Horticulture and History – Court House Tour 24th August

On Bank Holiday Saturday, 24th August, there will be a free Court House Tour around the outside and inside of the Grade-1 listed building in Jury Street built in 1725 by Francis Smith of Warwick. 

The tour will start from the Visitor Information Centre at 11am and will last about 45 minutes. Volunteer guides will speak about the administration of the town from this site since 1571 and will introduce visitors to the rich history of Warwick dating back to Saxon times, including The Great Fire of Warwick that changed the face of the county town. 

And after the tour, why not look at the 2019 Warwick Horticultural Show which will have just opened in the Court House ballroom and the Pageant Gardens behind. It’s not just fruit and veg. There will be entries of splendid cakes, handicrafts, paintings, photographs and flower displays, with prizes to be awarded on bank holiday Monday.  
The weather promises to be warm and sunny, perfect for a stroll round the the Court House – where there are no more courts. The magistrates moved to the new Justice Centre in Leamington in the 1970s, ending 465 years of court hearings (‘petty sessions’) on this site, which is now the Town Hall, Visitor Information Centre, Warwickshire Yeomanry Museum, and venue for many social events in the restored Regency ballroom. 

There’s no need to book for the free Court House Tour. Just turn up at the Visitor Centre for an 11am start. There’s a £2 entry fee for the Horticultural Show.