Kenilworth castle as it may have been at the time of the great siege of 1266 Kenilworth castle as it may have been at vides a synthesis of previous observations and the time of the great siege of 1266 offers a new ground plan for the castle in 1266. James Petre Previous commentaries The siege of Kenilworth in 1266 was arguably Prominent historians who have written about the greatest siege in British medieval military the events of the thirteenth century, have put history. If the desultory blockade of Harlech in forward Simon de Montfort as a prime mover the 1460s can be discounted, the siege of 1266 in the major enhancements which enabled the 6 was the longest - and indisputably, involved castle to resist so spectacularly in 1266. They the greatest resources deployed against any fastened upon a reference in the Flores Histo- castle in Britain in the medieval period. Sur- riarum, which remarked that Simon had prisingly perhaps, there was no attempt at a full strengthened the castle with buildings, repairs treatment of the siege until B. L. Wild’s article and many novel machines. (‘Kenylwrthie…, in the English Heritage Historical Review in quod quidem comes Legecestriae mirabili 2010.1 That account included Richard Lea’s structura atque reparatione firmaverat ac ma- reconstruction drawing of how the castle may chinis multimodis,…’). In that it is now have appeared in 1420, a drawing which earlier thought that this entry in the chronicle is from featured in the current (second edition) ‘red a period when it was written at Pershore Abbey guide’ by Richard K. Morris.2 In that latter in Worcestershire, the scribe was near enough publication, the image carried a rider that the to have had local knowledge. Simon’s work reconstruction of the outer work, known as may also be suggested in the slightly earlier ‘The Brays’, was entirely conjectural, inas- Chronica Majora of Matthew Paris written at 7 much as little is now left other than the earth- St. Albans. The eminent editors of the History works. The image is a very fine piece of of the King’s Works suggested that Simon may artwork and is no doubt largely correct in all its have constructed the elaborate water defences, other details. It was, however, of Kenilworth a a notion earlier put forward in the Victoria century and a half after 1266. A depiction of County History, but in reality, there is nothing 8 how Kenilworth may have appeared in 1266, to say that he did. Simon was first granted courtesy of a ground plan, was provided in my custody of the castle in 1244: in 1253 the grant contribution to Castles. A History and Guide, was made for life. The castle appears to have published in 1980.3 Subsequent research and become his military headquarters so in theory reflection have made it clear that that plan he could have contributed significantly to its needs correction. Colour reconstruction draw- development but as Wild has remarked, it ings, by Ivan Lapper, displayed on site and seems unlikely that Simon would have spent included in Derek Renn’s guidebook of 1991, large sums on what was, after all, a royal castle showed the castle as it might have been in of which he was the mere custodian. For much Norman times, after King John’s works, after of the time, Simon was ‘constantly on the edge John of Gaunt’s alterations and finally in Tudor of financial embarrassment’. Whether this dif- times. The second of these represented a view ficulty was exacerbated by expenditure on Ke- of what the castle may have looked like at the nilworth or precluded heavy expenditure on it, time of the siege, but certain features are imag- is impossible to know. Simon’s income im- ined, although not recorded as such.4 Richard proved somewhat, first in 1253 and then again K. Morris’s first ‘red guide’ edition of 2006, in 1255, so if he did spend any money on the also included a number of colour reconstruc- castle, it would have been from then and in- tion drawings. One of these envisaged the cas- deed the reference in the Flores, given above, tle in 1266 but is plainly inaccurate in a number is under the year 1264. Even then, however, it of its details, particularly in its representation appears that his ‘budget’ could never have of ‘The Brays’.5 It is perhaps significant that stretched to the accomplishment of truly major these images were dropped for the second edi- works, so whatever Simon did commission, it 9 tion. The present, short paper that follows pro- seems unlikely that it was on a grand scale. 