How a Warwick Castle Knight keeps occupied during coronavirus lockdown

More used to keeping invaders out of Warwick Castle than staying inside his own home, Sir Jay of Warwick has been keeping himself busy whilst in isolation at his more humble abode just outside the castle grounds.

Finding himself with plenty of time on his hands, Sir Jay of Warwick shares his top ways of keeping occupied until the time comes to charge back into full working Knight mode at the Castle.

Professional development

Sir Jay’s usual routine doesn’t allow much time for 'upskilling', so with spare time on his hands, he is enjoying the opportunity to indulge his personal passions that can also help his professional development.

“I’ve always been fascinated by swords and armoury,” says Sir Jay “and have amassed quite a collection of books on the subject - now I have the time to really study them, and when the Castle reopens, I’ll have even more to tell visitors about.”

Self-care and well-being

In these unusual circumstances, it’s important to take time to look after your mental and physical health. Sir Jay loves nothing better than to relax for five minutes with a strong cup of tea (and perhaps a glass of mead in the evening). He’s also keeping fit by wearing his armour every day - the full suit weighs 35 kg so just wearing it is in itself a good workout.

An Englishman’s home is his castle

Warwick Castle underwent significant restoration work in the first two months of this year, as well as the traditional spring clean.

While Sir Jay’s home isn’t quite as old (or big) as the Castle, he’s making the most of some extra hours at home to freshen up the paintwork with tins of paint found in the cupboard under the stairs.

“It’s a good opportunity to tackle some of the items on my list of household jobs that otherwise I’d never get round to, and it’s very satisfying to do something with such an obvious result” says Sir Jay. Other tasks on his to-do list include polishing his armour and fixing broken links in his chain mail.

All work and no play

Of course, it’s not all work and no play for Sir Jay, who has been making the most of modern technology to keep up with fellow Knights from Kingdoms around the globe as well as enjoy some of his favourite online games.

Keeping in touch

“It’s really important that we maintain connections with the people and places that we love, even if we can’t see or visit them in person right now,” says Sir Jay.

Whether it’s FaceTiming Princess Felice to check in on her in her Tower, or keeping an eye on the Castle and grounds via webcam, Sir Jay is making full use of online communication tools during isolation.

“Back in the day, falcons were often used by nobility to exchange messages,” explains Sir Jay. “Flash the Castle falcon hasn’t passed his messenger training yet, but he and our birds of prey are all enjoying regular flights around the gardens and grounds to keep an eye on everything until we return.”

Sir Jay has also been joining in with the weekly Clap for our Carers along with communities around the country - and his suit of armour serves as an excellent way to generate more noise so no need to bang a saucepan with a wooden spoon.

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