Canon's Ashby and Kenilworth Castle

Today we made a trek a little north of Croughton.

Our first stop of the dat was Kenilworth Castle just north of Warwick. The castle's setting was very peaceful. At one time the entire area around the castle grounds was a lake that was created by stopping up 2 nearby creeks. The most memorable event at the castle was the rebellion of Simon de Montfont. After a nearby battle against the men of King Henry III the rebellion retreated to the castle and remained there for a number of months surrounded by troops loyal to the King.

After the castle we went to Canons's Ashby in Northamptonshire. It's the remarkably well preserved 16th-century family home of the poet John Dryden. The drawing room has a particularly fine Jacobean stucco ceiling. Across the road is the namesake of the house. A section of the parish church dates back to the 1200's when the church was connected to a monastery.