Warwickshire

adition avers that ?thelfl?d, daughter of Alfred the Great and lady of Mercia, built a castle here, of which, although a

elfl?d's efforts as regards Warwick Castle were merely of the nature of adding to and strengthening already existing fortifications, which had their origin in the earthworks of the time of St. Dubritius. But whatever

rl of Warwick, drove the King's soldiers from the castle and surrendered the latter to Henry, Duke of Normandy, who afterwards became Henry II. A little later, during the Wars of the Barons, Sir John Gifford, governor of Kenilworth, surprised the castle of Warwick and carried off William de Mauduit, then Earl

, Piers Gaveston, the Gascon pretender, was brought a prisoner to Warwick, and tried by torchlight in the great hall of the castle, and notwithstanding frenzied entreaties was condemned to death in the presence of the "black dog of Arden" and the Earls of Gloucester, Lancaster, Hereford, and Arundel. Short shrift was the custom in those days, and on the following morning Gaveston was taken to Blacklow Hill, just out

ers Gaveston, two years later, on the death of Guy de Beauchamp, was handed over into the custody of

piece of military architectural construction known as C?sar's Tower, were erected by Thomas de Beauchamp, wh

TOM, C

ges. On the death of Richard de Beauchamp the title and estates passed into the possession of Richard Neville, who, by his marriage with Ann, daughter of Robert de Beauchamp, was by descent also Earl of Salisbury. This man was destined to go down in histo

e Tower of London. The castle afterwards came into possession of the Crown, and

rose, known as the "Good" Earl of Dudley, whose tomb is in the Beauchamp Chapel of St. Mary

he Crown, and remained so until 1605, when King James I. granted it to Sir Fu

s said that Sir Fulke Greville spent the then enormous sum of ￡30,000 in repairing and fitting up the castle, and he must also have in

of a banquet in the Hall of Leicester's Hospital, which event is

HONOURABLE SIR FULK GREVILLE, CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER, AND ONE OF HIS MAJESTY'S MOST HO

place was besieged by the Royalists' troops under the Earl of Northampton, in the absence of Lord Brooke. It was, however, vigorously defended by Sir Edward Peyto, who was left in charge. In the end, notwithstanding the fierce a

came Earls of Warwick on the extinction of the Rich family-who, till that date, possessed the title, alt

rs ago replaced the old one, the ruins of which are about a quarter of a mile nearer the castle, stands on a fine rocky promontory of

lthough nowadays the houses of the town approach the walls more nearly than in ancient

family. In former times there were two other approaches to the castle-one situated on the north side at the end of Castle Street, and the other at the bottom of Mill Street, traces of which are still discernible. This drive leads to

s approaches from attack. Within the drawbridge itself hangs the portcullis, and behind this in the ceiling are four holes through which blazing pitch, hot lead, or other equally unpleasant and destructive materials could be poured on the heads of assailants. In the rear of the portcullis itself stood the ancient and iron–strengthened doors. Even though the attacking party

er of missiles upon the attacking party still within the court. In the lower chamber of the south–e

ained, with ?thelfl?d's mound or the keep, crowned with trees and shrubs, and cross

ce, brother of Richard III., who, created Earl of Warwick by Edward IV., projected vast additions to the castle, which he did not live to carry out; and the second tower by Richard himself. Opposite these two towers, extending along the whole river front from C?sar'

l of Warwick. The apartments, including the state bedroom and the boudoir and those adjoining the eastern end of the great hall, were i

s of the former were discovered at the time of the fire, the chimney still being visible in

ak panelling of the walls, which reaches to a height of about nine feet. The floor is of white and red marble, brought from the ne

de of bell–metal, and capable of containing over a hundred gallons. This vessel is popularly known as "Guy's porridge pot," and was probably made for the retai

ing left of T

s pot and T

came into the family through the marriage of Margaret, daughter of Richard de Beauchamp, with John Talbot, E

as killed in 1643 at the siege of Lichfield; a fine example of a "double–plated" tilting suit; a suit of armour said to have belonged to Charles Graham, Marquis of Montrose; the mace of the King Maker, Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick; and a tiny suit of armour which belonged

wards of 320 feet. From the great hall the Red Drawing–Room-so called because of the colour of its wainscotted pane

t unrivalled collection of pictures, the richest treasure

is panelled, is some of the finest carving in the castle, and also some of the best works of Van Dyck. Indee

