A Tower at Warwick

A Tower at Warwick

After the Norman conquest of England, William the Conqueror established a motte-and-bailey castle at Warwick in 1068 to maintain control of the Midlands as he advanced northwards. A motte-and-bailey castle consists of a mound – on which usually stands a keep or tower – and a bailey, which is an enclosed courtyard. William appointed Henry de Beaumont, the son of a powerful Norman family, as constable of the castle. In 1088, Henry de Beaumont was made the first Earl of Warwick. He founded the Church of All Saints within the castle walls by 1119; the Bishop of Worcester, believing that a castle was an inappropriate location for a church, removed it in 1127–28. In 1153, the wife of Roger de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of Warwick, was tricked into believing that her husband was dead, and surrendered control of the castle to the invading army of Henry of Anjou, later King Henry II. According to the Gesta Regis Stephani, a 12th-century historical text, Roger de Beaumont died on hearing the news that his wife had handed over the castle. Henry later returned the castle to the Earls of Warwick as they had been supporters of his mother, Empress Matilda, in The Anarchy of 1135–54.

Conspiracy in the Cellars

Conspiracy in the Cellars 

"Reflecting the growing importance of the de Beauchamps, his son Guy (1298-1315) was one of a group of earls known as the Ordainers. With their own interests firmly at heart, they aimed to impose, through a list of ordinances or constitutional demands, some form of control over the way King Edward II, both raised his revenue and governed the kingdom. For some Ordainers, complaints about royal power (especially royal spending) centered on the role of Piers Gaveston in the court, he was Gascon Knight and the King's lover." In 1312, given a false promise of safety, Gaveston surrendered. Seizing the prisoner, Guy de Beauchamp brought him to Warwick Castle where he was tried for treason in the Great Hall. Gaveston was found guilty of his crimes and was sentenced to death. He was taken to Blacklow Hill, located just outside of Warwick, where he was beheaded.
The bloody history of Warwick Castle is steeped in treachery, murder, mystery and intrigue. Famous historical figures and events feature in the history of Warwick Castle including William the Conqueror, the Wars of the Roses, John Dudley, Lady Jane Grey, the Civil War and the Age of Chivalry with Knights and tournaments. The History of Warwick Castle events also features a number of sieges when the castle was bombarded with missiles from massive siege engines such as the Mangonel and the mighty Trebuchet

The Keep at Corfe Castle

The Keep at Corfe Castle

Corfe Castle is a fortification in the English county of Dorset. It stands above the village of the same name. The castle dates back to the 11th century, and commands a gap in the Purbeck Hills on the route between Wareham and Swanage.