Warwick Castle has been through a lot over the years. A few notable moments include when it was attacked in 1264, the siege of Warwick Castle in 1642, and the fire that tore through the castle in 1871. Despite all of these setbacks, the castle has endured throughout history and still stands today.
It was kept by the Earls of Warwick before becoming the private residence of the Greville Family until 1978, when it became the property of the Tussauds Group, who later became Merlin Entertainment Group, in 2007.
It remains with the Merlin Entertainment Group to this day and they have turned the castle into a fun and interesting tourist destination. Indeed it’s one of the few English castles of its size that welcomes overnight visitors, as we shall see.
In the meantime, let’s have a look at the castle’s long and varied history…
History of Warwick Castle
Warwick Castle was built by a king, became the seat of a kingmaker, and played a vital part in the War of the Roses and the English Civil War. Needless to say, it’s had a long and important history. It even housed a royal prisoner at one point.
The records of there being a walled-building in Warwick date back to the Saxon foundations built by the daughter of Alfred the Great, Ethelfleda.
The foundations were built to protect the area from invading Danes. It was constructed in 914 A.D. It’s incredible to think that the huge castle started life as a small fort built by the Saxons.
The Warwick Castle that we know and love today slowly came to life from 1068. The castle was a construction project for King William I, better known to historians as William the Conqueror.