Warwick Castle
Welcome to Warwick Castle. I like to think of Warwick Castle as the "Medieval Disneyland" of Warwick. It's good fun, and includes people in costume doing medieval-ly things like bow and arrows and dressing up as princesses. They also had a pretty wicked bird show, but I took so many pictures of the birds, again, that'll need its own post.
It's hard to figure out the age of the castle, since it was lacking somewhat in historical information. As far as I can tell from Wikipedia, there was a motte and bailey style castle built on a mound within the grounds about 1068. There's nothing left of this besides a big hill. Apparently after that a stone castle was built on the mound during the 1100s. Not sure if the stone structure on top of the hill is part of that castle or not.
Then again, during the 1300s more stuff was added, including a tower and some big additions.
Then more towers were added in the 1480s.
Then over the years more stuff was added, and I can't keep it straight anymore. It's an old castle, just take it at that. It's also now owned by Madam Tussards, home of the famous wax people.
This was taken in the rose garden... which oddly, didn't have a whole lot of roses.
Although it did have rocks that were given to them from the Giant's Causeway.
And a Victorian Ice House! They date back to the 1830s and are built on a bank facing away from the sun. They were still being used in 1869... although not used anymore.
Can you see the archer man over the huge amount of school children with their information booklets? He's using a crossbow, although he did switch it up and shoot with a bow and arrow once in a while, too. He was a very good shot.
This was the little chapel inside the Great Hall and State Rooms. Not sure how old it is, but it sure was tiny.
The Great Hall and State Rooms themselves were quite well done. They followed the history of a family who was having a party there, and they had all the people done up as wax figures (a la Madam Tussards) in costume. The rooms were nicely decorated - and they let me take pictures!
Here is the old mill and dam. We'll get closer later. You can, however, see what appears to be the ruins of an old bridge in the background.
They had a huge population of peacocks that roamed the grounds. They were very lovely and awful noisy! Now I know where the Pixar folk got the sounds for the bird 'Kevin' in the movie Up. Sqwack!
Here is the view looking down onto the center green area from the first level of the wall. I think they performed something in the middle, but we didn't see anything.
And here is the view from the top of the tower! That's quite a ways up a very narrow staircase!
In the back of the picture you can see the original mound and stone bit up top. We did go up the mound, but there isn't anything left of any original structure, just a nice view over the rolling hills.
This is a Victorian boat shed. I love the wood patterns along the roof. In the background is the field where the jousting takes place, although they weren't jousting when we were there.
Here's a cloer look at the mill and the river. It was still an operational mill, although I don't think they made anything. It had been converted to make electricity for the castle, which it might still do.
And one last look back onto the castle before we left for the day! Even though we had one half-hour spell of hurricane-force rain, the weather generally was quite perfect that day! Up next I'll show you the pictures I took of the bird show, which was the best part!
This was taken in the rose garden... which oddly, didn't have a whole lot of roses.
Although it did have rocks that were given to them from the Giant's Causeway.
And a Victorian Ice House! They date back to the 1830s and are built on a bank facing away from the sun. They were still being used in 1869... although not used anymore.
Can you see the archer man over the huge amount of school children with their information booklets? He's using a crossbow, although he did switch it up and shoot with a bow and arrow once in a while, too. He was a very good shot.
This was the little chapel inside the Great Hall and State Rooms. Not sure how old it is, but it sure was tiny.
The Great Hall and State Rooms themselves were quite well done. They followed the history of a family who was having a party there, and they had all the people done up as wax figures (a la Madam Tussards) in costume. The rooms were nicely decorated - and they let me take pictures!
Here is the old mill and dam. We'll get closer later. You can, however, see what appears to be the ruins of an old bridge in the background.
They had a huge population of peacocks that roamed the grounds. They were very lovely and awful noisy! Now I know where the Pixar folk got the sounds for the bird 'Kevin' in the movie Up. Sqwack!
Here is the view looking down onto the center green area from the first level of the wall. I think they performed something in the middle, but we didn't see anything.
And here is the view from the top of the tower! That's quite a ways up a very narrow staircase!
In the back of the picture you can see the original mound and stone bit up top. We did go up the mound, but there isn't anything left of any original structure, just a nice view over the rolling hills.
This is a Victorian boat shed. I love the wood patterns along the roof. In the background is the field where the jousting takes place, although they weren't jousting when we were there.
Here's a cloer look at the mill and the river. It was still an operational mill, although I don't think they made anything. It had been converted to make electricity for the castle, which it might still do.
And one last look back onto the castle before we left for the day! Even though we had one half-hour spell of hurricane-force rain, the weather generally was quite perfect that day! Up next I'll show you the pictures I took of the bird show, which was the best part!
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