Castle Walk

Introduction

This 2-mile walk is taken from the publication More Kenilworth Footpaths and is reproduced with the kind permission of Kenilworth Footpath Preservation Group. See below for further details of this local publication.

The Walk

See the walk map.

A short walk over level farmland. There are many pubs, restaurants and tea rooms in the vicinity of the castle.

From the Kenilworth Castle, Brays Car Park take the low footpath to the left of the causeway bridge. 'The Brayes' was an earthwork bank and ditch which formed part of the outer defences of the castle. Up on the right over the bridge was an enclosure for the holding of tournaments. These were rough-and-tumble mass fights, rather like an uncontrolled rugby scrum, in which valuable prizes, armour, horses and ransomes (redemptions from captivity) were to be had by the victors*. At the kissing gate follow round the left-hand side of the castle.

At one time water from the great lake lapped the castle walls. The lake, half a mile long and up to a quarter of a mile wide, was formed by damming the Finham and Inchford brooks. The lake and the moat helped to make Kenilworth one of the most impregnable castles in England. A gateway for boats can be seen halfway round. In 1414, when Henry V found the castle too public and noisy for his liking, he built a pleasure ground 'Pleasaunce in the Marsh', at the other end of the lake and periodically visited it by boat. The Pleasaunce was maintained by Henry VI and Edward IV but was demolished and re-erected within the castle by Henry VIII.

At the end of the path is Purlieu Lane. A purlieu was originally a tract of land wrongly added to a royal forest but later converted to a path along the edge of the forest to form a boundary. Turn left for 150 yards to a stile on the right. Go diagonally left across the field to a gate by a ruined building. Continue straight ahead to join a hedge on the left. Continue to a stile, cross and continue in the same direction to another stile. Bear left across the field to the left of East Chase Farm and go along a closed path to a stile and out into Chase Lane. Turn left down this private road.

No doubt the origin of this lane was as a hunting access to the surrounding woods and forests. It was probably old before it was recorded in the Fish map of 1692. There is still some woodland at the end of this lane but it is a mere shadow of its former self. Sadly, 'Leafy Warwickshire' is now one of the most deforested counties in the country. After half a mile, just before some houses, turn left over a stile. Go diagonally left across the field to a stile in a wire fence and on to another stile in the corner of the field. Cross and turn left over another stile into a copse. At the other end turn diagonally right across the field with the castle ahead. After two fields arrive back at the ruined building passed on the outward journey. Go diagonally left across the field to Purlieu Lane and turn left. After 150 yards turn right and back round the castle walls to the starting point.

* D F Renn, Kenilworth castle HMSO 1973

More Kenilworth Footpaths contains 19 round walks with accompanying notes on natural history and tips for walkers. It is available from:

Peter's Book Shop, Talisman Square, Kenilworth
Kenilworth Library, Smalley Place, Kenilworth
The Castle Bookshop, Kenilworth Castle

By Post:

Maurice Bott, 32 Coten End, Warwick CV34 4NP (Price £3.60 including postage and packing). Cheques payable to "Kenilworth Footpaths Preservation Group".

Page last updated: October 24, 2000

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