Road Trip (North): Warwick Castle part 1

We had a lovely Christmas and spent the day with our South African friends Sara and Donovan and Keira. Donovan's Mum was visiting from South Africa and together with Stephen's parents and my brother, it was a lovely, festive Christmas Day. Having lived in England until I was almost 9, I find that a snowy, cold Christmas makes much more sense to me than a day of lounging by the swimming pool in the sun and eating cold cuts for lunch.

On Boxing Day, we headed up to Rainhill for the northern leg of our road trip. Our first stop along the way was Warwick Castle. Warwick Castle is an amazing establishment and easily my favourite of the tourist attractions we got to see over December.

Warwick Castle is a medieval castle that was built in 1068 and bought by the Tussauds Group in 1978. The castle is broken up into several sections where you can view scenes of what castle life might have looked like in the various eras. I had known nothing about the castle before we visited and was finding it hard to drum up enthusiasm for anything at the stage, given my flu. Well, I landed up really enjoying myself in spite of all my ailments!!! My mum-in-law and I managed to 'accidentally' lose Stephen and his dad and we investigated most of the eastern side of the castle that we could (the Ghost Tower was closed that day). It was brilliant and I would really recommend it. I definitely need to back sometime and finish off the rest of the castle too.

The sun was playing hide and seek that day and we were really struggling to get some decent photos. Click on these to see larger pics:

   

 The Dungeon

  

I find dungeons fascinating in that they display the infinite capacity of humankind to extract great pain and suffering upon their peers. This dungeon dates back to the fourteenth century. Basically, prisoners were brought into the dungeons and left to rot. The last pictures represents a grate over a simple hole in the ground where a prisoner would be left to rot in his own waste.

Kingmaker 1471

English history is just fascinating! In fact, once I have completed the numerous new year's resolutions I set for this year, I think I will set my mind to English history in 2010.

Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, was known as the Kingmaker because he fought to restore Henry VI to the throne. This section shows the household preparing for Richard's final battle in 1471 as they made weapons and clothed the army.

 

 

Well, that's all for now I'm afraid. I'm still in bed and tomorrow is my first day back at work (yay!). I am generally a grateful person but nothing makes you more appreciative of your good health than spending a full six days in bed with flu and an ear, nose and throat infection!

Visit: Road Trip (North): Warwick Castle part 2.