The list of places to visit whilst we’ve been in the UK is almost as long as the list of people we’ve wanted to see.  Luckily one of the destinations is a short distance from where my in-laws live.  After watching a documentary earlier this year about English Heritage we were keen to see an Elizabethan Garden developed at Kenilworth Castle.  This was a multi-million pound development that caused quite a stir during it’s construction so we simply had to check out how the finished up.

After many years of Kenilworth Castle being left derelict in a field English Heritage have turned it into a visitor attraction with the usual level of information and commerce you’d expect.  You’ve got to admire organisations like English Heritage and the National Trust who protect the heritage of this country for people to enjoy and learn from.

At first glance Kenilworth looks like a ruined castle.  But when you look closely you can see how it has developed over time.  How successive owners have added parts to it.  How architectural styles changed to reflect the time and needs of the owners.  In this case they were rich and powerful with plenty of money to fund their build.

By visiting the gatehouse we were able to get a glimpse of what castle living may have been like for some even if the rooms would have been much smaller than the main castle was.

The real tragedy is that the castle itself was partly destroyed during the English civil war and it’s been in decline ever since.   Even if you are not a history buff using the audio tour as you wander around the castle gives you clearer understanding of what you are looking at.  You also get things pointed out that you wouldn’t otherwise notice.  As fully fledged day trippers we did of course indulge in the full visitor experience.

Some of the details that caught my eye were the windows in what would have been the great hall, the fireplaces and the layout of the kitchen.  All of a sudden this ruined castle had a greater sense of purpose and perspective.  I could actually start to imagine people living here.

Even in the 1800s people were into graffiti – so perhaps we are not so modern after all.  Although it did seem slightly surreal to see a jet plane fly overhead en route to Birmingham Airport.

One of the primary reasons for the visit was to see the reconstruction of the Elizabethan Gardens which were originally built for a visit of Queen Elizabeth in the 16th century.  Seeing the gardens for the first time from the ruins brought a splash of colour and life in stark contrast to the ruined castle buildings.

Down on the ground in the garden itself the views were still as colourful although up close you can see this is still very much a new garden that needs to be more fully established.

I found myself much more attracted to the details on the hard landscaping and garden features.

The statues were indeed big and bold but looked slightly out of place right now.  A bit too clean and new.  But they will mellow over time and both the hard and landscaping will come together I’m sure.

Having been motivated to visit by the garden it was the castle that really captured my imagination.  If only those ruined walls could talk, I sure that they could tell a few tales.

As a place to visit and enjoy a picnic you can’t beat Kenilworth.  It did of course help that it was a beautiful summers day. Once again our appetite for history and picnics were met.  I definitely felt like a tourist just enjoying the spectacle because it is there to be enjoyed.