16/06/2006 English Heritage

KENILWORTH CASTLE EMBRACES NEW ERA West Midlands Jewel Reveals Results of £2.5m Investment -
English Heritage unveiled today (15 June 2006) the spectacular results of a major two year £2.5m investment project at Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire, one of the largest and finest castle ruins in England. At the heart of the restoration project lies the stunning transformation of Leicester's Gatehouse, built between 1570 and 1575 by Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. The ground and first floors of the Gatehouse are dedicated to how it would have been in the 1930s, the last time the building was inhabited as a home by the Hames family.
The beautifully restored interiors of the Gatehouse now offer visitors the opportunity to explore a suite of fully furnished historic rooms.
The fascinating relationship between Kenilworth and Elizabeth l is explored and brought to life on the top floor of the Gatehouse through a new exhibition, Queen and Castle: Robert Dudley's Kenilworth. Highlights include the display of fine portraits of Elizabeth and Dudley, an impressive tapestry featuring the Earl of Leicester's coat of arms, and most revealingly, correspondence between the two including Dudley's last letter to Elizabeth which she was known to have kept in a casket by her bed until her death. The new displays in the Gatehouse were made possible thanks to the support of the Wolfson Foundation, and by donations and bequests from the public.
The Gatehouse has also enjoyed careful but complex conservation of its sandstone exterior and has opened its doors to a new dedicated, self-contained learning base for school and community groups. Two of the finest rooms on the ground floor will also be available for civil weddings and private hire. In the carefully restored Stables, built by John Dudley (Robert Dudley's father), a new exhibition, The Castle and its People explores the castle's entire history and the influential personalities who guided its development, including John of Gaunt, Simon de Montfort and King John.
The exhibition will feature interactive exhibits, including a movable model of Leicester's building, and for the first time, objects from the Kenilworth masonry collection will be displayed to the public. Integral to the project is the recent opening of a new ticket office and shop near the Brays approach to the site. Designed by conservation architect Richard Griffiths, high quality, environmentally sympathetic materials have been used to create a wooden building, strategically positioned to recapture some of the glory of the former Gallery Tower of which only a single ruined wall remains.

Visitors to the site will now also be greeted by spectacular views of the Warwickshire countryside previously obscured by unsightly modern buildings. The demolition of the south ticket office now allows visitors to pass through the ruins of Mortimer's Tower to enjoy the dramatic view of the castle that would have greeted Elizabeth l on her visit in 1575.

Simon Thurley, Chief Executive of English Heritage said: "Kenilworth Castle is one of the most important and breathtaking ruined castles in England. Its flamboyant history is full of drama and excitement. Now, for the first time in over 30 years visitors can explore Leicester's magnificent Gatehouse created for the famous visit of Elizabeth l. And this is not the end! We are extremely excited about the near completion of the archaeological excavation of the garden, originally created for Elizabeth l's visit in 1575, and from next year visitors will be able to enjoy the sights and scents of a faithfully re-created Elizabethan Garden here at Kenilworth."

Kenilworth Castle is open daily throughout the year. For further details, please call 01926 852078 or visit http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/kenilworth