Kenilworth Castle, Warwickshire........

.......was a medieval fortress which later became an Elizabethan palace.

Built in 1120 the building seen on the right is the mighty Norman keep, a defensive powerhouse, three stories high, with walls 14ft wide. It was strengthened by King John a century later, and modified by Robert Dudley for entertaining in 1570. 

The central building is what remains of John of Gaunt's Great Hall. He used some of the masons and surveyors that had worked on the rebuilding of Windsor Castle instigated by Edward 111. The hall was one of the finest of its kind, and at the cutting edge of 14th C architectural design. It played host to medieval monarchs and Tudor kings. 

The final four-storey tower block building seen on the left was commissioned by Robert Dudley - 1st Earl of Leicester. He had it designed especially for Queen Elizabeth 1's use when she visited Kenilworth during one of her royal progresses through her realm in 1572. He then had it improved for her next visit in 1575. The building is now known as Leicester's Tower. 

Robert Dudley - 1st Earl of Leicester

His careful staging of the queen's visit in 1575 was clearly intended to impress his importance on the queen, and it is thought that it was his last attempt to win her hand in marriage.

The Queens arrival at Kenilworth Castle in 1575. 

Along with improvements to the Queen's  building, Leicester also had a fine Elizabethan garden laid out for her visit, a garden designed to seduce and beguile her. The garden although lost for 400 years has recently been recreated using advances in garden archaeology along with an extraordinary eye-witness description from 1575. 

On entering the 900 year old Keep it is the many splendid Norman arches that immediately catch the eye. We are taking the same route that Queen Elizabeth l would  have taken to visit her new garden. 

Join me next time in Elizabeth's garden

In the pretty Village of Fownhope, Herefordshire......

.....sitting beside what was once the main highway from Gloucester to Hereford is The Green Man Inn. Built during the first year of the reign of Henry Vll in 1485, this ancient hostelry has now been an important part of village life for almost 550 years

We loved staying in this characterful building which still retains much of its original architectural features - narrow stairways, beamed ceilings, inglenook fireplaces, and beautifully carved doors.

Following an enjoyable evening meal, and a good nights sleep, we set off in search of the ruins of Goodrich Castle, a castle that is considered to be one of the finest examples of British military architecture.

Having climbed up the tree lined hillside, and walked past this stately tree, we suddenly caught our first glimpse of the impressive castle ruins.

The central tower, the Keep, seen above, was built using limestone around 1148. It is unlike the rest of the castle which was built later and used red sandstone.

The keep still retains its original Norman arched windows, which are now home to families of House Martins - Delichon urbicum. If you look carefully you can spot one of their neatly made mud nests. The whole castle was home to a very large colony of them, all busily catching insects and feeding their young.

The Castle commands scenic views over the surrounding countryside across the River Wye. Its position here controlled a key location between Monmouth and Ross-on-Wye. 

This is an early indoor latrine systems constructed around 1250. It was used by everyone living in or visiting the castle, apart from the Lord and Lady, who had their own private facilities. Three latrines for what could be up to 100 people dwelling within the castle. I looked through the windows, and the latrines did have some splendid views! 

The tiny archway at the bottom of the latrines required a small unfortunate boy, tasked with the job of cleaning them out!!!

The ruined interior of the Solar with its great arches and column. Solars were the private living and sleeping quarters for family members only.

Cleeve Abbey, Somerset.

Reconstruction of the Abbey courtesy English Heritage.

The entrance gate on the far lefthand side still stands, but the large church, top centre, no longer exists. Centre front is the refectory which exists together with its exquisitely carved angel ceiling. The buildings surrounding the cloisters still stand although not complete.

The main entrance to Cleeve Abbey is across this small bridge which sits above a crystal clear stream.   

Cleeve Abbey, a Cistercian Order, was founded in 1198 

The Latin inscription above the entrance arch to the gatehouse reads "Gate be open, shut to no honest person". The two gates, one on each side, were controlled by the Abbey Porter who handed out food or help to those in need. However, despite the welcoming words the entrance courtyard was strictly controlled by the porter. Above the entrance courtyard was a chapel and a guest house for the poor.

 Few people were allowed through to this side of the gatehouse.

This stone entrance stairway leads up to the Refectory.

