Information for record number MWA7332:
Kenilworth Castle Ornamental Garden

Summary The site of an ornamental garden at Kenilworth Castle which may date back to the Medieval period. It certainly existed by 1575 when Queen Elizabeth I visited Kenilworth Castle, but was gone by the mid 1600s. The present formal box garden was created in 1973.
What Is It?  
Type: Ornamental Garden, Fountain, Aviary
Period: Unknown
Where Is It?  
Parish: Kenilworth
District: Warwick, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 27 72
(Data represented on this map shows the current selected record as a single point, this is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent an accurate or complete representation of archaeological sites or features)
Level of Protection National - Old SMR PrefRef (Grade: )
Scheduled Monument (Grade: 04/01/1996)
Registered Park or Garden (Grade: II*)
Sites & Monuments Record
Description

  
Source Number  

1
8 50m west of the Gatehouse and north of the keep is the site of the late 16th century garden created by the Earl of Leicester. The curtain wall to the north was demolished in the mid 17th century, and was later replaced by a brick and stone wall on a course slightly further north. The bank represents the remains of a terrace constructed by Leicester in 1570 as a platform from which the garden could be viewed; a large archway to the west of the keep formed the principal access from the buildings of the inner court and was also formed in 1570. The garden is approximately rectangular on plan, tapering to the north-east, and is laid out as a parterre with perimeter gravel walks and further gravel walks dividing the grass panels within the parterre. To the west a cruciform arrangement of four rectangular lawns is laid out with four box-edged beds of varying sizes on each lawn. At the centre of the west parterre is a circular lawn. To the east a pair of further rectangular lawns are laid out with similar arrangements of box-edged beds planted with low herbs and lavender. The south terrace, which stood some ten feet above the parterre, was twelve feet wide and ornamented with obelisks, spheres and Leicester's heraldic emblem, the bear and ragged staff, with arbours to east and west. Opposite the terrace, on the north side of the garden, an aviary of timber construction was gilded and painted with representations of precious stones. The garden was divided into quarters with grass walks edged with sand, with an obelisk surmounted by an orb of porphyry at the centre of each quarter; these were surrounded by fragrant herbs and fruit trees. At the centre of the garden was a basin containing a marble fountain some eight feet high which comprised a pair of athletes supporting an orb surmounted by a bear and ragged staff.
3 The formal ornamental garden occupied an area of almost 1 hectare and was divided into quarters with the walks meeting at a fountain. A levelled terrace is visible parallel to the northern wall of the keep and this is believed to be the remains of a terraced walkway, originally 3m high, from which the gardens could be viewed.
4 Lovie mentions small garden/orchard to the north of Castle ruins and west of Gatehouse, with low box hedges and flower beds.
5 The original Elizabethan garden was created by Robert Dudley for a visit by Queen Elizabeth I in 1575. Most of our knowledge of the original garden comes from a contemporary account written by Robert Laneham in August 1575. He vividly describes the area to the north of the Castle keep as being divided into a system of compartments and grass walks bordered by sand, and filled with flowers, fragrant herbs and fruit trees. In the middle of it all stood a tall sculptured fountain topped by Dudley's emblem of a ragged staff. The only known plan of the garden was published 81 years later by William Dugdale in 1656. In more recent times the garden area was under cultivation until the 1930s and then used as an orchard before the removal of trees in 1970 prior to excavations by Beric Morley. Resistance and magnetic survey, carried out by English Heritage recorded a number of features which were suggested as belonging to the original garden layout as well as the possible remains of a demolished tower in the northeast of the garden, which is depicted on a fresco of circa 1620.
6 A recreated Elizabethan garden opened in May 2009, using the account by Laneham as a guide. Advertised as 'Fit for a Queen'.
7 Prior to the recreated garden opening in 2009 between 2004-08 a number of excavations took place on the site and some of the original garden features were revealed. The most prominent feature to survive was the octagonal stone and mortar foundation of the gardens central fountain. The foundations were 2.84m wide and each side was between 1 and 1.20m long. In the centre of the foundation was a rectangular scar 1 by 0.60m and probably indicated the position of the central pier which would have supported the statues and the upper bowl. As a minimal amount of marble was recovered from the area it is thought that the fountain was dismantled opposed to having been demolished. A short culvert extended from the fountain to the north and was 0.80m long, it is thought to have shielded a lead pipe supplying water to the fountain. Another culvert was located to the west of the fountain and its eastern end where it joined the fountain was narrower and it is thought that this culvert acted as a drain for the fountain. Twenty rubble filled pits were also present of which 17 were located to the west of the fountain. Whilst the interpretation of these pits is uncertain if they are bases for structural elements it may be significant that several of the pits are in alignment with each other.
 
