On 24^th December 1938, the movie remake The Dawn Patrol was released in cinemas, starring Errol Flynn and Basil Rathbone. It was well received by those who watched it and follows a number of Royal Flying Corps Fighter Pilots during WW1. In the supporting cast is a man billed as Michael Brooke whose real name was Charles Greville. Charles was given the nickname of the Duke of Hollywood due to him being the 7^th Earl of Warwick and owner of Warwick Castle.

Charles’ career as an actor was short lived however his home of Warwick Castle has a history of 1100 years with routes all the way back to Alfred the Great, and has played a part in a number of historical events including the Anarchy, the Barons revolt, the wars of the Roses and the English Civil War. A small star in Hollywood, Charles was just one of many owners and occupants of Warwick Castle and this week’s post looks at some of the castles past, its present and possible future.

Warwick Castle

Warwick Castle started life as a Motte and Bailey Castle in 1068. Over the next century, it was developed into a stone Castle, complete with towers, walls, and a gatehouse. At the time, it was home to the Earls of Warwick, their stronghold and a prison for their enemies. From 1500, another transformation began where the site moved from a fortress to a stately residence to suit the trends of the time. During the 20^th century, the Castle started its final transition from home to a visitor attraction.

David Greville, who inherited the castle in had begun to sell off the Warwick collection to fund the running of the castle. It was already a visitor attraction in 1850, when George, 2^nd Earl of Warwick declared bankruptcy. He opened the doors to raise revenue. However, it was not enough and Greville had enough, he sold the castle to the Taussads group in 1978 thus ending the life of Warwick as a home.

Architecture

Much of the current design and layout of the Castle we see today was by Richard Granville II. Each of Warwick’s owners placed their own stamp on the place and helped to shape what it has become.

Its towers, which include Caesars Tower, were designed to symbolise power and the importance of chirvelious honour. It was commissioned by Henry de Bechaump, and is in this style known as quatrefoil/cleverly. Based around a design of four intersecting circles, it not only is aesthetically pleasing but also has the advantage of being a better shape for defence than that of a square tower.

When Richard III was owner of Warwick when he was only Duke of York, he commissioned a four-tower gatehouse to be built. The towers were designed to be independent strongholds should the castle be attacked and entry gained or a mutiny from within. Due to events at the time, this was never completed but today we are left with two of the four towers named the Bear Tower and Clarence Tower name after Richards’s brother Edward Duke of Clarence (you know the one drowned in a butt of wine).

Guy’s Tower is polygonal in design and is the only surviving tower of its kind in England. It was 12 sides and 39 metres tall. Within its walls were a number of rooms, which guests (and prisoners) would stay. As a guest the higher the floor, the more important you were seen to be. Some of these rooms are available to stay in today.

No castle would be complete without a barbican and gatehouse. The one at Warwick was completed around 1330-60 by Thomas de Beauchamp, 11^th earl of Warwick. Along with the gatehouse, he had a barbican constructed complete with murder holes, two drawbridges, a gate, and portcullis. No one was getting inside in a hurry.

Residence –

Warwick has had 36 owners from six different families, and has been in royal hands a few times. The first owner was the King who gave the Castle to Henry de Beaumont from the House de Newburgh. It would stay in their hands for five generations and only left due to lack of male heirs.

In 1268, Warwick Castle came under the ownership of the Beauchamp’s family. The Beauchamp’s would not only make their mark on the castle itself but also in the history books. Richard, 13^th Early of Warwick would supervise the execution of Joan of Arc in 1431. They not only would continue to improve the castle but would also amass one of the largest private collections in the world. Some which is still there today (although a lot were sold off to pay debts in the 19^th century).

Following on from the Beachaumps were the Neville’s, starting with Richard Neville, who is discussed late in this post. It did not stay long in the Neville’s hands long however and through his daughters the Castle passed into the hands of Richard, Duke of Clarence (later King Richard III). He would start a building campaign at the castle, which unfortunately was never completed.

During the reign of the Tudors Warwick Castle was in the hands of the Dudley’s, with nearby Kenilworth Castle being given to Robert Dudley. His brother, Ambrose, inherited Warwick.

The last family to reside at Warwick was the Greville’s who are discussed in this post.

Warwick Town

Warwick Castle takes its name from the town it is located near – Warwick. The town is a market town, which links back centuries, and was at its peak in the medieval period. A market town refers to a town, which has a licence from the King to host markets. It was an important position to be in as the market was able to provide trade for not only the town it is held in but for the villages and areas nearby.

In the Domesday Book (1086), there were 50 markets in England, with 2,000 more established by the mind 1800s. Usually set up near a Castle or Monastery for convenience and to try to gain the trade of those nobles who lived there and the religious orders. Colchester is England’s oldest recorded market town (https://fortheloveofhistory.home.blog/2020/01/01/temple-of-the-gods-to-hell-on-earth-the-story-of-colchester-castle/)

Warwick is in the Domesday book as Waruic, and is Kings land with various landholders and burgess-holding dwellings. Along with the Castle, there are some other notable buildings, which take us back to its days as a medieval market town. Buildings such as the Lord Leycester Hospital, established in 1571, feature a chantry chapel, great hall and courtyard. St Mary’s church along with the many narrow lanes and roads one finds in medieval towns.

