FitzPatrick, 2nd Earl of Upper Ossory]], in 1806, but the castle was returned to the earls of Warwick in 1813.<ref name="The castle and castle estate in Warwick"/> The Great Hall was reroofed and repaired in Gothic taste in 1830–31 by [[Ambrose Poynter]].<ref>Poynter's work was lost in the 1871 fire. Colvin, ''s.v.'' Poynter, Ambrosde").</ref> [[Anthony Salvin]] was responsible for restoring the Watergate Tower in 1861–63.<ref name="IoE"/>

The castle was extensively damaged by a fire in 1871 that started to the east of the Great Hall. The fire was found to have been started deliberately by the under-butler who, with an accomplice, had stolen all the valuables in the private apartments and then set them on fire to conceal the robbery.<ref>{{cite book |title=Mistress of Charlecote: The Memoirs of Mary Elizabeth Lucy 1803-1889, pp141-2. [Victor Gollancz 1983; cited Orion edition 2002] |author=Alice Fairfax-Lucy.}}</ref>
Although the Great Hall wasand private apartments were gutted, the overall structure was unharmed.<ref name="The castle and castle estate in Warwick"/>
Restoration and reparations carried out by Salvin during 1872–75 were subsidised by donations from the public, which raised a total of £9,651 (£{{Formatprice|{{Inflation|UK|9651|1875|r=-4}}}} as of {{CURRENTISOYEAR}}).{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}}<ref name="The castle and castle estate in Warwick"/>

Through the 20th century successive earls expanded its tourism potential until in 1978, after 374 years in the Greville family, it was sold to a media and entertainment company,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/118410.stm |title=Pearson to sell Tussauds&nbsp;– atkept the rightcastle price |work=BBC News |date=23 June 1998}} Retrieved on 17 July 2011.</ref> [[the Tussauds Group]] for £1.3 million, whoin openeduse itmainly as a tourist attraction., Tussaudswhile performedmaking extensive restorations to the castle and grounds. In 12twelve of the apartments open to tourists sinceafter the Tussauds Group takeoversale, a number of wax figures of historic individualspeople isare presented. The personsThose depicted here were guests at the 1898a weekend party in 1898 hosted by Frances, Countess of Warwick; the principal guest was the Prince of Wales, later [[Edward VII]]. The furniture in those rooms is said to be authentic to the period.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.warwick-castle.com/explore/royal-weekend-party.aspx|title=Warwick Castle|website=Warwick Castle|access-date=20 July 2019}}</ref>

[[File:Warwick waxarmor churchilldisplay 117104.jpg|thumb|OneDisplay of the groups of wax figures in the castle; Lord Brooke, a young Winston Churchillarmour and Spencer Cavendishweaponry]]

*{{Cite book |last=Pettifer |first=Adrian |year=1995 |title=English Castles: a Guide by Counties |publisher=The Boydell Press |isbn=0-85115-782-3 |doi=10.1017/9781846152429}}

[[Category:Buildings and structures completed in 10691068]]