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Castle
Warwick Castle
Castle above the Avon begun by William the Conqueror in 1068 and rebuilt in stone; now a ticketed attraction with towers and shows.
A mini guide to
Warwick
Warwickshire's county town, with its castle above the Avon and medieval streets
Photos
1 / 3Welcome to the area
Warwickshire's county town, with its castle above the Avon and medieval streets
Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, on the River Avon about 9 miles south of Coventry, and it adjoins Leamington Spa. Its castle began as a wooden fort built by William the Conqueror in 1068 and was rebuilt in stone from the 12th century.
Beyond the castle, the Lord Leycester's medieval courtyard stands by the West Gate, the Collegiate Church of St Mary rises east of the Market Place, and the Market Hall Museum, the Fusilier Museum and the Queen's Royal Hussars Museum are all within a few minutes' walk. The racecourse lies on the western edge of the centre.
Highlights
Start here
If you only have a few hours, these are good places to begin.
Church
Collegiate Church of St Mary
Grade I listed parish church just east of the market place, a member of the Major Churches Network.
Directions Website Report a problem with Collegiate Church of St Mary
Historic building
The Lord Leycester
Medieval courtyard buildings beside the West Gate, still a charity for ex-servicemen; the Brethren lead regular guided tours.
Museum
Market Hall Museum
Part of the Warwickshire Museum in the old market hall, with archaeology, geology and natural history from the county.
Garden
Hill Close Gardens
Restored Victorian hedged gardens with Grade II listed summer houses, cared for by a charitable trust.
Park
Priory Park
Town-centre park on the grounds of a priory founded in 1124 and closed under Henry VIII.
Find your way
On the map
The map shows Warwick and the streets around it. The Getting there page lists nearby stops and stations.
Insider tips
Before you go
1
Plan the Lord Leycester
The Lord Leycester says it opens Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 16:00, with last entry at 15:00, and on bank holiday Mondays.
2
Parking near the museums
The Fusilier Museum has no parking of its own; the museum names Castle Lane as the nearest car park.
3
Guy's Cliffe Walled Garden
The garden opens on set days and events, including National Garden Scheme days; check its What's On page first.
4
Sleep at the castle
Warwick Castle sells short breaks in themed lodges and tower suites in its grounds, booked through the castle's own site.
Tips from the Britlens editors
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Open the mini guide →Photo credits
- Warwick (area photo): DeFacto, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Warwick Castle: DeFacto, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Collegiate Church of St Mary: The Carlisle Kid, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- The Lord Leycester: Misterweiss at English Wikipedia, Public domain, source
- Market Hall Museum: Steve Daniels, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Hill Close Gardens: Michael Dibb, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Priory Park: Philip Halling, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- St Nicholas' Park: Robin Stott, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- St Nicholas Church: Elliott Brown from Birmingham, United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0, source
- Warwick Racecourse: Robin Stott, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Royal Leamington Spa: David Dixon, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Kenilworth: DeFacto, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Stratford-upon-Avon: Stuart Yeates [1], CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits
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