Kenilworth Castle, has a varied history dating back over nine centuries. It begun with its construction in the early 1120s by Geoffrey de Clinton, Lord Chamberlain to King Henry I. It started as a simple Norman keep built on a small hill overlooking the River Avon.In the early 13th century, King John spent the considerable sum of about £1,100 strengthening Kenilworth with curtain walls and towers, and improving it with work on a dam and domestic accommodation.In 1253, John’s successor, Henry III, gave Kenilworth to his sister Eleanor and her powerful husband, Simon de Monfort, 6th Earl of Leicester. The reformist de Montfort fell at the Battle of Evesham in 1265, but his son, Simon the younger, subsequently held Kenilworth against the king in a six-month siege – one of the longest in English medieval history. The garrison eventually surrendered to the king due to starvation on 13 December 1266.Kenilworth Castle became a favoured royal residence during the reigns of Kings Edward I and Edward II in the late 13th and early 14th centuries. Significant additions were made during this time, including the Great Hall and the outer bailey.In the 14th century, the castle came into the possession of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, son of King Edward III. He undertook extensive renovations, turning Kenilworth into one of the most magnificent castles in England. The works lasted two decades and in addition to the great hall, remodelled apartments, services and kitchens. Gaunt also enclosed the garden and carried out works on the bridges and the park.During the Tudor period, Kenilworth Castle saw further enhancements under the ownership of the Dudley family. In 1563 Elizabeth I granted the castle to Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leicester, who transformed Kenilworth into a magnificent palace, spending vast sums of money on it’s refurbishment He went on to host lavish festivities and famously he entertained the queen there for 19 days of revelry in 1575.After the Tudor era, Kenilworth Castle gradually fell into disrepair. During the English Civil War in the 17th century, it was slighted to prevent its use by Royalist forces. In 1665 Charles II granted Kenilworth to Laurence Hyde, 2nd Earl of Clarendon, in whose family’s hands it remained until the 20th century.In 1935, Sir John Siddeley arranged a business merger between Armstrong Siddeley and Hawker Aircraft, resulting in the creation of Hawker Siddeley, a partnership which became vital to the Second World War effort. The merger made John Siddeley a very rich man, earning him a reputed £1 million, which is about £45 million in today’s money. This wealth gave him the freedom to indulge in charitable works, and he purchased Kenilworth Castle in 1937, placing the building in the care of the Ministry of Works, and making a substantial sum available for funding repairs. John Siddeley was subsequently given a peerage and became Baron Kenilworth.The work enabled the castle to be opened to the public, and the same year Siddeley was given a peerage, becoming Baron Kenilworth. The castle became a full-time visitor attraction and in 1958 when John Siddeley’s son gave the freehold to Kenilworth Town Council.Kenilworth Castle came under the care of English Heritage in 1984, who have continued to work to preserve and maintain the ruins. Throughout its existence, Kenilworth Castle has played a significant role in English history, serving as a royal residence, a symbol of power and prestige, and witnessing key events.