Sources
Source No: 1
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Register of Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in England
Author/originator: English Heritage
Date: 1994
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 4
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Warwickshire Register Review Data Tables (Warwick)
Author/originator: Lovie, Jonathan
Date: 1997
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 5
Source Type: Geophysical Survey Report
Title: Kenilworth Castle, Warwickshire. Report on Geophysical Surveys, June and July 2004
Author/originator: Linford, N, Linford, P and Martin, L
Date: 2005
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 8
Source Type: Statuatory List
Title: National Heritage List for England
Author/originator: Historic England
Date:
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 7
Source Type: Monograph
Title: The Archaeology of Kenilworth Castle's Elizabethan Garden, Excavation and Investigation 2004-2008
Author/originator: Dix B, Parry S & Finn C
Date: 2017
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: Report 15/53
   
Source No: 2
Source Type: Serial
Title: TBAS vol 99
Author/originator: Ellis P
Date: 1995
Page Number: 100-102
Volume/Sheet: 99
   
Source No: 3
Source Type: Scheduling record
Title: SAM Description
Author/originator: English Heritage
Date: 1996
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 21578
   
Source No: 6
Source Type: Verbal communication
Title: Pers. Comm. Giles Carey
Author/originator: G Carey
Date: 2009-2014
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Images:  
There are no images associated with this record.  
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Glossary

 
Word or Phrase
Description  
none Scheduled Monument Scheduled Ancient Monuments (SAMs) are those archaeological sites which are legally recognised as being of national importance. They can range in date from prehistoric times to the Cold War period. They can take many different forms, including disused buildings or sites surviving as earthworks or cropmarks.

SAMs are protected by law from unlicensed disturbance and metal detecting. Written consent from the Secretary of State must be obtained before any sort of work can begin, including archaeological work such as geophysical survey or archaeological excavation. There are nearly 200 SAMs in Warwickshire.
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none Registered Park or Garden Parks and gardens that are considered to be of historic importance are placed on a register. The register comprises a variety of town gardens, public parks and country estates. The main purpose of the register is to help ensure that the features and qualities that make the parks and gardens special are safeguarded if changes are being considered which could affect them.

The gardens on the register are divided into three grades in order to give some guidance about their significance, in a similar way to Listed Buildings. The majority of parks and gardens on the Register are of sufficient interest as to be designated as grade II. Some, however, are recognised as being of exceptional historic interest and are awarded a star giving them grade II* status. A small number are of international importance, and are classified as grade I.
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source TBAS Transactions of the Birmingham and Warwickshire Archaeological Society is a journal produced by the society annually. It contains articles about archaeological field work that has taken place in Birmingham and Warwickshire in previous years. Copies of the journal are kept by the Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record. back
technique Geophysical Survey The measuring and recording of electrical resistivity or magnetism in order to determine the existence and outline of buried features such as walls and ditches. Geophysical techniques include resistivity survey, magnetometer survey and ground penetrating radar. View Image back
technique excavation Archaeologists excavate sites so that they can find information and recover archaeological materials before they are destroyed by erosion, construction or changes in land-use.

Depending on how complicated and widespread the archaeological deposits are, excavation can be done by hand or with heavy machinery. Archaeologists may excavate a site in a number of ways; either by open area excavation, by digging a test pit or a trial trench.
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period Medieval 1066 AD to 1539 AD (the 11th century AD to the 16th century AD)

The medieval period comes after the Saxon period and before the post medieval period.

