Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Beauchamp family, which controlled the medieval earldom of Warwick during
its most illustrious period, is responsible for the appearance of the castle today; much
of the external structure remains unchanged from the mid-14th century. When the
castle was granted to Sir Fulke Greville by James I in 1604, he spent £20,000 (an
enormous sum in those days) converting the existing castle buildings into a luxurious
mansion. The Grevilles have held the Earl of Warwick title since 1759, but sold the
castle to Tussaud's in 1978. As a result, the ornate interiors have been embellished
with exhibitions and waxwork displays to create a vivid picture of the castle's turbu-
lent past and its important role in the history of England.
The Kingmaker exhibit features Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, as he prepares
his household for the Battle of Barnet in 1471, while the former private apartments
house a display of a carefully reconstructed Royal Weekend House Party in 1898
(featuring wax models of a young Winston Churchill, the Prince of Wales, later King
Edward VII, and the Duchess of Marlborough). The Great Hall at the heart of the
castle contains the impressive Kenilworth buffet, a table made in oak by local crafts-
men for the Great Exhibition of 1851. The lavish State Rooms, built to entertain
noble guests and loaded with treasures, are also open to visitors during an ongoing
restoration program.
Finally, the Castle Dungeon is a ghoulish memorial to the dark side of the castle's
history (unsuitable for children under 10). Kids will prefer the Pageant Playground,
and the slightly kitsch Princess Tower, which tells the story of a fairytale princess
preparing for a castle wedding.
Warwick.
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0870/442-2000.
www.warwick-castle.co.uk. Admission £21 adults, £15 children 4-16,
£16.20 seniors, £72 family ticket, free for children 3 and under; 15% discount for tickets purchased
online; Castle dungeon extra £7.80. Daily 10am-5pm. Closed Dec 25.
Where to Eat
Brethren's Kitchen
ENGLISH TEA For a break from sightseeing, it's hard to
beat the Tudor ambience at this tearoom, part of the historic Lord Leycester Hospital
(p. 462) with cool stone floors and wonderful exposed oak beams. Order the full
cream tea with scones and fresh cream, or a variety of tempting homemade cakes.
They also do cheap but tasty lunches of home-cooked soup or sandwiches—try the
Warwickshire pork sausages.
Lord Leycester Hospital, 60 High St.
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07733/550497.
www.brethrenskitchen.co.uk. Main courses
£6-£12. AE, MC, V. Feb-Dec Tues-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 11am-5pm. Open bank holiday Mondays.
Closed Jan.
Catalan
MEDITERRANEAN It's the castle, not the cuisine, that draws you
to Warwick, but this bistro is notable for serving affordable food that tastes good and
is prepared with fresh ingredients. If you come for lunch, you'll be greeted with a
Spanish tapas menu that is experimental and tasteful. There's also lighter fare such
as sandwiches, panini, and salads. Dinner is more elaborate, with dishes such as
steamed fresh mussels in white wine or grilled lamb cutlets with garlic mash.
6 Jury St.
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01926/498930.
www.cafecatalan.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses £12-
£20; Mon-Fri 2-course fixed-price lunch £12. AE, MC, V. Mon-Sat noon-3pm and 6-9:30pm.
Tailors
CONTEMPORARY ENGLISH Tailors serves incredibly cre-
ative food from two of the regions up and coming young chefs. The seasonal menus
are a masterpiece; expect exquisite combinations such as braised shoulder and filet
of Lincolnshire pork with black pudding (blood sausage), white beans, smoked
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