Warwick Castle


It was used for protection against enemies and for houses. It's now used for display. It is one of the most popular tourist spots in England. During the summer they have Medieval festivals and jousting tournaments. It's the best-preserved Medieval castle in England.

Henry de Newburgh was the first to build Warwick for protection from the enemies. In 1173 the exterior of the wooden keep (prison) was replaced with stone; later the inside was replaced with stone. The castle stayed as it was from 1173 until 1263 when it was given to William Maudit. Wen Maudit died the castle was passed to William Beauchamp (owner of Elmley Castle). The Beauchamps took Warwick castle to its good days. The Beauchamps stayed in charge of the castle for 6 generations. They also added the Gatehouse and the two towers and most of the outer features. Thomas Beauchamp built the six story Caesar's Tower. Thomas's son built a five story Guy's tower in 1394.

After the Beauchamps, the castle was passed to Richard Neville (also known as Warwick the Kingmaker). When the castle was ruined, James 1 passed it to Sir Fulke Greville in 1604. Sir Fulke Greville restored it and created the Jacobean wing. In 17th and 18th century the Greville family turned the castle into a country house. In 1978 the owners of Madame Toussaud's bought it.

Throughout history the owners would use 400 masons, 2000 less skilled workmen, 100 carts, 60 wagons, 30 boats, 200 quarrymen, 30 smiths and carpenters to build the castle. Sons and fathers in the same families designed and built the casle over many generations. Brick and stones were used for the walls. Warwick has a keep on the opposite side of the gatehouse (the keep is the prison). The keep is also a protection for the kings or the person that owns the castle in case there is a riot inside the castle. It has a river on the outside and it has a moat on the other side of the castle. It only has two ways out, the water gate and the gatehouse. The water gate is close to the river so you can get water. The gatehouse is to get out of the castle and it crosses the moat. On each side of the castle (a bailey is the open area inside the castle walls). The castle still has a bailey today.

It was built for protection from enemies. It was built on the River Avon for protection from the enemy and for a water supply. The river is kind of like a moat.
They needed a lot of protection because the building was made for protection from the enemies. They liked to have a watchperson in the towers to watch for the enemies. From his project I've learned that the people back in the Medieval times were pretty smart because the castle is kind of complicated and whoever designed the castle is good. They must have been really strong because they had to carry all the bricks and stones to the castle.

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