Warwick Castle holds a dominating position over the River Avon, and has done since the time of William the Conqueror in a truly beautiful spot. Although the castle has seen battles, several lordly owners and has witnessed some of the most important events in the history of England, it now serves as an incredible playground for everything historical and medieval. Warwick is close to the second biggest UK city, Birmingham, where you can find the Peaky Blinders experience I wrote about before. The history of the UK rests in the castles that dominate the landscape, and these are central to being able to understand this country, and so visiting some of these towering monuments will teach anyone a lot about the English people and what has happened.
Historical tours and beauty
There is a massive range of activities in the castle grounds, including the castle tours and dungeon experiences as well. There are eagle and birds of prey shows, archery competitions and the largest trebuchet in the world. Visitors can really get a sense of what the entertainment and sports of the day would have been like, and feel like they are in a medieval world. There are even some renovated suites in the castle so people can find their inner-nobility for a night in plush medieval luxury. Being able to sleep in rooms that have hosted royals and nobles for centuries must be an incredible experience.
Jousting and medieval banquets
The best thing about this castle is that it is used incredibly. Activities and shows are absolutely accurate and historical, and seeing two fully armoured knights charging their snorting horses at one another, and one getting hit with a lance is incredible. A trip into the castle dungeons will show a brave visitor some of the most viscous and horrible parts of medieval punishment. This is not a place for the faint-hearted. All the scenes are acted out by real people instead of the usual mannequins, adding to the horror!
Days here can be finished off with a theatrical and culinary flourish, with themed banquets every night. The combination of excellent food and historical re-enactment is amazing, as well as being able to spend a night in a medieval hall. Warwick Castle is a place where history really has been re-created. From the medieval costumes to the original activities like archery, visitors here will be able to get some sense of what life may have been like in the medieval ages this castle was built in.
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The author
Joe Thorpe
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