Section 5: Civil War & Decline (17th Century) Flashcards
What major national event affected Kenilworth in the 1640s?
The English Civil War ? a brutal family feud with muskets, mustaches, and moral outrage.
Who fought in the English Civil War?
Royalists (Cavaliers) vs Parliamentarians (Roundheads) ? curls vs puritans.
What side was Kenilworth Castle on during the war?
It was held by Royalists early on, but taken by Parliament in 1642. Loyalty to the king = bad news.
What happened to Kenilworth Castle after it was captured?
It was slighted ? partially destroyed to make sure it couldn?t be used again. A kind of architectural execution.
What does ?slighting? mean?
Blowing up, burning, or bashing bits of castles to stop them being strongholds. Deliberate, destructive, and deeply depressing.
Why was Kenilworth slighted?
Parliament didn?t want it reused as a rebel base. No fortress, no future uprisings.
Which parts of the castle were destroyed?
Outer walls, parts of the great tower, and key defences ? they ripped the teeth out of the tiger.
Who ordered the slighting?
The Parliamentarian authorities, following Cromwell’s crackdown on castles.
What does the slighting of Kenilworth reflect about warfare in this period?
Castles were obsolete against cannonballs ? stone couldn?t beat gunpowder.
What happened to Kenilworth after the war?
It became a farm, a ruin, and eventually a romantic relic. From power to pasture.
What does this decline say about changing military needs?
Castles were useless in modern warfare ? big, slow, and unable to dodge bullets.
How did locals use the ruins of Kenilworth?
Some buildings were reused as homes, barns, and stables ? literal recycling of royal rubble.
What happened to the castle?s symbolism?
Once a symbol of prestige and power, it became a mossy monument to past glories.
How did Kenilworth compare to other castles in this period?
Same fate ? most were slighted or abandoned, as Britain modernised through misery.
What was public perception of ruins like Kenilworth in the 18th?19th centuries?
They became romanticised ? painters and poets loved the melancholy beauty of decay.
How is this era different from Dudley?s time?
Dudley built for love and legacy. Cromwell?s boys blew it up. From roses to rubble.
What does the decline of Kenilworth tell us about the monarchy?s fall from power?
It mirrors the fall of the crown itself ? castles crumbled as kings lost control.
What long-term effect did the Civil War have on castles like Kenilworth?
They went from instruments of power to inspirations for poetry. Power faded; nostalgia grew.
