The Lord Leycester is one of the most unusual heritage properties in Warwickshire and one of the country’s most important medieval buildings.
The Lord Leycester
It comes within the Historic Houses portfolio, along with the previously described Warwickshire properties, Middleton Hall and Stoneleigh Abbey. All three are free-to-view for Historic Houses members (see below).
The Lord Leycester, which is also known as The Lord Leycester Hospital, dates back to 1126, but with rebuilding and major additions over the centuries. It reopened to visitors in 2023 following an 18 month conservation project.
Since 1571, it has acted as a refuge for ex-servicemen, known as the Brethren, under the charge of a Master. In Latin ‘hospitale’ is a lodging for guests, rather than a hospital and that is the purpose here.
On our visit we were welcomed by one of the current Brethren, who provided us with detailed information about how best to tour the buildings and gardens.
History of The Lord Leycester
Chapel of St James the Great
The earliest building on the site was the Chapel of St James the Great, which was built over the West Gate of Warwick town walls in 1126, but then rebuilt in the late 14th Century. The United Guild of Warwick added living quarters and public rooms to the site including the Great Hall. The Guildhall was added in about 1418.
The Earl of Leicester, Robert Dudley (the favourite of Queen Elizabeth I), acquired the buildings in 1571 to accommodate worthy ex-servicemen and their wives. Since then there have been 450 Brethren and 33 Masters.
The Lord Leycester was one of very few buildings in the centre of Warwick to survive the Great Fire of Warwick in 1694.
The Chapel was much restored in 1816 and modernised accommodation was opened in 1966. Currently there are five Brethren living at The Lord Leycester.
Tour of the Buildings
Master’s House
We commenced our tour in the Great Hall with its impressive timber-framed ceiling. It is now a café, a far cry from 1617, when a three day banquet was held there to entertain King James I. It took the town ten years to pay off the cost of the banquet.
The Great Hall forms the one side of the central courtyard which is dominated by the imposing facade of the Master’s House. We visited the Master’s Dining Room on the ground floor which is decorated with medieval weaponry and deer antlers.
On ascending from the courtyard to the first floor opposite the Great Hall, we entered the Guildhall. This is where the United Guild of Warwick met for almost 200 years to worship and carry out its civic and charity business.
Brethren’s Kitchen
Returning to the ground floor, we entered the Brethren’s Kitchen, a fascinating room where over a 400 year period the Brethren would meet up by the warm stove. This room is now dedicated to telling the stories of some of the 450 Brethren who have lived at The Lord Leycester.
Leaving the courtyard and heading up a short flight of stone stairs led us to the Chapel perched over an arched public pathway, which was the town’s West Gate.
The medieval wall still runs along at the back of the chapel with a footpath alongside leading to the Gardens.
The Gardens
Master’s Garden
The Gardens have been cultivated for over 400 years since being gifted to Robert Dudley in 1571. The Brethren were given areas of the garden to grow fruit and vegetables to be cooked in the Brethren’s Kitchen.
The area immediately in front of the buildings is known as the Master’s Garden, a mainly lawned area with herbaceous borders.
We were surprised to see a 2000 year old Egyptian Stone Urn in the middle of the garden. A gift from the Earl of Warwick in 1838, apparently it used to sit on top of a column, known as a Nilometer, that was used to measure the height of the Nile.
It stands incongruously in front of a Norman arch.
Nilometer Stone Urn
To one side of the main garden is the Knot Garden, which was designed in 2000 as a millennium feature. It has shrub plantings that represent the wooden patterns on the walls of the Malthouse in front. The garden contains a metallic sculpture of a Bear and Ragged Staff, the symbol of Warwickshire.
Although the gardens contains some curious artefacts, they do nevertheless complement well the fine buildings of The Lord Leycester. They provide a tranquil place of relaxation, not only for the Master and Brethren, but for the many visitors to the property.
Entry to The Lord Leycester is £11 for adults, £9.50 for seniors and £6 for children.
However if you take up annual membership with Historic Houses, you will get free entry, plus free entry to 300 other heritage sites including some of the top sites in the country such as Blenheim Palace, Hever Castle and Harewood House. Enter our unique code STEW05 at ‘Add discount code’ and new members will receive a £5 discount. This also applies if you wish to give annual membership as a gift.
To access these special rates, Under 'Rate Preference' select 'Senior Discount'Click on 'Special Rates' select 'Senior Rate'.• See discounts also at Best Western, Marriott, Radisson, Ramada andAccor
• For a £5 discount on new membership, use code STEW05 on the Historic Houses website.
• To get a £15 National Trust gift card with membership by direct debit, click on National Trust.
