KENILWORTH was under siege over the bank holiday weekend – and not just from the weather.
The town, including the castle, commemorated the 750th anniversary of the Siege of Kenilworth with a reenactment and other medieval festivities.
It was one of the greatest sieges in English history. It began in the summer of 1266 when King Henry III faced an uprising from a group of rebel lords, set on curbing his power. As the seat of the recently defeated rebel leader Simon De Montfort Kenilworth Castle was at the heart of the action, and the King wanted it back.
A garrison of 1,200 people – including the lords along with their wives, children and servants – barricaded themselves within the castle walls. Obtaining siege engines and weapons, and building up impressive stocks of food, helped the castle inhabitants to withstand nearly six months of assaults from the King’s army in what would become the longest siege in medieval England.
And for the first time since 1266 a specially commissioned 30 foot tall siege tower will also be used to attack the castle.
The castle commemorations on Sunday and Monday enjoyed sunshine on Sunday and Monday, but the town event in Abbey Fields on the Saturday fell victim to an electrical storm with thunder, lightening and pelting rain.
Visit www.kenilworth750.co.uk for further details.