Maria, the bust of which was painted by Van Dyck, and the remainder by Sir Joshua Reynolds. There is also a half–length picture of Charles I. by Van Dy

e, ornamented in precious stones, such as lapis–lazuli, cornelians, chalcedony, jaspar, and variegated agates, with the arms and honours of the famil

YARD, C

ortraits of the sons of Robert, Lord Brooke, who was killed during the Civil War; a fine half–length Van Dyck of the Earl of Strafford in armour; a Charles II.; a cavalier in armour, with red scarf and baton, by Van Dyck; a charming "Portrait of a Lady," by Lely; and a notable Rubens, a portrait of Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Order of Jesuits, clad in a scarlet chasuble. This latter picture was originally painted for the Jesuit Col

agnificent elms centuries old. The "State bed," which is of salmon–coloured damask, with coverings of satin richly embroidered with crimson velvet, was formerly the property of Queen Anne, as was also much of the furniture. It was given to the second Earl of Warwick by King George III. In the room is a mag

on of the magnificent views of the river and park which are obtained from its windows. In it are hun

well as quite a number of portraits by Van Dyck, Sir G. Hayter, and others of inferior merit. Amongst the former is a portrait of Christ, said to be one of several painted from a likeness engraved on an emerald presented to Pope Innocent VIII. by the G

nt pictures, including Murillo's famous "Laughing Boy," and a saint by the same artist; a fine head of an old man by Rubens; a Bacchanalian Group, by the same; a good portrait of Maximilian,

the middle of the eighteenth century; and in the west window is a headless statuette o

wick, about the year 1770, are hung some fine pictures, inclu

Mr. G. Fox. The ceiling is panelled and gilded, and there is some beautiful Italian work in t

idney; and a Shakespeare supposed to be by Cornelis Janssens. The room also contains a magnificent piece of furniture, known as the Kenilworth Buffet, which was constructed out of an oak tree formerly growing in the grounds of Kenilworth Castle. The central panel depicts "Queen E

ritten about the year 1610, is "The History of King Henry IV.," the two parts in one, and consists of fifty–six leaves. It is generally believed to be in the handwriting of Sir Edward Dear

of Charles II. This play, it is clear from the enormous variations from all printed editions, must have be

part of "King Henry VI.," 1619; "King Lear," of 1608; "The Merchant of Venice," of 1600; as well as a "Romeo and Juliet," 159

dungeon-on the walls of which are rudely scratched inscriptions, drawings of bows and arrows, crucifixes, and coats–of–arms-is a strong, stone–vaulted chamber 17 feet by 13 feet and 14 feet 6 inches high. The roof is groined in two bays, an

er is the immense strength of the vault beneath it, which would apparently point to the fact that in olden days some heavy engine for the purpose of slinging stones must have been placed upon the roof. In the tower there are five floors,

e itself, but in the conservatory standing in the grounds beyond the stone bridge spanning the moat, which was built to replace the ancient drawbridge. The inscription on the pedestal runs, "This monument of ancient art and Roman splendour was dug out of the ruins of the Tiburtine Villa, t

the workmen unearthed the vase. How it came to be at the bottom of this lake has never been discovered and, indeed, can even scarcely be conjectured. But in view of the fact that Hadrian's Villa was,

school. The vase is circular in form, 5 feet 6 inches high and 5 feet 8 inches in diameter, and is constructed of white marble. The base or pedestal on which it stands is modern. The handles of the vase are formed of vine stems, smaller branches of which run round the upper lip, and from which depend bunches of grapes so as to form a frieze

fame. Between the heads are thyrsi or Bacchic rods entwined with ivy and vine shoots, and litui or augural wands used in taking omens. The capacity of th

here. But in this ancient feudal castle the student, artist, and lover of the past will recognise one of the finest monuments in England of ancient splendour which yet remains happily largely uninjured by time. In it we

TO