Key Dates
- 1120s: first castle and defences built in response to potential threat from Warwick
- 1210–15: building by King John in response to the papal interdict of 1208
- 1266: Siege of Kenilworth
- 1300–50: castle changes from a fortress into a palace
- 1326: abdication of King Edward II (r.1307–27)
- 1370s: building work by John of Gaunt
- 1450s: Wars of the Roses
- 1565–75: royal visits by Queen Elizabeth I
- 1640–50: Civil War and slighting of the castle buildings
Early Medieval – The Appearance and Layout of Kenilworth Castle
- The initial structure built by Geoffrey de Clinton was probably a collection of simple wooden buildings situated on a rise; however, with the support and resources of King Henry I, this was soon joined by the stone keep, which still stands today
- Geoffrey de Clinton also built a causeway leading to the castle entrance
- This structure had the additional purpose of damming the two streams and forming a small lake (mere) to the west of the castle
- De Clinton’s son, Geoffrey II, is not thought to have made any significant changes to the site though, by the time of his death, the keep had several forebuildings and a small bailey
- In the 1170s, the castle returned to the Crown
- King Henry II felt the site was of significant strategic importance and began a series of building works to develop and strengthen the defences
- There is evidence of both an inner and outer bailey, the latter having a gatehouse and probably defended by banks and a ditch
- With the improved outer defences, changes were made to the keep making it more of a living space and less of a defensive structure; these changes included the modification to large, round arched windows to provide greater light
- When King John (r.1199–1216) took control of the castle, he heightened the dam, which vastly increased the size of the lake (mere) to the west of the castle
- King John also added greater stone defences, including towers, to the outer bailey and incorporated the existing gatehouse into a new entranceway structure with two D-shaped towers with battlements
- King John also added the second (top) floor to the keep, including a chamber at the top of the south-west turret
- Most of King John’s works were completed in 1210–15 and his defences are little changed today
- In 1234–5, a king’s chamber, king’s chapel and queen’s chamber were recorded within the castle, almost certainly in the inner bailey
- Simon V de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, created the Brays, a series of banks and ditches defended by a wooden palisade
- These mid-13th-century outworks defended the dam and its water controls
Late Medieval – The Appearance and Layout of Kenilworth Castle
- The House of Lancaster transformed the fortress into an extravagant palace, including building the large kitchen, great hall and a range of fine chambers around the inner ward
- In the early 14th century, Thomas of Lancaster created an 800- acre deer park and probably added further accommodation for his household in the form of the Water Tower
- He also constructed a new chapel in the outer bailey
- In the 1370s, extensive work was carried out on the castle by John of Gaunt
- John of Gaunt’s additions and changes were based on King Edwards III’s (r.1327–77) lodgings at Windsor Castle and included remodelling the apartments, services and kitchens
- At this time, a magnificent new great hall was also built
- At this point, the main structures of the castle were complete. All further additions throughout the 1400s and early 1500s, including a tennis court (location now unknown), were features of wealth and status, creating a venue for relaxation and pleasure
Post Medieval – The Appearance and Layout of Kenilworth Castle
- When the Dudleys took possession of the castle in the second half of the 16th century, there were again great changes at Kenilworth
- John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland, built the stables and enhanced the tiltyard
- John Dudley’s son, Robert, Earl of Leicester, modelled a new gatehouse at the north entrance, built a new tower (Leicester’s Building) and made significant improvements to the keep and state apartments
- The architecture and décor were the height of Elizabethan style; Robert also developed the privy garden
- After the Civil War, in 1650, the north side of the keep was broken down and the outer walls destroyed in sections
- The site became a farmstead and the buildings of the inner bailey became a source of salvage and building materials
- By the late 18th century, the site was ruinous
Key Features
- Mortimer’s Tower is the 13th-century gatehouse, but also holds the remains of the original gatehouse built around 1120
- The gatehouse shows the progression of defences and technology including grooves for a medieval portcullis
- The keep, built in 1120, has been added to and altered numerous times
- These alterations demonstrate the progression of defences, weaponry and also the use and importance of the site over time
- The large openings at ground level demonstrate the change in function from a defendable military structure to a building for leisure and show
- John of Gaunt’s works are an excellent demonstration of the organisation of a medieval aristocratic household
- The great hall built by Gaunt was a grand display of status and shows the most up-to-date architectural fashions of the time
- Although there is no evidence of the original structures of the 12th and 13th centuries, the presence of an enlarged hall for dining, a suite of grand chambers and extensive kitchens marks a change in purpose for the site, from a defendable fortress to a luxurious palace
- The building works by Robert Dudley (Leicester’s Building and Leicester’s Gatehouse) illustrate his devotion to Queen Elizabeth I, but also highlight her wish to promote him, as she funded all the work
- In addition to the buildings, the reconstructed Elizabethan garden is highly symbolic in its use of flowers, colours and sculpture
- Evidence used by historians
- Contracts
- Architect plans
- Contemporary drawings
- Aerial photographs
Day to Day Functions of Kenilworth Castle at Different Times in its History
- The site had been used throughout its history as a symbol of status and power, starting with Geoffrey de Clinton who, supported by King Henry I, built the first castle on the site to maintain influence and control over Warwick
- Up until the mid-13th century, the castle continued to be used and developed as a defensive site of strategic importance
- In 1266, Kenilworth Castle was besieged by King Henry III (r.1216–72), one of the most important engagements in war between the king and rebel barons
- When the House of Lancaster took control of the castle in the early 14th century, the purpose of the site changed
- Moving from strategic importance to social importance, the site was used as a status symbol and display of wealth for the next 300 years
- During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (r.1558–1603), when the castle was owned by Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, the castle hosted four visits by the queen, outstanding for their lavishness
- Following the Civil War, Parliament used the destruction of all former Royalist strongholds, including Kenilworth Castle, as a demonstration of its power
- Geoffrey de Clinton: close association with King Henry I and the church
- King John: strategic importance and extensive development of defences
- Simon V de Montfort: probable use of the trebuchet in the 1266 Siege of Kenilworth
- House of Lancaster: development and use of the site for pleasure and entertaining
- John of Gaunt: building works to suit his self-styled title ‘King of Castile and Leon’
- Robert Dudley: building for and entertaining Queen Elizabeth I
- Robert Langham: an official in Leicester’s household who was allowed into the garden during the queen’s absence on a hunt, and described it in great detail in his letters
- Evidence used by historians
- Royal licenses
- Newspaper articles
Life in Kenilworth Castle at Different Times in its History
- The castle had two clearly defined periods of use in its history: the first as a defendable site, the second as a place for leisure and comfort
- This illustrates the changing attitudes towards castle buildings and how they should be used
- – During both periods of use, the castle reveals much about the role of wealth and status, displayed through buildings and architecture
- After its initial destruction in 1650, the site entered a third period where the poor treatment of the site is more revealing of social attitudes than the actual site itself
- Excavations in the 20th century illustrate the changing attitudes towards understanding and conserving historic buildings
- Evidence used by historians
- Bills and accounts
- Inventories
Key Events Associated with Kenilworth Castle at Different Times in its History
- Important in relation to the development of the town
- Political and historical significance in the local area
- English Civil War: the ‘slighting’ by Colonel Hawksworth
- King Henry II: Revolt of 1173–4
- King John: Magna Carta
- 1266 Siege of Kenilworth: one of the most violent and protracted sieges of the Middle Ages, bringing to a close a long and exhausting war between the king and barons
- Thomas of Lancaster: Battle of Boroughbridge
- King Henry V: the mocking gift of tennis balls from the French was an incentive to launch an invasion of France, now sometimes called the Agincourt campaign
