From Cheshire to Warwick – Unlocking Warwick

A brief light drizzle didn't put off the visitors from Little Stanney — A brief light drizzle didn’t put off the visitors from Little Stanney

On April 20th, a group from the Women’s Institute branch at Little Stanney in Cheshire dropped into Warwick on their way to the West Country for some specially arranged Court House Tours with Unlocking Warwick volunteers.

The 26 WI members divided into 3 smaller groups to hear about the long history of buildings on the central site at the junction of Jury Street and Castle Street, the construction of the present Court House by Francis Smith after the Great Fire of Warwick, and its recent refurbishment which co-incided with the 1,000th anniversary of the founding of Warwick as a fortified town in 914.

The group from Cheshire were on a two-day excursion which would take them to Paignton to visit Agatha Christie’s house, and they decided to ‘drop in’ on Warwick on their way to Devon, enjoy a cuppa in one of the cafes, and learn something about the historic county town.

There was just enough time for some of the group to see the castle, others to see the Lord Leycester Hospital, and some to nip into St. Mary’s Church to see the tombs of the Earls of Warwick in the Beauchamp Chapel.

They enjoyed seeing the restored Regency ballroom, now being used for a variety of community events

Then they were back on their coach and on their way, after thanking the volunteers for a ‘fascinating’ insight into the history of Warwick.

Special Court House Tours for visiting community groups can be arranged if we have plenty of advance warning, and if there are volunteers available. Contact our secretary on info@unlockingwarwick.org