Warwick Castle

Over het museum

Warwick Castle began in 1068 as a wooden motte-and-bailey fort built on the orders of William the Conqueror on a sandstone bluff above a bend of the River Avon. The castle helped to keep control of the Midlands. In the 12th century the timber defences were replaced with stone, and during the 14th century, in the Hundred Years War, the side facing the town was strengthened. This work gave the castle one of the best-known examples of medieval military architecture in England.

It stayed a stronghold until the early 17th century. In 1604 James I granted it to Sir Fulke Greville, who turned the fortress into a country house. The Greville family, later Earls of Warwick, kept the castle until 1978, when it was sold to the Tussauds Group. Merlin Entertainments now operates it under a long lease.

Today the castle is visited as a family attraction. Visitors can explore the Great Hall and State Rooms, climb the towers and ramparts, walk through exhibitions and see live displays such as the trebuchet and birds of prey, all within about 64 acres of grounds and gardens that include the Peacock Garden and Pageant Field.

Hoogtepunten

• Great Hall and State Rooms
• Towers and Ramparts with views from Guy's Tower
• The Kingmaker exhibition on the Wars of the Roses
• The Royal Weekend Party in the main house
• Live shows including the Legend of the Trebuchet and the Falconer's Quest
• Castle Dungeon and Horrible Histories Maze
• Peacock Garden and 64 acres of grounds

Vaste collectie

• Great Hall and State Rooms – State rooms with artworks and portraits that tell the story of the castle's owners from the 16th century to 1978, plus the large Great Hall; guided tours at no extra cost.
• The Kingmaker – An exhibition about Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, and the Wars of the Roses, with waxwork figures and sound effects, on the eve of the Battle of Barnet in 1471.
• The Royal Weekend Party – A walk-through attraction in the main house with recorded audio, with a transcript available at the entrance.

Opgericht

1068

Beheerder

Merlin Entertainments

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

The day-ticket price starts at £26 when booked online in advance and is £31 on the day; prices vary by date. Tickets include a rainy-day promise. Annual passes and multi-attraction passes are also sold; the Midlands Adventure Pass costs £49 for four attractions on selected dates.

Toegankelijkheid

• Deels rolstoeltoegankelijk
• Lift
• Aangepast toilet
• Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats
• Hulphonden welkom
• Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten
• Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
• Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
• Audiodescriptie: geen informatie

Main paths in the grounds are tarmac, but the cobbled Barbican entrance is best avoided with mobility aids, and the path to River Island is steep. A wheelchair lift, which is outdoors and not suitable for large motorised chairs, serves the Great Hall and State Rooms. The Towers and Ramparts, the Kingmaker exhibition and the Norman motte cannot be reached by wheelchair. A limited number of wheelchairs can be borrowed free of charge on a first-come basis, and two mobility scooters can be pre-booked. There are accessible toilets, and an adult changing room with a hoist is next to the Conservatory tea house in the Peacock Garden (radar key; visitors bring their own harness). Hearing loops are in the ticket office, shops and restaurants. Braille information and free pre-booked touch tours are available for the Great Hall and State Rooms. Assistance dogs are welcome except on the Towers and Ramparts and in the Castle Dungeon. Blue Badge bays are near the entrance in both car parks, a drop-off zone is by the main entrance, and a quiet welfare room and Sunflower lanyards are available.

Kinderen & gezin

Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen

• Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
• Doe- en voelstations
• Verschoonruimte
• Speeltuin / speelhoek

Zog Playland, the Horrible Histories Maze and Princess Tower are aimed at children. Baby-changing and bottle-warming facilities are on site. Pushchairs cannot be taken into the lift area for the Great Hall and State Rooms. Family tickets, parent and toddler tickets and a programme of live shows and events for children.

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

The castle is less than 2 miles from junction 15 of the M40. Birmingham Airport is about 40 minutes away by car. Sat-nav: Warwick Castle, Warwick, CV34 6AH for Stratford Road, or 1 Castle Lane, CV34 4QU for the Stables.

Service & horeca

• Café
• Restaurant
• Museumwinkel

Food is served at the Conservatory tea house and the Undercroft Restaurant, with further food and drink units in the grounds; there are several shops. Wi-Fi is only mentioned for overnight guests at the Knight's Village and Tower Suites.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

• Ruimtes te huur
• Zakelijke evenementen
• Bruiloften / trouwceremonies

The castle offers wedding and corporate event hire.

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