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WARWICK CASTLE - TUDOR TIMES
Medieval Ghosts and Love Birds
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 living apartments inside the 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.
In
modern times the Castle has come to be rather a medieval amusement
park for the family. 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
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Warwick
Castle
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SEE ALSO:
LITTLECOTE
HOUSE - TUDOR MANSION HOTEL
WEDDINGS AT LORD LEYCESTER HOSPITAL WARWICK
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
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