Elizabeth: Study of the Historic Environment: Kenilworth Castle
Background Information
It was originally built by the Normans in the 1120s as an earth and timber motte and bailey castle on
raised ground surrounded by marshes.
During the Middle Ages different owners replaced the timber with local sandstone and extended the
castle, protecting it with a large lake to the west and south.
In 1563, Elizabeth I granted the castle to her favourite courtier, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester.
He converted it into a lavish palace fit to host, entertain, and impress Elizabeth, beginning in around
1570, and spending an estimated £40,000.
Queen Elizabeth and her court visited Kenilworth four times during her summer progresses (1566,
168, 1572 and 1575).
Location
It’s located in Warwickshire, central England (in the Midlands).
The area was mainly Protestant, although there were more Catholics and Catholic sympathisers here than in
the South of England.
This was as far as Elizabeth would travel on progresses, given that there was many Catholics and Catholic
sympathisers in the North.
The Western area in the Midlands was controlled by Dudley, and his brother, the Earl of Warwick, controlled
the East.
Function
1. It’s fundamental function was to host and entertain the Queen on her progresses.
He built additions to Kenilworth in order to make it a modernised, luxurious place suitable for the
Queen and her court.
It was crucial Dudley made improvements with the latest architectural designs, to accommodate
Elizabeth and not displease her – as she was a renowned critic of houses she had visited (especially as
she had previously reprimanded Dudley in 1570 about Kenilworth’s flaws).
Dudley greeted Elizabeth with an elaborate series of entertainment: could dance in spacious new
apartments built for her (one of her passions), she could enjoy the private gardens, and this luxurious
accommodation also had fine details specifically catered for her: large, airy windows, superb views,
and massive fireplaces.
He created a beautiful garden as well and the whole landscape was to be the setting for symbolic,
theatrical, earthly and spiritual pleasures that would be appreciated by Elizabeth and her court.
2. Showed Robert Dudley’s wealth and status.
Kenilworth included various new designs, materials and features after it’s rebuild that clearly
demonstrate Dudley’s wealth and status.
By extensively using the latest fashionable materials (oak panelling and large glass windows), having
an elaborate, grand Italian Renaissance themed garden, and many expensive features he showed his
wealth.
He constantly stresses his heritage: incorporating his family emblems in a majority of rooms (e.g. on
top of the fountain in his garden, and above a grand fireplace near the entrance), and on as many
things as he could.
He also wrote his initials RD in many places to highlight his ownership of such a lavish house, and
copied the design from the 14th Century gatehouse in Warwick Castle, to show his descent from Earl
of Warwick.
, 3. Win Elizabeth’s heart.
In July 1575, he hosted the Queen for 19 days known as the ‘princely pleasures’. Dudley arranged an
expensive, highly elaborate series of entertainments for Elizabeth which were intended to persuade
her to marry him. He spent over £40,000 preparing, and was the most expensive party of her 45-year-
reign. 40 barrels of beer and 16 barrels of wine were drunk each day.
His repeated use of his own heraldic symbol could have been to show Elizabeth of his suitability, as he
emphasised his old and powerful ancestry.
In his garden he made associations between Elizabeth and her being like a Roman goddess.
Elizabeth was a highly fashionable woman, who loved Renaissance trends and styles. Including the
latest fashions, meant that Dudley was appealing to her tastes.
4. To show Dudley was a Renaissance man.
It became the model for the Elizabethan ‘high house’, which dominated architecture in the second
half of the Queen’s reign, including Hardwick Hall, and a major trend-setter for other 16th Century
works at other castles such as Raglan and Ludlow.
Kenilworth reflected the values of the chivalric, courtly society, which would have been familiar to
contemporaries from medieval romantic literature.
He incorporated the most fashionable materials, designs and symbols into his work (abundance of
oak panelling, glass windows, tapestries and carpets).
In his gardens he frequently used mythological references/inspirations, understood by many of his
contemporaries (he had: flowers from abroad such as the tulip, ideas from Italian Renaissance, an
aviary combined with natural features (a common Renaissance idea was combining man-made
features with nature), a fountain with the God Atlas holding up the globe, with a deep pool containing
fish (another example of man-made with nature)).
5. Immortality and Inheritance.
By 1570, neither Dudley nor his brother, Earl of Warwick, had any heirs. In 1754, Dudley had son, but
he was illegitimate as he was the product of an affair with Lady Sheffield. His marriage to Lettice
Knollys, Countess of Essex, in 1578, was in hopes of producing an heir. In June 1581, their only son
was born but died out three years later.
After his son’s death, Leicester became close with his son, Robert Dudley, and though he couldn’t be
his rightful heir, he left Kenilworth and the West Midlands estate to him. Kenilworth Castle could also
seem to leave a strong inheritance for Dudley, so he inherited at least some wealth and status.
His own heraldic symbols were displayed confirming his idea for immortality, and his desire for
Kenilworth to be a permanent memorial for him.
6. Other reasons.
a) In response to the 1569 Northern Rebellion, as there were rumours he was fortifying
Kenilworth. There were also rumours that Mary, Queen of Scots, was to be lodged there –
explaining further fortifications. Kenilworth possessed no defensive features, however.
The Structure and Design
When Dudley got Kenilworth its purpose was that of a castles: to protect the occupants it housed, but that
was no longer necessary come the Elizabethan Era due to the stable government. The castle’s structure and
design could be altered to accommodate new styles that were simply fashionable and not defensive.
Dudley was restricted with his Medieval castle, and what he could change:
He couldn’t build anything drastically different to the rest of the buildings otherwise it would look
odd. Thus, the modernisation and latest fashions were seen mostly in the interior design.
