Warwick Castle

the home of the earls of Warwick. It is situated on a massive rock on the right bank of the Avon, in Warwickshire, ninety miles northwest of London. In its prime the castle was a fortification of enormous strength. The main gateway was provided with overhead holes through which to pour molten lead on besiegers. Caesar's Tower, the oldest part of the structure, but of unknown date, is 147 feet high. Guy's Tower, erected in 1394, is 128 feet high. The court within inclosed two acres. The Warwick vase, a huge receptacle for ale, is still preserved. It measures five feet eight inches in diameter at the lip and holds 163 gallons. Warwick Castle was said by Walter Scott to be "the fairest monument of ancient and chivalrous splendor which yet remains uninjured by time." Though injured by fire it is still considered the most sightly and magnificent edifice of the sort in England. The battlemented, ivy-covered walls, lofty towers, heavy portals, and deep windows combine with the surrounding park and the placid Avon water to form a beautiful picture. An impressive view may be had from the village bridge which crosses the Avon near by. Warwick Castle is thought to be the theme of Shakespeare's lines in Macbeth beginning: