Spirit of the siege returning to Kenilworth

The spirit of the Siege of Kenilworth is returning to the town after events to mark the siege's 750th anniversary have been finalised.
The anniversary logoThe anniversary logo
The anniversary logo

The highlight of the commemorations will be the ‘Siege Weekend’ taking place over the August Bank Holiday.

Kenilworth Castle will stage a recreation of the siege on Sunday August 28 and Monday August 29, complete with “battle-hardened soldiers” and flaming trebuchets.

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Before that, Abbey Fields will have a whole day of free entertainment where visitors can meet King Henry III and learn about mediaeval life on Saturday August 27.

Other siege-themed activities will be taking place include the Kenilworth Carnival on Saturday July 2 and a range of talks in Kenilworth Library from September.

Town mayor Cllr Richard Davies said: “I am delighted by the number of local people and organisations that are choosing to mark the occasion with special events and activities.”

A special booklet has been created for the anniversary which details the events taking place and the timeline of the siege’s progression.

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Copies will be delivered to almost 9,000 Kenilworth households by Saturday June 18, and some houses may have already received one.

However, access restrictions mean that not all households will receive a booklet. Extra copies will be available at Kenilworth Library.

Former town mayor Cllr Michael Coker said: “Kenilworth Town Council hopes the siege booklet will remind everyone how important this event and the town were in our country’s history.

“We want everyone to enjoy the anniversary and at the same time to promote Kenilworth as a great place to live and visit.”

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The Siege of Kenilworth is considered to be one of the longest in British history.

It began in June 1266 when King Henry III’s forces marched on surviving rebels who were holding out inside Kenilworth Castle after being defeated at the Battle of Evesham.

The rebels held firm until December, by which time disease and starvation had crippled them. They decided to surrender, accepting the Dictum of Kenilworth.