Kenilworth Castle Flashcards
(31 cards)
Who was granted the land to build Kenilworth Castle and why?
-Geoffrey de Clinton was granted the land by King Henry I (1120–1174) to weaken the powerful Earl of Warwick.
What did Geoffrey de Clinton build in 1124?
- A motte and bailey castle with timber buildings, including a great tower (keep).
What were the political and military reasons for building the castle?
- Political: To empower the De Clinton family.
-Military: To create a strong, defensive royal fortress.
What did King John add in 1210?
- A large artificial lake (the mere)
-a causeway
-Mortimer’s Tower
-Lunn’s Tower - outer curtain wall.
What was the purpose of the mere at Kenilworth?
-It was one of the largest in Britain and provided strong water defences.
Who held Kenilworth Castle during the 1266 siege and against whom?
-Simon de Montfort’s followers held the castle against King Henry III’s army.
Why was the siege of 1266 significant?
- It lasted six months — the longest siege in English medieval history.
-How did the king’s forces attack the castle during the siege?
-They used siege towers, trebuchets, and dug tunnels to undermine the walls.
When did the defenders surrender and what happened next?
-On 14 December 1266
-Henry III gave the castle to his son Edmund, who was made Earl of Lancaster.
-What did Edmund, Earl of Lancaster, do with the castle?
-Developed it further and held jousting events inspired by chivalric literature.
-How did the castle evolve under John of Gaunt (1370s)?
-Great Hall
-apartments
-kitchens
-chapel
-entertainment facilities.
What was the Great Hall used for?
-Hosting feasts, with a minstrel gallery, tapestries, and private access for the lord.
What was the Pleasance built by Henry V?
-A moated banqueting house for entertainment and royal relaxation (early 1400s).
-Who was Robert Dudley and what did he build?
-Earl of Leicester, favourite of Elizabeth I.
-He built Leicester’s Building (1571–75), Gatehouse, stables, and gardens.
Why did Robert Dudley improve the castle?
-To impress Elizabeth I during her visits, hoping she’d marry him.
What was significant about Elizabeth’s 1575 visit?
-A major royal occasion — Dudley staged elaborate shows and rebuilt parts of the castle.
What sources were used to reconstruct the Elizabethan garden?
-Langham’s 1575 description, archaeological digs, and tapestries from the period.
What features were included in the reconstruction of the Elizabethan garden?
- Terrace, aviary, planting, arbour, and a fountain carved in Italian marble.
What happened to Kenilworth in 1642?
- It was occupied by Royalists and besieged by Parliamentarians.
What happened to the castle in 1649?
-Parliament ordered it to be slighted — the keep and walls were partly demolished
How was the castle used during 1700s -1800s period?
-It became a farm. The castle grounds were used agriculturally.
Why did tourism grow in the 1800s?
-Tourists were inspired by the Romantic movement and Sir Walter Scott’s novel Kenilworth (1821).
What happened to the castle in 1937?
-Sir John Siddeley gave it to His Majesty’s Works.
-The town retained legal ownership.
What role has English Heritage played since 1984?
-They manage and preserve the site as a national historic monument.
