Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Essentials
GETTING THERE
Chiltern Railways trains run frequently between Strat-
ford-upon-Avon and Warwick (22 min.). A one-way ticket costs around £4.70.
Stagecoach
bus no. 16 departs Stratford-upon-Avon every hour during the day.
The trip takes roughly half an hour. Go to
www.stagecoachbus.com
for schedules.
Take the A46 if you're driving from Stratford-upon-Avon.
VISITOR INFORMATION
The
Tourist Information Centre
is at the Court
House, Jury Street (
&
01926/492212;
www.visitwarwick.co.uk), and is open Mon-
day to Friday from 9:30am to 4:30pm, Saturday 10am to 4:30pm, and Sunday 10am
to 3:30pm (closes 30 min. later in summer; closed Dec 24-26 and Jan 1).
Exploring the Area
Lord Leycester Hospital
HISTORIC SITE This attractive group of 14th-cen-
tury timber-framed buildings is the most enticing sight in the old heart of Warwick.
It was never a hospital in the modern sense, but rather a charitable institution “for
the housing and maintenance of the needy, infirm or aged.” Originally built to house
local guilds, the hospital was founded in 1571 by Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, as
a home for old soldiers. It's still used by ex-service personnel and their spouses. On
top of the West Gate is the attractive little chapel of St. James, dating from the 12th
century but renovated many times since. American writer Nathaniel Hawthorne
wrote of his visits to Master's Garden in 1855 and 1857; the gardens were later
restored based on the observations he made in his writings.
60 High St.
&
01926/491422.
www.lordleycester.com. Admission £4.90 adults, £4.40 seniors, £3.90
children 5-15, free for children 4 and under. Easter-Oct Tues-Sun 10am-5pm; Nov-Easter Tues-Sun
10am-4:30pm.
St. Mary's Church
CHURCH Destroyed in part by the fire of 1694, this church
is among the finest examples of late-17th- and early-18th-century architecture. The
Beauchamp Chapel, spared from the flames, encases the Purbeck marble tomb of
Richard Beauchamp, a well-known earl of Warwick who died in 1439 and is com-
memorated by a gilded bronze effigy. Even more powerful than King Henry V, Beau-
champ has a tomb that's one of the finest remaining examples of the Perpendicular
Gothic style from the mid-15th century. The tomb of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leices-
ter, a favorite of Elizabeth I, is against the north wall. The Perpendicular Gothic choir
dates from the 14th century; the Norman crypt and chapter house are from the 11th
century. It's also worth climbing the 134 steps to the top of the tower, for scintillating
views of the town and surrounding countryside.
21 Church St.
&
01926/403940.
www.saintmaryschurch.co.uk. Free admission (£2 donation recom-
mended); tower £2.50 adults, £1 children 5-15. Apr-Oct daily 10am-6pm; Nov-Mar daily 10am-4:30pm.
All buses to Warwick stop at Old Sq., 2 blocks from the church.
Warwick Castle
CASTLE Perched on a rocky cliff above the River Avon
close to the town center, this magnificent 14th-century fortress looms over the town
like a giant fist. It's the definitive medieval castle, with chunky towers, crenellated
battlements, and a moat surrounded by gardens, lawns, and woodland where pea-
cocks roam freely. You'll need the best part of a day to do it justice.
Ethelfleda, daughter of Alfred the Great, built the first significant fortifications
here in 914, while William the Conqueror ordered the construction of a motte-and-
bailey castle in 1068. The mound is all that remains today of the Norman castle,
which Simon de Montfort sacked in the Barons' War of 1264.
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