Warwick Castle is a medieval castle originally built by William the Conqueror as a wooden fort during 1068. The castle is situated in the town of Warwick and on a bend of the River Avon. The river has eroded the rock the castle stands on, forming a cliff that worked as a natural defence.
An Anglo-Saxon fortification was established on the site in 914. After the Norman conquest of England, William the Conqueror established a motte-and-bailey castle in 1068 to maintain control of the Midlands as he advanced northwards. In 1153, the wife of Roger de Beaumont (2nd Earl of Warwick) was tricked into believing that her husband was dead, and surrendered control of the castle to the invading army of Henry of Anjou – later King Henry II of England. During his reign, the motte-and-bailey was replaced with a stone keep castle.
Warwick Castle has more than 1,100 years of jaw-dropping history. In June 2005, Warwick Castle became home to one of the world’s largest working siege engines: A 18 meters (59 ft) tall trebuchet.