Also within Warwick, located Castle Park, is the site of a moated manor house owned by the Knights Templar from 1100 to 1549 ((https://fortheloveofhistory.home.blog/2019/04/06/a-temple-for-knights/))

Imprisoned

Warwick may have been a luxury home for its owners but for others it was the opposite and was the site of danger and imprisonment. It has its own cell, which was located in the basement of Caesars Tower and certainly was not created for comfort. It had a single drain running through it, which was the only form of drainage and a small window.

There was worse though, within the cell there was the Oubliette. This was a small space within the cell, which would have only been big enough for one to stand in, and if lucky to crouch. The unfortunate soul who was placed there would have no daylight and was only able to get out with the help of a rope pulling them up.

In addition to the Prison, certain rooms in the castle itself were also used as prison cells. Warwick has held a number of prisoners in its time and their names may be familiar to you. In 1312, Piers Galveston, a favourite of King Edward II, was imprisoned at the castle after … and a number of other nobles had had enough. Originally to be held only under the care of the Earl of Pembrooke at Deedington Castle, took matters into his own hands and removed him to Warwick. There he, along with the Earls of Lancaster, Hereford and Arundel, gel a mock trial and sentenced Piers to death. on 19^th June he was taken to the top of Blacklow Hill and executed. One executioner ran him through with a sword, whilst the second hacked of Piers’ head

In 1642, the first battle of the English Civil War took place at Edgehill. The …. were the victors and those capturered were held prisoner, with some being taken to Warwick and held in both Caesars and Guy’s Tower. One of those held at the Castle was a man named Edward Disney, who could be a possible ancestor of Walt Disney. Walt even visited the Castle in… looking to trace his family. In Guys Tower where Edward was held, there is some graffiti, which he left, while there.

Capability brown

The more stately houses I look into the more this man comes up. Some of you may already know of him – Capability Brown. Warwick Castle was the first formal garden that Brown did and opened the door for him to pursue a landscape gardening career and leave his mark on so many places that we know and love today. The first recorded gardens at the Castle were in 1534.

His work began in 1749 and was completed in 1757. He simplified the gardens to make them seem more natural, along with adding a serpentine at the front of the castle to make the space look bigger than it was. In today’s money, it cost £310,000.

“The castle is enchanting. The view pleased me more than I can express; the river Avon tumbled down a cascade at the foot of it. It is well laid out by one Brown…“

Horace Walpole

In 1868, R. Monock was commissioned to design a private rest space for the Countess of Warwick, along with some redesigning of the gardens in general. Today evidence of his work can be seen in the Peacock garden with Marnocks peacock topiaries. There was also a Rose Garden which, although covered by a Tennis Court in the 20th Century, the gardens were restored in the 1980s and were officially opened by Princess Diana in 1986. However, they have since been covered again by a maze attraction.

Kingmaker

One cannot talk about Warwick without mentioning the Kingmaker. Richard Neville was born in 1428 and inherited the tile of Earl of Warwick (15^th) through the inheritance of his wife Anne de Beauchamp. During the 15^th Century, England was ruled by King Henry VI who would suffer a few mental breakdowns and lack of leadership. This led to a break in his court, with Richard, Duke of York, who was Henrys’ cousin (they were both descended from King Edward III) vying to become King instead of Henry. Neville would side, at the start, with the Yorkist faction, and became a major player in what is now known as the Wars of the Roses.

The Battle of Wakefield was a moment, which would impact Warwick and the York’s forever. The king’s wife Margaret of Anjou sent a force of 6,000 men to attack the Yorkist forces at Sandal Castle. York, feeling like he could take the army on, led his men out but had entered into a trap and was killed along with Warwick’s father. The severed heads of the two men were then placed atop the walls of York, with a paper crown on Richards’ head.

Warwick managed to get away and would join York’s son, Edward, and help mentor the young man into becoming a great leader of men in battle. In London, Warwick declared for Edward to be king now his father was unable to assume the position. They defeated the Lancastrian forces at the Battle of Towton and Edward of York became King Edward IV of England. Behind the scenes, however, Warwick was pulling the strings and helping the young king to take control of the country and the remaining Lancastrian supporters.

The partnership of mentor, mentee would end in 1464, when Edward met and fell in love with Elizabeth Woodville, a widower of a Lancastrian soldier. Not only did Warwick feel this was an unsuited match and that Elizabeth was not noble enough to hold the rank of Queen. Warwick had also been negotiating a marriage with Bona of Savoy and Edward. The two would not be close again and the wedge between them grew so much that Warwick eventually switched to the Lancastrian side.

In 1469, Warwick captured the King and imprisoned him at Warwick Castle. He attempted to force Edward to rule as a puppet king, with Warwick controlling all the strings. Edwards’s supporters were too much for Warwick forcing him to release the king and flee to France.

Warwick would meet his death during the Battle of Barnet, where he and the Lancastrian forces attempted to place King Henry back on the throne. Warwick left behind him two daughters who had married Edwards brothers, George, Duke of Clarence and Richard, Duke of York. With Richard inheriting Warwick Castle though, right of his wife.