kenilworth, warwickshire, england

Kenilworth’s history begins during the Norman conquest and spans over 900 years. It won’t surprise you, that I shall focused on the Tudor comings at going at the castle. Kenilworth was one of three ancient castles, which in 1524, King Henry VIII wished to see upholden, repaired and maintained. He was attracted by Kenilworth’s fine buildings and nearby hunting in its well-stocked park. Between 1524 and 1526, Henry spent the considerable sum of £460 on renovation and several wooden frame buildings, all long gone, but diarised to have featured stained glass bearing the arms of the king. Of course, the castle is synonymous with the lives of Robert Dudley, the 1st Earl of Leicester and how he laid his love on the line for his beau, queen Elizabeth I.

Our visit on a brisk and windy winters day would provide more than a challenge for the audio equipment. As much as I’ve tried to minimise the background sound, it’s impossible to filter it all, without detrimentally affecting all our voices. The clips in more sheltered areas are astonishing, especially the gentlemen in the cellars and the music in Elizabeth's apartment.