Lord Leycester Hospital
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.
