3 Best Sights in Warwick, Stratford-upon-Avon and the Heart of England

The 14th-century half-timber Lord Leycester Hospital at Warwick's Norman gate is a genuine hidden gem: it has effectively been a retirement home for soldiers since Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leicester, dedicated it to that purpose in 1571. The complex includes a 12th-century chapel, an impressive beamed hall, and a fine courtyard with a wattle-and-daub balcony and 500-year-old gardens. A major refurbishment has added many more hands-on activities and interpretations of the historic rooms. One highlight of a visit is a tour with one of the "brethren" guides dressed in Elizabethan robes (Wednesday and Saturday only). Don't miss lunch in the timber-beamed Great Hall.

The vast bulk of this medieval castle rests on a cliff overlooking the Avon River and is considered "the fairest monument of ancient and chivalrous splendor, which yet remains uninjured by time," to use the words of Sir Walter Scott. Today, the company that runs the Madame Tussauds wax museums owns the castle, and it has become more theme park than an authentic heritage site, but it is still a lot of fun. Warwick’s two soaring towers, bristling with battlements, can be seen for miles: the 147-foot-high Caesar’s Tower, built in 1356, and the 128-foot-high Guy’s Tower, built in 1380.

Warwick Castle’s monumental walls enclose an impressive armory of medieval weapons, as well as staterooms with historic furnishings and paintings. Other exhibits explore the castle’s history through the ages, display the sights and sounds of a great medieval household as it prepares for an important battle, and tell the story of a princess’s fairy-tale wedding. Elsewhere, a working trebuchet, falconry displays, and rat-throwing (stuffed, not live) games add to the atmosphere. Below the castle, strutting peacocks patrol the 64 acres of grounds elegantly landscaped by Capability Brown in the 18th century. Each summer the castle also hosts one-off immersive experiences.

Arrive early to beat the crowds. If you book online in advance, you save 45% on ticket prices. Lavish medieval banquets take place throughout the year, and plenty of food stalls serve lunch. For the ultimate castle experience, you can "glamp" in a medieval tent, stay in a wooden lodge in the Knight’s Village, book one of the 60 medieval-style rooms at the Warwick Castle Hotel, or spend the night in a luxury suite in the 14th-century Caesar’s Tower.

Crowded with gilded, carved, and painted tombs, the Beauchamp Chantry within this church is considered one of the finest medieval chapels in England. Despite the wealth of late-medieval and Tudor chivalry, the chapel was built in the 15th century in honor of the somewhat-less-than-chivalrous Richard de Beauchamp, who consigned Joan of Arc to burn at the stake. Alongside his impressive effigy in gilded bronze lie the fine tombs of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, adviser and favorite of Queen Elizabeth I, and Dudley’s brother, Ambrose. The church’s chancel, distinguished by its flying ribs, houses the alabaster table tomb of Thomas Beauchamp, one of the first Knights of the Order of the Garter, and his wife, Katherine Mortimer. In the Norman crypt, look for the rare ducking stool (a chair in which people were tied for public punishment). It is possible to take part in traditional brass rubbings for free, or for a fee you can climb the tower for sweeping views of the Warwickshire countryside. Check the website for seasonal opening times.