221 THE CASTLE STUDIES GROUP JOURNAL NO 29: 2015-16 Kenilworth castle as it may have been at the time of the great siege of 1266 Architectural historians, on the other hand, tween the inner and outer curtains to block off have generally agreed that it was King John a section of the outer bailey and so provide who was the principal progenitor of the fortifi- some protection for a direct route shown as cations. This is reflected in the ‘official’ guide- leading from the outer curtain Water Gate books issued by the successive agencies of the through a small entrance pierced into the inner State entrusted with the keeping of the castle. curtain. Some of these details, such as the In the 1960s, Baillie Reynolds considered that interval towers, can be accepted as accurate; John built the outer bailey curtain, though felt others, particularly the cross walls, pose some the Brays was created by Henry III.10 Next, in difficulty and so warrant further discussion, 1973, Derek Renn also assigned the outer bai- provided below.14 ley curtain to John, though gave only a thir- The author of the current English Heritage teenth-century date for the development of guidebook to Kenilworth, Richard K. Morris, Mortimer’s Tower and the raising of the level was clear that the extension of the Mere by 11 of the water defences. In the more detailed raising the water level, and building Mortim- writings of M. W. Thompson of 1977 and er’s Tower and the outer bailey curtain should 1991, not only was the outer curtain built by be credited to King John. These works includ- John, but so too was the fortified causeway ed Lunn’s Tower but Morris noted that the later known as the Tiltyard and the raising of Water Tower, in its present form at any rate, is the water levels. better assigned to Thomas, 2nd earl of Lancas- Thompson was a little less exact in assigning ter in the early fourteenth century. Like Baillie dates for Mortimer’s Tower and the Gallery Reynolds, Morris preferred to put the con- tower with its outworks including its south- struction of ‘the Brays’ in Henry III’s reign, west facing D-shaped tower. He did, however, suggesting that ‘Simon might have been re- assign these to the thirteenth century. So far as sponsible’. Since he wrote this in the later that D-shaped tower is concerned, his analogy edition of his ‘Red Guide’, he changed his with the design of the final development of view and thought it more probable that King Dover’s Constable Tower could, of course, be John was responsible. Morris also acknowl- used to suggest a date of the very early period edged the existence of an entrance through the of Henry III’s reign. Thompson also assigned outer curtain on the north but understandably, a thirteenth-century date to the three main given our lack of knowledge, declined to sug- towers on the outer curtain on the north and gest quite where this may have been.15 east, namely, the Swan Tower, Lunn’s Tower Morris additionally mentioned that John’s and the Water Tower. He considered Lunn to works ‘probably’ included a small barbican be early thirteenth century and the Water Tow- protecting the entrance into the inner bailey, a er to be mid-thirteenth century, which would suggestion he received from John Goodall. As 12 put both as in existence by 1266. In Renn’s Morris subsequently noted, however, there is colour guidebook, which appeared in the same no hard evidence for this.16 The arrangement year as Thompson’s second edition in 1991, which is now discernible for defending this Renn too assigned the outer curtain to John and inner bailey entrance, is a masonry causeway also gave a thirteenth century date to Mortim- leading out from the inner curtain, over its 13 er’s Tower. As noted above, this guidebook erstwhile ditch, terminating in a splayed out included reconstruction drawings. These en- platform. This in turn was defended by a draw- visaged that by the end of King John’s works, bridge pit beyond which a narrow causeway there were towers on the outer curtain where continued. This is charted on Thompson’s the Swan, Lunn’s and the Water towers are plans in his Kenilworth Castle, where he as- located, two north curtain interval towers and signed it to the fourteenth century.17 This a considerable gatehouse with a barbican strad- drawbridge must surely have lain at the front dling the north moat, where Leicester’s build- of, and as a part of, a barbican complex. Given ing was erected in Elizabeth’s reign. In the military nature of these works, in origin addition, two cross walls were inserted be- their core could just as easily be earlier. Con- 222 THE CASTLE STUDIES GROUP JOURNAL NO 29: 2015-16 Kenilworth castle as it may have been at the time of the great siege of 1266 sequently this is reflected in the attached el, to make a striped, wooden wall to separate ground plan, with ‘?’, to denote that the barbi- the chancel from the chapel, to make two can and drawbridge, etc, were possibly there in wooden seats, suitably painted and a third 1266.