Warwick Castle
A quick tour of the castle and grounds by
Nathan Wichman
Compiled 2006 for HS World History
Timeline
 914-earthen rampart
constructed
 1068-William the
conqueror builds motte
and bailey fort
 1260-stone replaces wood
 1264-the castle is
conquered
 1350-Caesars tower an
dungeons completed
 1395-guy’s tower
completed
 1450-gatehouse and
barbican completed
 1540-further
developments at castle
 1642-castle withstands
siege
 1700-continuing
development at castle
 1763-state dining room
completed
 1786-conservatory built
 1871-fire damages castle
some facts
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built in 1068 by William the conqueror
positioned by the River Avon
became an important seat of power
the conservatory housed the Warwick vase
Executions at Warwick
 1312-Piers Gaveston
 1397-Thomas de Beauchamp
 1431-earl goes to France to supervise the trial of
Joan of Ark
 1478-Clarence
 1499-Edward
 1628-Greville
Parts of the Castle
Guy’s Tower
 completed 1300-1400
 has five stories and is
about 39 meters tall
 has twelve sides
 the tower houses 4 stories
of bedrooms and the top
is a guardroom
Curtain Walls
 the curtain walls helped in the defense of the
castle by having a rampart so troops could move
from one part to another very fast. they also
proved very hard to break. the floor had murder
holes through which the defenders could drop
anything that comes to hand.
Bear and Clearance Towers
 they were to be of equal
height as Guy’s Tower
 were started to house a
keep to defend the earl
from inside attacks
 were never finished
because Richard III died
before they were
completed
 a kitchen was made on
ground level for the earl’s
domestic needs
Ghost Tower
 formerly known as
Watergate tower
 built in the late 14th
century to guard from
river attacks
 the tower’s decorations
reflect the Jacobean style
 the ghost of Sir Fulke
Greville
The State Rooms
 includes:
– the Chapel
– the State Dining Room
– the Great Hall
– the Red Drawing Room
– the Cedar Drawing Room
– the Green Drawing Room
– the Blue Boudoir
– the Queen Anne Bedroom
Pictures
The Royal Weekend Party
 includes:
– the Library
– the Music Room
– the Smoking Room
– the Ladies’ Boudoir
– Daisy’s Bedroom
– the Carnation Bedroom
– the Dowager’s Bedroom
– the Earl’s Dressing room
– the Kenilworth Bedroom
– the Chinese Bedroom
Pictures
Caesar’s Tower
 built in the14th century
by orders of Thomas de
Beauchamp
 is three stories tall plus a
dungeon, and a
guardhouse
 rises above the river 44.8
meters
 is built in the shape of a
clover
Death or Glory (the Armory)
 was added in 1669 to the
southeast wall of the
castle
 was first used as a library,
brew-house, and washhouse
 divided into historical
periods: 1000-1500, 17th
century, 1700-1800
 1000-1500: body armor
and weapons
 17th century: mainly
during the English civil
war
 1700-1800: flintlock
muskets and triangular
socket bayonets
The Gatehouse and Barbican
 includes
– drawbridge
– portcullis
– arrows/bolts loops
– murder holes
– big heavy wooden doors
– portcullis
– murder holes
– big heavy doors
pictures
sources
 http://www.warwickcastle.co.uk/warwick2004/tc_explore_castle.htm
picture
 www.ukstudentlife.com/.../England/Warwick.htm
 http://www.astraltravels.co.uk/uk-london-touristinformation/Warwick-Castle-Warwarkshire-tours.htm
 stevefazzio.com/my_favorite_pictures.html
 www.wga.hu/html/c/canalett/7/canal712.html
 http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/3b5e6/f7/
book
 Tussaud group. Warwick Castle: A Thousand Years of
History in Your Hands. Birmingham Wood Mitchell Ltd.
2000