Warwick (2)

Here I am Rune

Distance 0 miles

Total 1586 Locks 80 Tunnels

Running total mileage 2224 miles

Whilst we have again remained in the same location today we have taken the opportunity to have a better look at Lord Leycester’s Hospital in Warwick, and quite an impressive place it is. The first part of the building was the Chapel of St James the Great which was built above what was the West Gate into Warwick in 1123. This fell into disrepair but was rebuilt in 1383 and by 1413 two Guilds had moved to the site which was when the rest of it was built. When Henry VIII dissolved the Guilds in 1546 it was just used as a town meeting place until 1571 when it was acquired by Robert Dudley the Earl of Leicester and the place was established as the retirement home for soldiers of Elizabeth I. This is what it remains to this day (military retirement home), predating the more famous London Chelsea Hospital by about 100 years, reflected in the comment by one of the ‘brethren’ (the residents) when I asked if it was similar to The Chelsea Hospital, he replied, “No, they are similar to us!”.

Guildhall of Lord Leycester Hospital

The Courtyard

Chapel of St James the Great

One of the fascinations for me was the amount of timber used in the building of the hospital and how much of it is original, dating back 600 years. How they keep the woodworm out I really don’t know! These days one of their primary sources of income is as a wedding venue, I can certainly see why.

Tomorrow we need to take on more water and other domestic matters so we will be going into the Saltersford Basin but hopefully returning to our present mooring until Sunday when we will probably move on.