Kenilworth Castle (2028 exams) Flashcards

All 9 cards in this deck

Where is Kenilworth Castle, and who owned it during Elizabeth I's reign?

In Warwickshire; Elizabeth granted it to Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, in 1563.

What was Leicester's Building at Kenilworth Castle?

A new four-storey block added by Robert Dudley in the 1570s, with huge glass windows and grand lodgings for the Queen, built for comfort and display rather than defence.

What happened at Kenilworth Castle in July 1575?

Robert Dudley entertained Elizabeth and her court there for 19 days with pageants, fireworks, hunting and feasting — the longest stay of her reign at a courtier's house.

True or false? Kenilworth Castle was first built in Elizabeth I's reign.

False. It was a Norman castle begun in the 1120s, which Robert Dudley remodelled in the Elizabethan period.

What was Leicester's Gatehouse at Kenilworth?

A new gatehouse Robert Dudley built on the north side of the castle in the 1570s, moving the main entrance so that visitors arrived through a grand, fashionable approach.

What was the Elizabethan privy garden at Kenilworth?

A formal garden Dudley laid out beside the great tower for Elizabeth's 1575 visit, with an aviary, a marble fountain, obelisks and arbours. English Heritage recreated it in 2009.

Roughly how much did Robert Dudley spend on Kenilworth?

About £40,000, a huge sum that displayed his wealth and status to the Queen and court.

How did Dudley treat the old Norman great tower at Kenilworth?

He kept it as a symbol of the castle's ancient, noble past but inserted large new windows, blending old and fashionable buildings.

What was the mere at Kenilworth?

A large artificial lake made in the Middle Ages to defend the castle. During Elizabeth's 1575 visit it was used for water pageants and fireworks rather than defence.