What To See and Do When You Stay in Warwick
Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire and is situated on the banks of the River Avon. You’re within a short driving distance of places like Stratford upon Avon (birthplace of Shakespeare), Birmingham, Leamington Spa and many other towns. Certainly this is a town which makes an ideal base for exploring not just the town of Warwick but the whole of the West Midlands or further south to the Cotswolds. Here we’ll take a look at some of the things Warwick can offer you.
Warwick Castle – Whilst you can treat this as “just” a castle, there is much more to it: there are plenty of activities one can get involved in during a visit. The hands-on displays mean you can feel just how heavy a sword was or what it would have been like to be a foot soldier getting ready for battle. You can even try on a battle helmet for size. Or you may prefer to take a leisurely stroll around the State Rooms which have been lavishly decorated and see how the household prepares for a party taking place in Victorian times.
Shakespeare’s Birthplace – Which of course is in Stratford upon Avon, a mere 8 miles from Warwick. This tourist attraction is the very house where Shakespeare was born. The exhibitions that you walk past teach you all about his life including his writing. You’ll be drawn into the reconstructions complete with sound effects along with the original artifacts help to capture the feeling of this man’s life.
To reach the house itself one bases through what is considered to be a traditional English garden. This has been planted with many different species dating back to Shakespeare’s day. It is thanks to the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust that this house has been restored to its former glory very carefully to ensure that many of its original features have been retained.
Anne Hathaway’s Cottage – Just a short trip from Shakespeare’s birth place is Shottery here is the home where his future wife spent her early years. Although we now refer to it as a cottage when his bride Anne lived in it and Shakespeare courted her it was quite a substantial farmhouse. Anne Hathaway’s descendents lived here until the late 1800’s when the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust bought the building.
The cottage can trace its roots back to the 16th & 17th centuries but it also features two oak beams from 1463. The cottage hasn’t changed much over the years and in the living room is not only the original open hearth lots of original panels as well. There are pieces of original period furniture in the cottage and includes the Hathaway Bed an old four poster one.
Lunt Roman Fort – Well before the construction of Warwick Castle, the Roman army had constructed a fort for themselves. Using the archaeological evidence found on the site the site now features a faithful reconstruction of the original fort. You’ll get a feel for how life was for members of the ancient Roman army. The various archaeological digs here have contributed many of the museum’s pieces together with a model of how the fort would likely have looked in its heyday.
When you next visit Warwick, you can choose your Warwick accommodation here.
