For six centuries this castle was a stronghold of the Lords and Kings of England. From it's foundation by Geoffrey de Clinton about 1200ad until the time of the Tudors, it was held by the powerful de Montforts in the 13th century. Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester later became a leading rebel against HenryIII, and in 1266 Henry's army surrounded Kenilworth Castle, for a period of eight months, but it's fortifications withstood the siege. However, the defenders were later forced to surrender, due to disease and famine.

In the 14th. century, it was remodelled as a Palace, by John O'Gaunt, adding large domestic quarters. Much of his Banqueting Hall still exists. During the 16th. century, this was the place where Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, having added more living quarters, and the great Northern Gate-House, entertained Elizabeth I in great style. In 1575 she stayed for a period of eighteen days, at a cost of a thousand Pounds per day. A truly extravagant lifestyle, and a graphic example that Elizabeth I's 'friendship' didn't come cheap.

During the Civil War, Cromwell considered the castle to be too great a threat, and so partially dismantled it. The Keep was also partially destroyed, and what remains of the red sandstone castle was never reoccupied after the Restoration.

To the north of the town, and close to St. Nicholas Church, is the ruins of a 12th. century house of Agustinian Canons, founded by Geoffrey de Clinton in 1122. In 1458 the Priory became an Abbey, named the Abbey of St. Mary the Virgin, and King HenryVII attended mass at Whitsuntide in 1487 and 1488.

In 1538 King Henry VIII's Monasteries Dissolution Bill was passed, so putting in jeopardy this, and so many other Abbeys throughout the land. A few years later Henry VIII had the Abbey dismantled, and it passed into the hands of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, who used much of the stone for repairs and alterations to his Castle.

The photograph shows the Priory Gate which was also known locally as the Tantara Gate house, thought to have been derived from the bugle call of approaching coachmen, to attract the attention of the porters ie. (Tan-Tar-Rah).

Location:- Junction of High Street and Bridge Street.

The tithe barn of the Abbey of St. Mary the Virgin, now houses many of the treasures recovered from the ruins of the Abbey, such as the finer specimens of tiles, glass and stone mouldings etc.

Location:- Adjacent to Abbey ruins.

Presented to Kenilworth as a memorial to his wife, by Mr. G. W. Turner in 1906, this stately clock tower stands at the head of the main Warwick Road, running through the centre of the shopping area.

The upper part of the tower was damaged by a land mine in 1940, but it was restored in 1973 by the Kenilworth Urban District Council.

Location:- Warwick Road.

This residential building started life as a Windmill, built in 1778, which was converted to steam power in 1854. 30 years later the machinery was removed, and the building was converted into a water tower. In the early 1960's it ceased to be the main source of supply, and it fell out of use and became derelict. The present use as a private dwelling, is a result of the urban District Council, inviting suggestions for a suitable use for the building.

Location:- Tainter's Hill, next to Coventry Road (A429).

The original timber-framed Castle Tavern was built in 1430, and the old oak tree, around which it was built, still supports the now much larger building. The early prosperity of the tavern, was due to the thriving market town, as well as it's position on the old droving road from Balsall Common to Southam, and on the route linking Kenilworth Castle to Coventry, which experienced it's greatest activity during the Elizabethan era. During the siege of Kenilworth Castle in 1266, the tavern was used as quarters by Cromwell's troops.

During the 19th. century, it served as a horn comb factory, a builder's merchants, and later converted into flats. In 1972 the present owners restored the building to its original use.

Location:- Old High Street.

Near to the Castle is the old hamlet of Little Virginia. It originally consisted of fifteen cottages, housing it was thought, masons and builders employed by Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, for work on the Castle.

Mrs. Vice, the owner of the cottage shown in pictures 'B' and 'C' told me that her cottage 'Thatchings' was originally called 'Mason's Cottage'.

These cottages had fallen into disrepair, and declared derelict in 1973, following which a plan of restoration was put in place, resulting in the return of this beautiful hamlet to it's original condition.

Location:- Junction of Castle Hill & Castle Road.

This beautiful little cottage, with a typical English Cottage Garden, can be seen when approaching Kenilworth on the A429 (Warwick Road) from Warwick, in the village of Leek Wootton. The thatching is particularly fine, with even the two 'pigeons' being made of straw.

Anglo Saxon for 'Wooded Hamlet', Leek Wootton existed long before it's Doomsday Book entry in 1086, describing a settlement of 33 families.

Location:- Leek Wootton (A429 - Warwick Road)