Image of the Refectory courtesy English Heritage

The Refectories rare medieval tiled pavement floor has been removed to a state of the art protective shelter. Recently constructed, the building ensures that the tiles are protected for years to come. The tiles are thought to have been made in 127o in a Gloucestershire Tilery. They display a number of heraldic designs reflecting the importance of the abbeys attachment to their royal patronage enjoyed during the 13th century. 

The chevrons reflect the de Clare earls of Gloucester

The rampant lion denotes the earls of Cornwall

The three lions represent the kings of England

The double-headed eagle indicates Richard, 'King of the Romans"

The glory of the Refectory is this magnificent 'angel' oak carved ceiling.

There are twenty two projecting carved angels all connected by a carved vine trail. Each angel is supported by a corbel, decorated with an angel holding a shield. 

During the Middle Ages, Corrodians were pensioners who lived out their final years in monasteries or nunneries. They were usually well-to-do elderly lay people who paid or were sponsored for accommodation and food for the rest of their lives. The stipend itself was known as the Corrody.  A pensioner, one Edward Walker, spent his last years in the rooms above. He paid a total of £27, being the equivalent of £10,000 today. He was given bread, ale, meat and seven loads of wood per year for both himself and his servant. The abbey even cared for his two horses. This seems to be a far better deal than care for the elderly today. Currently it costs between £35,000 - £50,000 per year! 

The Chapter House - showing the Cloisters beyond

Traditionally this was where the monks met on a daily basis to discuss any outstanding business or difficulties. This photo portrays a sense of the room's faded beauty. 

These steps lead up to the dormitory from the cloisters. This entrance was known as the day stairs. 

The monastic dormitory at Cleeve is one of the finest remaining in Britain. This single large open room is where all of the monks would have slept. At one end, is a doorway to the latrines, and at the other end is a doorway leading to the night stairs. The stairs led directly into the church, enabling the monks to rise from their beds at 1.00am to visit the church for prays. 

We found a shady spot beneath the trees to eat our lunch, and were delighted to find ourselves being entertained by a large group of Swifts - Apus apus. They soared high above us like arrows shooting across the sky catching insects on the wing. Individual Swifts would dart away from the group and disappear into the top of the monasteries stone walls to their nests.

Muchelney Abbey lies hidden away deep in the heart of the Somerset Levels

"The place is not easy to access; one can normally get there in summertime on foot or by horse, but in winter never." 

Monk and historian William of Malmesbury (c1090-1142)

A stone fragment showing a monk carrying loaves of bread in his left arm and a costrel on his right arm - a container used for holding ale. 

The head of a lady - most of the statuary found is incomplete, probably damaged during The Reformation.

The King of Wessex, first established a monastic community at Muchelney in the late seventh century, however, the minster was destroyed during the ninth century by Danes. In 939 the monastery was refounded by King Athelstan and soon adopted Benedictine observance. Starting around 112o the entire monastery was rebuilt on a grand scale with a magnificent church, as well as a cloister, chapter house, dormitory, latrine, refectory and lodging for the abbot. There was also an infirmary, an almonry and agricultural buildings.

The two-storey thatched roof Reredorter (latrine) is a rare survival. The latrines are on the upper floor which was originally adjacent to the Monk's dormitory from where it could be entered. At ground level there are several small arches giving access to the inside drains from the outside for cleaning.

This is the South Cloister Walk - the windows are now partially blocked but fragments of the elaborate stone window tracery, once filled with stained glass, can still be seen. 

Stone stairway to the upper floor.

Although running short of time we are keen to visit the local parish church of St. Peter and St. Paul which is just visible through the right-hand side of this window. 

The church has a wooden, arched, and ribbed ceiling painted during the early part of the c17th. In the centre there are ten angels all wearing Jacobean style dresses along with cherubs painted around the four borders. The painting has a colourful, cartoonish character which creates a dramatic scene viewed from below. Each angel looks out from a frame of thick creamy swirling clouds, a central sun along with stars set in a blue sky all create a celestial backdrop.  

The Angels all hold message banners - 

"All nations of the world" "Praise the Lord" 

"We praise thee oh God"

Some of the angels have immodest necklines, which, it has been suggested, symbolise innocence and purity. However, it is impossible for us today to really know the exact nature or thoughts of those Jacobean patrons and painters.

"From the rising of the sun"

"To the setting of the same" 

We arrived safely at our destination with just sufficient time to refresh before the evening meal.