Warwick Castle

'n Paar kilometer van Stratford-upon-Avon af is Warwick Castle (Warwick uitgespreek as Warrick). Net 'n bietjie informasie oor die kasteel (wat gespruit het uit 'n fort) om julle 'n idee te gee van hoe lank terug hierdie kasteel se geskiedenis strek.

"Warwick Castle overlooking the River Avon, lies in the town of Warwick of the English county of Warwickshire. It is traditionally associated with the earldom of Warwick, one of the oldest in England. The castle today is a popular tourist attraction and attracts tens of thousands of visitors from all over the world.

Legend has it that the first fortification of significance on the grounds of Warwick Castle was erected by the daughter of Alfred the Great, in the year 914. This almost certainly replaced older wooden fortifications which had proven ineffective against marauding Danes who sacked the town during the reign of her father. This fortification was part of a network built to protect the Kingdom of Wessex.
The remains of this ancient fortification can still be seen on Ethelfleda's Mound, a mound of earth at the southern end of the castle's courtyard. As intriguing as this legend is, the majority of the remains date from the period of Norman rule.
After the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, William the Conquerer appointed Henry de Newburgh as Earl of Warwick. During this time, a Norman motte-and-bailey fort was erected."