WARWICKSHIRE - Warwick Castle - A teaching castle

Warwick Castle

Warwickshire

.
Mighty Warwick, not far from Stratford-on-Avon. Castle of the curtain wall fortification, a nearly impregnable perimeter, see http://history.howstuffworks.com/middle-ages/castle5.htm.

Early on, the site was a Roman fort, in 79 AD (see timeline at http://www.castles.me.uk/warwick-castle-facts-timeline.htm), a burh, a fortified town built by Queen Aethelflaed, widow of King Ethelred in 914-916, as a defense against Vikings.  See http://hearteng.110mb.com/warwick.htm,  The Saxon sheriff before the Norman conquest may have been related to Lady Godiva and the king of Mercia, the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the day.  See timeline.  He also (traitor?) switched allegiance from Anglo-Saxon King Harold to William when William won, for which he was greatly rewarded in lands and honor but not by his own people.

Then more serious fortifications ensued with a timber motte and bailey by the forces of William the Conqueror after the successful Norman invasion.   He needed many were built fast, in order to subdue the population after his invasion in 1066 from Normandy.
 .
Motte and bailey Warwick began in 1068.  Method:  Choose the highest ground, even build a mound, rather steep, as the motte; add a second mound on the first, surround that smaller one with a wooden fence at top and build tower inside for a lookout, and accommodation for the noble and others - the bailey.  http://www.castles.me.uk/motte-and-bailey-castle-layout.htm.  Earth for constructing the mounds came from below, with a handy ditch resulting all around, also good for defense.

In 1260, the wooden structures were replaced with heavy stone walls and structures.
.
Warwick Castle, Warwickshire, England. Interior display, a war room. Which rebellion?
 .
In medieval times, the Castle could be inherited either by males of females, through either line.  http://www.castles.me.uk/warwick-castle.htm
 .
It served as a fortification, a prison, a seat of Royals.  Romans, Saxons, Celts, Vikings, all in the area making their mark.
.
Warwick today is an educational site as well as a furnished castle and 60 acres of grounds.  See the scenes set inside with wax figure mock-ups of historical events. Put yourself there. Dan did. Go to this tours and photos site for a full view:  http://www.google.com/firefox?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official. Do a search for Warwick Castle panorama and you will find an interactive site for a 360 all-around tour.
 .
This place is becoming very commercialized. Arrive early or late to beat the buses. Click on the history of Warwick at that site (you have searched for Warwick Castle panorama).  It has been inhabited continuously until recently; home to Earls of Warwick until recently;  town destroyed by 17th century disastrous fire, rebuilt, used as setting for many TV and film ventures.