Historic Houses Warwickshire: The Lord Leycester
The Lord Leycester is one of the most unusual heritage properties in Warwickshire and one of the country’s most important medieval buildings.
It comes within the Historic Houses portfolio, along with the previously described Warwickshire properties, Middleton Hall and Stoneleigh Abbey. All three are free-to-view for Historic Houses members (see below).
The Lord Leycester, which is also known as The Lord Leycester Hospital, dates back to 1126, but with rebuilding and major additions over the centuries. It reopened to visitors in 2023 following an 18 month conservation project.
Since 1571, it has acted as a refuge for ex-servicemen, known as the Brethren, under the charge of a Master. In Latin ‘hospitale’ is a lodging for guests, rather than a hospital and that is the purpose here.
On our visit we were welcomed by one of the current Brethren, who provided us with detailed information about how best to tour the buildings and gardens.
History of The Lord Leycester
The earliest building on the site was the Chapel of St James the Great, which was built over the West Gate of Warwick town walls in 1126, but then rebuilt in the late 14th Century. The United Guild of Warwick added living quarters and public rooms to the site including the Great Hall. The Guildhall was added in about 1418.
The Earl of Leicester, Robert Dudley (the favourite of Queen Elizabeth I), acquired the buildings in 1571 to accommodate worthy ex-servicemen and their wives. Since then there have been 450 Brethren and 33 Masters.
The Lord Leycester was one of very few buildings in the centre of Warwick to survive the Great Fire of Warwick in 1694.
The Chapel was much restored in 1816 and modernised accommodation was opened in 1966. Currently there are five Brethren living at The Lord Leycester.
Tour of the Buildings
We commenced our tour in the Great Hall with its impressive timber-framed ceiling. It is now a café, a far cry from 1617, when a three day banquet was held there to entertain King James I. It took the town ten years to pay off the cost of the banquet.
The Great Hall forms the one side of the central courtyard which is dominated by the imposing facade of the Master’s House. We visited the Master’s Dining Room on the ground floor which is decorated with medieval weaponry and deer antlers.
On ascending from the courtyard to the first floor opposite the Great Hall, we entered the Guildhall. This is where the United Guild of Warwick met for almost 200 years to worship and carry out its civic and charity business.
Returning to the ground floor, we entered the Brethren’s Kitchen, a fascinating room where over a 400 year period the Brethren would meet up by the warm stove. This room is now dedicated to telling the stories of some of the 450 Brethren who have lived at The Lord Leycester.
Leaving the courtyard and heading up a short flight of stone stairs led us to the Chapel perched over an arched public pathway, which was the town’s West Gate.
The medieval wall still runs along at the back of the chapel with a footpath alongside leading to the Gardens.
The Gardens
The Gardens have been cultivated for over 400 years since being gifted to Robert Dudley in 1571. The Brethren were given areas of the garden to grow fruit and vegetables to be cooked in the Brethren’s Kitchen.
The area immediately in front of the buildings is known as the Master’s Garden, a mainly lawned area with herbaceous borders.
We were surprised to see a 2000 year old Egyptian Stone Urn in the middle of the garden. A gift from the Earl of Warwick in 1838, apparently it used to sit on top of a column, known as a Nilometer, that was used to measure the height of the Nile.
It stands incongruously in front of a Norman arch.
To one side of the main garden is the Knot Garden, which was designed in 2000 as a millennium feature. It has shrub plantings that represent the wooden patterns on the walls of the Malthouse in front. The garden contains a metallic sculpture of a Bear and Ragged Staff, the symbol of Warwickshire.
Although the gardens contains some curious artefacts, they do nevertheless complement well the fine buildings of The Lord Leycester. They provide a tranquil place of relaxation, not only for the Master and Brethren, but for the many visitors to the property.
Entry to The Lord Leycester is £11 for adults, £9.50 for seniors and £6 for children.
However if you take up annual membership with Historic Houses, you will get free entry, plus free entry to 300 other heritage sites including some of the top sites in the country such as Blenheim Palace, Hever Castle and Harewood House. Enter our unique code STEW05 at ‘Add discount code’ and new members will receive a £5 discount. This also applies if you wish to give annual membership as a gift.
We have reviewed several other properties under Historic Houses and see also Historic Houses versus National Trust – Which to join?
Other articles about unusual Historic Houses are: Allerton, Bickleigh, Browsholme, Eyam, Peover, Scawby and Hook Norton Brewery and Cowper & Newton Museum.
Additional Photographs of The Lord Leycester
POSTED 7th December 2024 by STEVE HANSON. The photographs were taken by BARBARA HANSON.