He converts it into a great house for her entertainment, embellishes the park and lays out a garden for her private use.After the Civil War, the castle's fortifications are dismantled.

Today, with its Tudor gardens, its impressive Norman ‘keep’ and John of Gaunt’s Great Hall, it is the largest castle ruin in England.The first castle at Kenilworth was built 50 years after the Norman conquest when Henry I gave the Royal Estate of Stoneleigh to Geoffrey de Clinton. Unfortunately, the temple was destroyed in the conflict in Syria in 2015, so this ceiling has become more poignant since that event.

The ceiling was installed in the 1750s by Francis Greville, 1Within this room there is a mysterious secret door which hides a 14The Queen Anne Bedroom was formerly known as the State Bedroom and was renamed in 1773 after Queen Anne’s furniture was given to Francis Greville, 1The incredible tapestries surrounding this room were created by Franciscus Spiringius in 1604 in Delft, Belgium.

Live and breathe the story of England at royal castles, historic gardens, forts & defences, world-famous prehistoric sites and many others. The Great Hall is the largest room in the castle.

The castle's original form is uncertain. Barges were brought in from as far away as After a six-month siege the barons, now overcome by disease and famine, finally surrendered.It was John of Gaunt who was responsible for turning the fortress castle into a palace in the 1360’s. Today, you can marvel at the mighty Norman keep and imagine the majesty of the Great Hall playing host to medieval monarchs.

John of Gaunt’s Great Hall was one of the finest of its kind and at the cutting edge of 14th century architectural design.

The first castle at Kenilworth was built in the 1120s by Geoffrey de Clinton the royal chamberlain to King Henry I.He was responsible for the construction for most of … The Duke improved and enlarged the domestic quarters of the castle, including building the Great Hall.Queen Elizabeth I visited Robert Dudley at Kenilworth Castle in 1566 and again in 1568.

Follow the trail around the castle and track down the clues - crack them all to claim your adventurer's certificate.

16.48 miles from Kenilworth Castle and Elizabethan Garden19.71 miles from Kenilworth Castle and Elizabethan Garden23.97 miles from Kenilworth Castle and Elizabethan Garden25.28 miles from Kenilworth Castle and Elizabethan Garden27.97 miles from Kenilworth Castle and Elizabethan Garden28.01 miles from Kenilworth Castle and Elizabethan Garden16.48 miles from Kenilworth Castle and Elizabethan Garden19.71 miles from Kenilworth Castle and Elizabethan Garden23.97 miles from Kenilworth Castle and Elizabethan Garden25.28 miles from Kenilworth Castle and Elizabethan Garden27.97 miles from Kenilworth Castle and Elizabethan Garden28.01 miles from Kenilworth Castle and Elizabethan Garden The exterior of John of Gaunt's great hall at Kenilworth Castle, an architectural masterpiece designed to symbolise his regal status John of Gaunt’s Palace The work at Kenilworth undertaken from 1370 by John of Gaunt, Edward III’s fourth son, counts as one of the most significant and ambitious building campaigns of the 14th century. His parliament of 1265 promised the common people a role in governing the country. In the 14th century John of Gaunt, son of King Edward III, developed the castle into a palace, building the great hall and lavish apartments.

Kenilworth Castle has been intimately linked with some of the most important names in English history. It is probable that the tapestries were acquired by Sir Fulke Greville.This small and intimate room was redecorated by Daisy Greville, 5The blue silk that adorns the walls is from Lyon and reflects Daisy’s love of French style and culture. Standard admission applies.

Tickets are available to book now. The site was fortified by the Saxons, and Kenilworth is mentioned in William the Conqueror’s Domesday Book of 1086. Once standing at the heart of a vast hunting ground and surrounded by a huge man-made lake, it represented a rich prize to the generations of great men who owned and embellished it – among them John of Gaunt, Henry V and Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. 5621230.

It was made for the Great Exhibition of 1851 by Cookes and Sons of Warwick, who were awarded a prize medal for their craftsmanship.