Warwick Walk: Town Centre & Castle【4K】
Located in the county of Warwickshire, and around 20 miles southeast of Birmingham, is the town of Warwick.
The origins of Warwick date back to 914 AD when Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians, founded a burh here (i.e. fortified settlement to help safeguard against Viking attacks). Its location was chosen due to the local outcrop of sandstone alongside the River Avon, providing a defensible position along with a supply of water and building material. Warwick grew into a thriving settlement, and a royal mint was established here. However, much of it was burnt and destroyed by the Danes in 1016.
In 1068 William the Conqueror ordered the construction of a wooden castle at Warwick. In 1088 the Earldom of Warwick was created by William II, and its first earl was Henry de Beaumont, who was constable of Warwick Castle. During the late 12th century Henry II rebuilt the castle in stone. Today it serves as a family tourist attraction where its vast history can be explored.
In 1123 St Mary's Church was founded by Roger de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of Warwick. The Norman crypt from this period survives to this day. The rest of the edifice dates from the 14th century or later. Another significant religious building in Warwick is St Nicholas Church. This was built in the 18th century on the site of an earlier medieval church.
In addition to controlling the castle, the earls of Warwick built town walls. Of these, only the East Gate and West Gate remain. Of particular note architecturally, at the West Gate, is the Hospital of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester; also referred to as Lord Leycester Hospital. Seen in detail shortly after the 26-minute mark, this has its origins in the 12th century, initially with a chapel dedicated to St James the Great. The chapel was rebuilt in the late 14th century, and adjacent to it was built a guildhall in the mid 15th century by Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick. Neville would also come to be known as Warwick the Kingmaker due to his role in the Wars of the Roses. In 1571 Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, acquired the buildings and repurposed them as a hospital for wounded or infirm soldiers and sailors of the Elizabethan era. This role has remained unchanged, as veterans have been accommodated here up to the present day.
In 1694 the Great Fire of Warwick occurred. It started from a stray spark from a blacksmith on the High Street which ignited a thatched roof. Many townsfolk fled to St Mary's Church, being as it was one of the few stone buildings at the time. However, some of their possessions were alight, which transferred to the timber supports of the church, causing it much damage. The fire was halted from spreading west by the 1/2-metre thick stone walls of Lord Leycester Hospital. Estimates of the damage vary, but over 150 buildings were confirmed to have been destroyed.
In 1799 the Warwick and Birmingham Canal and the Warwick and Napton Canal were opened, providing the town with a connection to the Grand Junction Canal. This gave it a direct trade route to, among other places, the rapidly growing industrial town (as it was at the time) of Birmingham.
In 1852 the railway arrived in Warwick. In 2000 a second station opened in the town, namely Warwick Parkway, located about a mile northwest of the town centre. Today, the two stations are situated on the Chiltern Main Line, connecting London Marylebone to Birmingham Moor Street.
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Filmed: 19th October 2023
Link to the walk on Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/MuYqokW1Xd9CP...
Filmed on a Sony FDR-AX700 with a Zhiyun Crane 2 and a Sony ECM-XYST1M Stereo Microphone.
TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 Mill Street
3:25 Banbury Road
4:26 St Nicholas Church Street
4:43 St Nicholas Church
4:53 St Nicholas Church Street
6:49 St Johns
8:36 Smith Street
11:34 Jury Street
13:27 Castle Street
15:07 Castle Lane
15:35 Warwick Castle
17:34 Castle Lane
17:45 Castle Street
18:59 Church Street
20:14 Old Square
21:14 Market Place
23:55 Swan Street
25:10 High Street
30:02 West Street