Warwick's historic Lord Leycester to host family activities this summer

Families will be able to step back in time at the Lord Leycester site, getting involved in Tudor school lessons, creating their own wattle and daube or taking part in two family-friendly trails through the Grade I-listed buildings and gardens.

The collection of half-timbered buildings was built by the Warwick Guilds in the late 1300s to conduct Guild business from the town centre. In the reign of Elizabeth I, the Guilds gave the buildings to Robert Dudley, the Queen’s favourite courtier, to create a home for the Brethren – soldiers injured in the wars of the Tudor age.

Centuries on, the site remains home to the Brethren and has recently undergone a £4.5million refurbishment.

The ‘Tudor family days’ will take place every Friday and Saturday from August 9 to 31, and feature activities such as a ‘Brethren Bootcamp’, dressing up in Tudor costume, a lesson in the school room, creating a wattle and daub or tussie-mussie – a Tudor take on air freshener – and exploring the garden.

There are also two trails to take part in.

The Tudor Fairy Trail sends children on a hunt for ten Tudor-inspired fairies hidden around the Master’s Garden, ticking them off on a worksheet that features a short rhyme for each one.

The fairies are designed and handcrafted by local artist Amelia Jeffcock, of AJ Art and Design, and are inspired by the fashions of the Tudor period and the changing ideas of fairies in the Elizabethan times.

Similarly, the Dudley Bear Trail takes children on a hunt for seven ‘Dudley Bear Shields’ inside the Lord Leycester’s buildings. As they tick off their finds, children can complete puzzles and quiz questions to learn about the Lord Leycester’s 700-year history.

Bryony Goodwin, audience engagement manager at the Lord Leycester, said: “The Lord Leycester is packed with stories from our 700 years of history, and we’ve come up with a range of activities to share those stories with visitors – adults and children alike- including our fabulous family fun days.

“Children of all ages will love our Tudor Family Days, giving them a real taste of Tudor life right here in some of the oldest buildings in Warwick.

"They’ll be able to have plenty of fun while learning about the history behind our fabulous site, as well as enjoying a snack in our cafe and a browse in our gift shop. It really is a great day out.”

For more information go to: https://www.lordleycester.com/