The guidebook is made up of many different sections, each of them either giving information on part of the castle’s build, or talking about medieval armoury swordsmanship or decoration. It contains diagrams and maps of the castle over periods of time and a timeline of the major events and happenings.
It opens with an introduction that provides a brief history of the castle and beautiful sun set images of the grounds. However, at times opinion quite obviously biases the article. “The most impressive of England’s ancient fortresses” This statement casts a shadow of doubt upon the historic evidence within the book- battles could have been dramatised to make the castles history more colourful for example. Yet it does have some accurate information about the castles past “the first castle to appear on the site was a wooden motte and bailey constructed in 1068 at the command of William the Conqueror’, I know this to be true because information on the castles history from many different sources suggests the same thing.
After the introduction, we are presented with more of the castles history; this is followed by sections on armoury, weapons and the “king maker” expedition. Details on the castles stately rooms and the Clarence and bear towers, the ramparts, the curtain walls and Guys tower, the gatehouse and barbican and Caesars Tower are also included in short separate sections.
These sections include a variety of images and historic background knowledge or information on each of the castles different features.
I have cross referenced to check whether some of the information contained within the guidebook is accurate.
In the section titled “The History of Warwick Castle”, there is a diagram that shows how the castle would have looked in 1070. “The first castle at Warwick would have consisted of a man-made motte or mound, built on the cliff overlooking the river.” A book that contains information on castle history and is no way targeted at the tourist market or to make profit, “The Medieval World” supports this comment and includes a detailed diagram relating the same information.
Also, the guidebook tells us that “William the Conqueror…established a motte and bailey fort in 1068.” “The Medieval World” tell us that “He (William) ordered that wooden castles be built”.
Some of the reconstructions that the Tussauds group have produced of the castle chambers can be questioned, for example, on page six a reconstruction of part of the 14th century gatehouse is presented. This reconstruction seems somewhat unreliable. I say this because the reconstruction is too controlled and indeed too extravagant to be an accurate restoration of the room’s former state. It may have been portrayed in this image so that tourists find it more pleasant.
The guidebook, as I have already mentioned, contains a lot of information about the castles different rooms. The great hall is described in great detail and although the historic information contained within it is accurate, it is somewhat vague. “It is thought that originally in the middle ages, the Great Hall was where the Cedar drawing is now.” This comment is not further expanded, nor are we given a further insight into why this “is thought” and not known. Despite comments such as this the section does provide accurate details about the Great halls history. It provides details from when it was constructed in the 14th century, to how it was damaged in a fire during the 18th century to how it was then restored in 1871. The source booklet supports these claims- “a fire badly damaged the great hall in 1768” (Source 6).
The Warwick castle guide book is a compilation of fact and opinion, dramatised images and realistic shots. Its overall purpose is however, to provide the masses with a souvenir of their visit, and for this reason it serves its purpose.
