One of the most adventurous and kid-friendly castles in England is Warwick Castle. A day trip to Warwick Castle is not just about a history lesson but you get to enact and participate in it. This historical castle turned into a historical theme park & resort recreates the thousand years of history and tales from the past. History can be boring for younger kids but Warwick Castle engages kids and keeps them on their toes. There are tours and activities in various parts of the castle and outdoors that are fun for the whole family.
History of Warwick Castle
The original wooden castle was built by William the conquerer in 1068, on a bend of river Avon. This was converted into a stone castle in the 12th century by the Earls of Warwick and with time many new sections were added and the defenses of the original castle were strengthened. The Warwick Castle was owned by some noted historical characters and has hosted by many noted royals and politicians.
The 16th Earl of Warwick, Richard Neville, also known as the ‘Kingmaker’ played an important role in the War of the Roses. The castle played an important role in many of the great battles in England. The Warwick Castle was also given to the Dudleys by the British crown, the same Dudleys who owned the Dudley castle inside the Dudley zoo that we visited while exploring Birmingham. In the 17th century, it became a royal home to the Greville family who expanded the castle, fortified it and spent a fortune in the restoration.
How to get there
We visited Warwick Castle on a rainy day and the minute we stepped out of the train it started pouring. Warwick is well connected from London Marylebone by train and by tour buses from central London. We spent a while walking from the station to the castle in the pouring rain. However, the rain didn’t dampen our spirits and the first sight of the magnificent castle ramparts cheered us up.
What to do in Warwick Castle
There is literally something for everyone in Warwick castle, no matter the age and your interests. The castle is so huge with multiple sections and shows at specific timings that it is better to download the map of Warwick Castle beforehand and plan your day accordingly.
Stable Courtyard Entrance
This is where you would enter and you can buy your tickets here too for the castle. Don’t forget to get the tickets for the Dungeon tour and the Princess tower else you will have to walk back again to get them. The castle parking is nearby which is convenient incase you are driving to Warwick Castle.
After you enter you can either walk to the right and enter the main castle through the Bear Tower gates or take a left, passing by the Horrible History Maze enter through the gate next to the castle dungeons.
Castle Dungeons
We did not do the castle dungeons as the tour does not allow children below 5 years. But the sounds and screams coming from inside guaranteed that it was a spooky and thrilling tour. The tour is an interactive and participative experience that takes you through the darkest history of the castle introducing you to the torturer and the executioner. Would I have done it at another time without my son? Not so sure.
The Great Hall
Thanks to the many restorations that have taken place, Warwick Castle is one of the most well-preserved castles in England. And to add to it, there are historical tours that are gripping for kids and adults alike. As I stepped into the Great Hall, I was transported to medieval times, the age of knights who rode their horses and when armies fought wearing armory with bow-arrows and swords.
The walls of the room are decorated by spears, riffles, swords and other arms. We were lucky as the historical tour for kids just started and we joined in.
The State dining room
The state dining room is one of the finest rooms inside the Warwick castle with its ceiling decorated with magnificent chandeliers and walls adorned with beautiful portraits. The center of attraction is the table set with accessories fit for royalty. No doubt the room has received royal guests from the history and the current royals. Some in this distinguished list of the royals are Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth I, William III, Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, King Edward VII, and Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
The Drawing Rooms and Queen Anne’s bedroom
The next series of drawing rooms get their names from their colour theme like the red drawing room, the green drawing room and the . These rooms were mainly used for parties, banquets and ballroom dancing. There are many portraits and decoratives that were gifted to the families that resided in the Warwick Castle. The red drawing room displays the wax figures of King Henry VIII and his six wives. Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon, his first wife had visited Warwick castle and stayed in the private chambers with exquisite tapestries.
Queen Anne’s bedroom is not her room actually but the stateroom was renamed as her bedroom after the room was restored with Queen Anne’s furniture. After her death, the furniture was given by King George III to Francis Greville, Earl of Warwick. The detailed tapestries in the room depict the episodes from Ovid’s metamorphoses and are an astounding work of art sourced from the Netherlands. Did you know to ensure that the colors of the threads did not run, urine was added to the dyes?
There is also a small chapel inside the main castle that was used by the Greville family. The Royal Weekend Party exhibition takes you through the usual Victorian high society weekends and parties. The private apartment takes you back to a weekend party that was organised in 1898 by the Countess of Warwick, for the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII. Many from the high society like a young Winston Churchill, Lord Curzon, Field Marshall Lord Roberts, and others attended this lavish and extravagant party. The rooms recreate the common scenes from weekend parties that would usually involve dancing, dining, hunting, and gossiping
Princess Tower
A must for all the little princesses, you can enter this castle tower to help the princess solve the riddle to find true love. It is an interactive storytelling session targeted for younger children.
Kingmaker
The real life like wax exhibits in this walkthrough experience depict the days when the Kingmaker, Richard Neville was preparing for war. You will find horses in armor, soldiers sharpening their weapons, women doing household chores. You can choose your weapon and give it a go too.
Mighty Trebuchet
The Trebuchet, a siege machine from the medieval times are now just in movies and books but Warwick Castle has the last largest functioning trebuchet in the whole world. A trebuchet was an important strategic part of medieval warfare and was basically used to hurl fireballs and large rock missiles at the enemy. Interestingly, the soldiers used to run like hamsters on the wheel of the trebuchet, that turns inside to launch the missiles. Not necessarily the most pleasant job as a soldier! We were bummed as the mighty trebuchet was not working on the day we visited. However, you can join in the Trebuchet Talk show to understand the workings of this ancient and rare machine.
The Shows
There are multiple shows that are run in the Warwick Castle that really give you sneak peek into the past. The Falconer’s Quest, tells you the story of Hobby and his quests to prove his place as Master Falconer to the Earl of Warwick.
But what’s more mesmerizing are the large birds as they fly around performing acrobatics and swooping around the audience with the stunning backdrop of a riverside location in the castle grounds.
At the Bowman show, you can meet the resident archer as he impresses the crowd with his skill and agility. A great opportunity for kids to learn techniques to hit your target accurately and the secrets of warfare.
Another hit with the kids is the Knight School, an interactive show for kids on how to become knights. All they need to do is pick their favorite arms and join the resident Knight who teaches the group some Knightly moves.
My favorite was the enactment show of War of the Roses which included live jousting spectacle on galloping horses. The knights ask you to choose a side before they start the show and accordingly take your seats. So who would you stand for? The white rose of House of York or the red rose of House of Lancaster?
The plot starts with Henry VI and Edward IV coming in with their knights and challenging each other for the throne of England. Next comes the epic and real-life jousting followed by a battle with swords and shields. The drama kept escalating with twists and turns, keeping us hooked on till the very end. Who won in the end? You need to see it to know it!
Warwick Castle ramparts and towers
Walking across the ramparts is a great way to check out the scenery around. Climb up the mound and walk up to the towers to get breathtaking panoramic views of the beautiful 64 acres of gardens surrounding the castle. Unfortunately, we visited Warwick Castle on a rainy day. Even though it stopped raining in the afternoon, the weather was misty and windy. And it did not offer us the best of the views from the ramparts. But on a clear day, you can see Straton upon Avon, Shakespeare’s birthplace from the castle towers.
We were invited for a Press Trip to Warwick Castle and all views and opinions expressed here are my own.
