Kenilworth Castle and ancient graffiti.

A few years ago now, I visited Kenilworth Castle. It is close to where I live but had never visited. The castle is in ruins, but is fabulous to walk around and climb the scaffolding steps to the upper floors.

The reason, we visited was to see and walk where my ancestors had. I had discovered that my Scottish great-great grandmother had only been born in Edinburgh. In fact her family had travelled from Kenilworth, where they had originated from. No mean feat for the early 1800s. The above photograph was taken in the lovely Elizabethan garden showing some of the ruins.

  

Kenilworth Castle

The castle had apparently lay in ruins from around the 1600's, when it became known as Castle Farm. This gave rise to easy access for many to the ruins themselves. It was a tourist attraction from very early on. With many visitors taking to carving their names in the remaining stone. Some of the names were dated - so here are a few pictures 

Kenilworth Castle gardens 

Just readable on the graffiti - 1872 Milly

Another view of the gardens at Kenilworth Castle

Some of the stonework remining of the castle

View over the gardens

More open brickwork of the castle

Think this is A Rainsforth 1887.

Views of the terrace from the garden

More of the remaining brickwork

Views of the garden from inside the castle remains

R F and P F 1944 I think.

Ian and Ruby 2015, WBD 1806

D Beal 1808 I think. Many other graffiti above. 

BFCK 1877

MH 1868, JH, J M Hayward, CEO, S, 1935.

LMP 19/69, AO JE, HC 80, RF,

Lots of jumbled letters here. Some look like Roman numerals

A clearer picture from earlier RF PF 1944. I wonder if they and their love survived the war.

FCB JH  16/8/44 another end of war love affair. Where are they now? 

WFS 1817

Can't work a lot of this out other than maybe 1945

Cindy and Guy 1983, 

HVV 1871, Lee N P???, HT, LHHP

JD DOR, HF, Silas Alamicitram ordery HR Feoit.

WA New York 1871

WE 1908

AB 1894

AR 1859

Bob Grindle 1850

IS LH 1870

D Smith C Kennelly

TH 1940

W Stuart 1850

MJT 1944

WB Dent

Tony 2005

1940

J Booth

Most of the letters are worn. But this is just a small sample of the graffiti that covers the brick work around the ruins of the castle. Some dates are very old. Others just a few years ago. And no I haven't seen any with Leeson on dating from the late 1700s to early 1800s.