Visit Kenilworth Castle & Town for a Dog-Friendly Day Out
Kenilworth Castle is dog-friendly, and dogs are welcome throughout the site, including the castle ruins and the Elizabethan Gardens. Managed by English Heritage, it makes a great dog-friendly day out in Warwickshire. The town is also nice for a look around to see the sights and pop in a pet-friendly pub.
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Kenilworth Castle is the main attraction in the Warwickshire town. To enhance your visit, you can download an audio guide in advance that offers commentary as you explore. You can book entry tickets online. The castle is open daily from 10 am until 6 pm; however, this may vary, so it’s best to check the website before arranging your day out.
Visiting Kenilworth Castle With a Dog
The castle and Elizabethan Gardens are fully dog-friendly, and dogs are welcome everywhere. Henry enjoyed his day out and had a long walk here exploring the ruins. He also enjoyed a break in the cafe in the stable. There were water bowls about the site, including near the museum. The English Heritage staff/volunteers seemed to love dogs and gave him lots of attention.
Highlights of Kenilworth Castle
Walk The Perimeter For Free
If you just wanted to see the castle without paying an entry fee, you could view it from outside the main walls. A footpath goes around the perimeter of the site. This is a pleasant walk with views of the castle.
The walk goes through some meadows and starts and finishes at the earthen dam where the ticket office is. You can also start the walk in the car park opposite the Queen and Castle pub.
There are also some extended walks in this area of the countryside, including a route with splendid views from Gibbet Hill.
Tiltyard Dam
From the main castle car park, you pass the ticket office and shop, then cross the earthen dam into the castle. The dam crosses a small river that forms the moat of the castle. This was the primary way into and out of the castle. The earthen dam apparently was the site of many jousting competitions in the past. In fact, King Edward I attended a jousting event here in 1279.
They built the medieval earthen dam in the early 13th century. For over 400 years, this dam held back one of the largest man-made water defences in the UK. There used to be a massive lake to protect this side of the castle.
After crossing the dam, you pass through the castle entrance. Your tickets get checked here for entry into the castle complex. Once inside the complex, visitors are guided by arrows through the castle. The first part of the path offers impressive views of the buildings.
Inside the Main Walls
Between the walls and the ruins of Kenilworth Castle is a scenic walk, where you can see out through various gates and holes towards the outside. One such gate is the water gate, where supplies used to cross the lake and come through.
This area has many benches for visitors to sit and admire the views of the ruins. You can follow the walls from the entrance to the Elizabethan Gardens on the other side.
Elizabethan Gardens
The Elizabethan Gardens here are stunning and full of flowers and shrubbery. They have recreated the gardens as they appeared in 1575. A steep terrace with steps overlooks the gardens.
Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, built the garden for Queen Elizabeth I. This was the first of many great court gardens of the Elizabethan age. They based the original garden on the Italian Renaissance garden at Villa d’Este, a 16th-century villa in Tivoli, near Rome.
The gardens feature intricate flowerbeds with bright flowers, which are rather beautiful. The gardens also have a small orchard with apple trees; these had small fruit on my visit. However, I would guess these are beautiful when the apple blossoms are in bloom.
The garden is also home to an aviary which has a variety of birds.
Gatehouse
The Gatehouse is a restored building, not in ruins, with exhibits inside. Robert Dudley first built this building as a gatehouse. However, from 1650, the building was a domestic residence, and it later became the tourist attraction you can visit today.
The gatehouse entrance is splendid and worth a look. Inside, you can also see the decor and dark wood furniture.
The Ruins
The rest of the main building is mainly ruins to explore, and it is fascinating to learn more about them. The state apartment is pleasant, and you can see from the ruins what it used to be like, particularly the windows overlooking the country.
The inner court is a grassy area between the ruins and a great place to photograph the site. You can also learn about the castle’s kitchen here, too.
Leicester’s building is grand, and you can mooch around here; however, after the rain, there are some puddles. The archways and windows interested me.
The Stables
Finally, at the bottom of the court, a photogenic half-timbered building stands. This was the castle’s grand stable, built in the mid-16th century. Today it houses an exhibition entitled ‘The Castle and its People’ and is home to the cafe where you can purchase refreshments.
The exhibition was fascinating and told the story of the castle’s notable residents. They also have models showing how the castle looked over the years, before it aged. The cafe had some pleasant drink options, including ale, cider, wine and some soft drinks like ginger beer.
About Kenilworth Town
Kenilworth is a market town in Warwickshire, near Coventry, Warwick and Leamington Spa. The town has a small town centre with a range of independent and chain shops. Major attractions include the abbey ruins, the castle, and beautiful parklands.
The town also has a good foodie scene and some nice places to dine out, many of which are dog-friendly. There are some independent hotels, as well as a Holiday Inn.
Other Things to See and Do in Kenilworth
There are some other things to see while in Kenilworth, including some enjoyable walks on the edge of town
Abbey Fields & The Abbey Ruins
Abbey Fields is an expansive area for walking the dog or taking a stroll. It has a lake, which is a haven for wildlife. It’s a handy shortcut to the castle instead of walking along the road. You can also see the Abbey Ruins.
The remains of St Mary’s Abbey are worth seeing. Some of its ruins are above ground, and some are below ground. The abbey dates to 1124, when a priory was built on the site. Geoffrey de Clinton built the priory for Augustinian canons.
St Nicholas’ Church
St Nicholas Church is at the edge of Abbey Fields and is a Grade I listed building. They built the church from distinctive local red sandstone. They designed the church in the Decorated Gothic, Perpendicular Gothic, and Gothic Revival Victorian styles. St Nicholas Church has a history linked to the castle and abbey.
Kenilworth Clock Tower
G.M. Turner built the clock tower in 1891 in memory of his late wife. He then passed it on to the Kenilworth council in 1906. The tower has a fascinating history. Over the years, it has changed a lot, as the town itself has. The tower was also hit in an air raid by German planes in 1940.
Dog-Friendly Pubs & Restaurants in Kenilworth
After perusing Google Maps, I found lots of dog-friendly places for a drink or a meal.
Queen & Castle
The closest bar and eatery to Kenilworth Castle is The Queen & Castle. This is a nice place to sit inside or outside in their dining area. They are dog-friendly and also give excellent service. The menu has many good beer options, and the food menu was tempting, especially the scallop options.
Virgins and Castle
The Virgins and Castle is the oldest pub in the town. The decor inside keeps some of the old features. They also have a comfortable beer garden at the rear. Their beer choices were good, including Leffe, Budvar, and Staropramen.
Ale Rooms
At the end of the high street, near the clock tower, are Ale Rooms. They are also pet-friendly and serve excellent beer. They have benches outside and some comfy seating inside.
Is Kenilworth Castle Worth Visiting With a Dog?
Kenilworth is a great place to go for a day out, and it is a bonus that it seemed dog-friendly. The castle was the highlight. However, the countryside and parks nearby were also lovely. The pubs I visited were all good and very welcoming to humans and dogs.