The Medieval period begins in 1066 AD.
This was the year that the Normans, led by William the Conqueror (1066 – 1087), invaded England and defeated Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings in East Sussex.
The Medieval period includes the first half of the Tudor period (1485 – 1603 AD), when the Tudor family reigned in England and eventually in Scotland too.

The end of the Medieval period is marked by Henry VIII’s (1509 – 1547) order for the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the years running up to 1539 AD. The whole of this period is sometimes called the Middle Ages.
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monument FLOWER BED * A plot of earth used for the raising of flowers and shrubs. back
monument SITE * Unclassifiable site with minimal information. Specify site type wherever possible. back
monument FOUNTAIN * An artificial aperture from which water springs. The water supply usually came from a lake or reservoir higher up in order to ensure the necessary flow and pressure. More recently fountains have been powered by pumps. back
monument BUILDING * A structure with a roof to provide shelter from the weather for occupants or contents. Use specific type where known. back
monument CULVERT * A drainage structure that extends across and beneath roadways, canals or embankments. back
monument STONE * Use only where stone is natural or where there is no indication of function. back
monument PARK * An enclosed piece of land, generally large in area, used for hunting, the cultivation of trees, for grazing sheep and cattle or visual enjoyment. Use more specific type where known. back
monument KEEP * The major tower of a fortification, often acting as its last defence. back
monument AVIARY * A house, enclosure or large cage for the keeping and breeding of birds. back
monument FEATURE * Areas of indeterminate function. back
monument GARDEN FEATURE * Unspecified landscape feature. Use more specific type where known. back
monument TOWER * A tall building, either round, square or polygonal in plan, used for a variety of purposes, including defence, as a landmark, for the hanging of bells, industrial functions, etc. Use more specific type where known. back
monument DRAIN * An artificial channel for draining water or carrying it off. back
monument ARBOUR * A lattice work bower or shady retreat covered with climbing plants. back
monument OBELISK * A tall, tapering pillar with a pyramidal top, generally square on plan. Used in England from the late 16th century as a public, funerary or garden monument. back
monument WALK * A place or path for walking in a park or garden. Use more specific type where possible. back
monument CASTLE * A fortress and dwelling, usually medieval in origin, and often consisting of a keep, curtain wall and towers etc. back
monument PIT * A hole or cavity in the ground, either natural or the result of excavation. Use more specific type where known. back
monument PARTERRE * A level space in a garden occupied by ornamental flower beds. back
monument GATEHOUSE * A gateway with one or more chambers over the entrance arch; the flanking towers housing stairs and additional rooms. Use with wider site type where known. back
monument WELL * A shaft or pit dug in the ground over a supply of spring-water. back
monument PIER * A structure of iron or wood, open below, running out into the sea and used as a promenade and landing stage. back
monument PLATFORM * Unspecified. Use specific type where known. back
monument GARDEN * An enclosed piece of ground devoted to the cultivation of flowers, fruit or vegetables and/or recreational purposes. Use more specific type where known. back
monument HEDGE * Usually a row of bushes or small trees planted closely together to form a boundary between pieces of land or at the sides of a road. back
monument ORCHARD * An enclosure used for the cultivation of fruit trees. back
monument LAWN * A flat, and usually level area of mown and cultivated grass, attached to a house. back
monument CURTAIN WALL * A wall between two towers or pavilions, usually surrounding a building, and often forming a major part of the defences. back
monument WALL * An enclosing structure composed of bricks, stones or similar materials, laid in courses. Use specific type where known. back
monument ORNAMENTAL GARDEN * A decorative garden, often landscaped, laid out with intricate flower beds and hedges, and often containing ornate sculptures, fountains and garden ornaments. back
monument STATUE * A representation in the round of a living being, allegorical personage, eminent person or animal, etc, sculptured, moulded or cast in marble, metal, plaster, etc. back
monument TERRACE * A row of houses attached to and adjoining one another and planned and built as one unit. back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record