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Calendars of the Patent Rolls

From the official Calendars of the Patent Rolls (in the Public Record Office/National Archives), the following index provides key historical references to Kenilworth Castle grouped by major chronological eras and historical events.

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1. The Barons' War and the Siege of Kenilworth (1263-1267)

 

This is the most text-dense period for Kenilworth in the Patent Rolls, tracing its transition from the rebel stronghold of Simon de Montfort to its surrender to King Henry III.

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  • 1263 (48 Henry III, m. 14): Mention of Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester, fortifying and victualing [supplying] Kenilworth Castle against the Crown.

  • 1265 (49 Henry III, m. 10): Safe-conduct granted to Simon de Montfort the Younger and other rebels holding the castle to come to the King’s court after the elder Montfort was killed at the Battle of Evesham.

  • 1266 (50 Henry III, m. 8d): Royal mandate detailing the mobilization of the royal army and the summoning of labourers, carpenters, and siege-engineers from across England to march on Kenilworth.

  • 1266 (50 Henry III, m. 3): The proclamation of the Dictum of Kenilworth (October 1266), detailing the terms of surrender offered to the rebels holed up inside the castle.

  • 1266 (51 Henry III, m. 36): Grant of Kenilworth Castle and its surrounding manor by King Henry III to his younger son, Edmund Crouchback (later Earl of Lancaster), following the eventual surrender of the garrison in December.

 

2. The Lancaster and Plantagenet Era (1272-1399)

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During this period, the castle was held by the House of Lancaster, frequently transitioning back to the Crown during political upheavals.

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  • 1279 (7 Edward I, m. 12): License granted to Edmund, the King’s brother, to hold a grand tournament and Round Table event at Kenilworth Castle, welcoming knights from across Europe.

  • 1322 (15 Edward II, pt. 2, m. 22): Appointment of royal keepers to secure Kenilworth Castle immediately following the execution of the rebel Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, at Boroughbridge.

  • 1326 (20 Edward II, m. 4): Mandate concerning the imprisonment and safe custody of the deposed King Edward II at Kenilworth Castle prior to his forced abdication.

  • 1372 (46 Edward III, pt. 1, m. 19): Review and confirmation of grants made by John of Gaunt (Duke of Lancaster) for major architectural remodelling of the castle's Great Hall and defensive apartments.

 

3. The Royal Duchy and Tudor Era (1399-1558)

 

When Henry IV took the throne in 1399, the House of Lancaster merged with the Crown, turning Kenilworth into a favoured royal palace for the Lancastrian and early Tudor kings.

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  • 1400 (1 Henry IV, pt. 5, m. 31): Royal appointment of John de Alaba as the Constable of Kenilworth Castle and keeper of the nearby park, fixing his daily wages out of the issues of the manor.

  • 1414 (2 Henry V, pt. 1, m. 14): Orders detailing expenditures for building projects at the castle, including the construction of the 'Pleasance en marais' (the Pleasance in the Marsh), a private pleasure pavilion built for Henry V.

  • 1450 (28 Henry VI, pt. 2, m. 7): Mandate arranging the safe evacuation of King Henry VI and Queen Margaret of Anjou from London to Kenilworth Castle to escape civil unrest and the Jack Cade Rebellion.

  • 1510 (2 Henry VIII, pt. 1, m. 5): Grant to Sir Edward Belknap of the offices of Constable of Kenilworth Castle and Master of the Game within the park, representing early Tudor restructuring.

 

4. The Elizabethan Era (1558-1603)

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This era marks Kenilworth's peak as a Renaissance palace under the Earl of Leicester.

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  • 1563 (6 Elizabeth I, pt. 4, m. 2): The Leicester Grant. Queen Elizabeth I grants Kenilworth Castle, the manor, and all surrounding lands to her favourite, Robert Dudley (subsequently created Earl of Leicester).

  • 1570 (12 Elizabeth I, pt. 3, m. 15): Royal license granted to Robert, Earl of Leicester, to fortify, crenellate, and expand the castle, which paved the way for his massive construction of the Gatehouse and Leicester's Building.

  • 1575 (17 Elizabeth I, pt. 5, m. 22d): Commission and mandates relating to logistics, provisions, and security surrounding Queen Elizabeth I’s famous 19-day progress and lavish summer festival at Kenilworth Castle.

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