ruin kenilworth castle Tower Ruins UK Great Britain England Old, Elizabethan Travel Warwickshire Forest Arden cow sheep dog coun
A fortification has existed on the site from Saxon times, but the current ruin is of Norman origin; a great square stone tower built by Geoffrey de Clinton, Treasurer and Chief Justice of England to Henry I, in about 1125. Henry II took control of the castle during the rebellion of 1173-1174, giving the Clintons another castle in Buckinghamshire by way of compensation. Work then began to improve the defensive qualities of the castle, continuing during the reign of Henry III and transforming the castle into one of the strongest in the Midlands. The strategic advantages of water defences had long been known, and at Kenilworth a great lake was created to defend three sides of the castle. Covering over 100 acres ( km²) it was an expensive endeavour, but the value in keeping siege engines at a distance and as a barrier to assault or mining was immense. However, after all the work to improve the castle, Henry III granted it in 1244 to Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester. Simon de Montfort became a leader in the Second Barons' War (1263-1267) against Henry III, using Kenilworth as the centre of his operations. Prince Edward, Henry's heir, was once briefly imprisoned at Kenilworth before escaping. De Montfort was killed in battle near Evesham on August 4, 1265 facing Edward. In 1266, the rebels under the leadership of Henry de Hastings, used the castle as a refuge when Lord Edward surrounded Kenilworth. The siege of Kenilworth Castle in 1266 is the longest in English history at almost a year. The extensive water defences proved their worth, despite Edward targeting the weaker north wall, defended by only a double moat, employing huge siege towers and even attempting a night attack by barge. The siege was ended on easy terms for the defenders with the Dictum of Kenilworth. The experience gained in water defenses at Kenilworth was put to good effect at later castles built in Wales, notably Caerphilly. Henry III bestowed the castle upon his youngest son Edmund Cro
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