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Eat, drink and stay in royal style

Nailcote Hall, Berkswell

It’s thought the land on which this small English stately home now stands was granted to the first owner in thanks for help given to William of Normandy during his Conquest of England in the 11th century. During the English Civil War the Hall was damaged by Cromwell’s troops – remarkably, a bill subsequently sent to the Parliamentarians was paid! Today the elegant spa hotel offers you a relaxing haven.

Warwick Castle

Two lavishly decorated suites in the 14th century Caesar’s Tower at Warwick Castle provide an experience fit for a king or queen, with breakfast in a stateroom before a private tour of the castle. Or share a short break in the Knight’s Village in the castle grounds, dining in the medieval banqueting hall-styled restaurant.

Ettington Park Hotel, Alderminster

The Shirley family who once owned Ettington produced numerous brave knights, most famously Sir Hugh who dressed in King Henry IV’s armour to create confusion on the battlefield at Shrewsbury 1403. “Valiant Shirley” (as Shakespeare calls him, King Henry IV, Part I) was slain while the real King lived to celebrate a resounding victory. It’s just one of the tales to fire your imagination during a luxurious stay in this welcoming neo-Gothic mansion. 

Astley Castle, Nuneaton

Discover links to three queens of England at Astley Castle: Elizabeth Woodville, later wife of King Edward IV; Elizabeth of York, wife of King Henry VII; and Lady Jane Grey the Nine Days’ Queen. This remarkable Landmark Trust self-catering property, with accommodation sensitively stitched into once-ruinous walls.

Karma Salford Hall, Abbot’s Salford

You can enjoy the best of both worlds, historic and contemporary, at Karma Salford Hall in the Vale of Evesham. Once owned by King Henry VIII, it blends Tudor charm and dining in an opulent panelled hall with Arts & Crafts-inspired bedrooms and modern spa therapies (Bluff King Hal would surely have approved).

Coombe Abbey Hotel, Binley

Surrendered to King Henry VIII at the Dissolution, Coombe Abbey has an eventful history, not least in 1605 when nine-year-old Princess Elizabeth, daughter of King James I, was lodging here and became the target of a foiled kidnap attempt by the Gunpowder Plotters. Enjoy characterful bedchambers, fine dining (including private medieval banquets) and more than 500 acres of parkland.

Billesley Manor Hotel & Spa, Alcester

Billesley Manor offers a sumptuous escape: dining in the Stuart Restaurant and sleeping in a Tudor-panelled Four-Poster Room. You would never guess that in the 16th century the original house was in disrepair and head of the family Thomas Trussell was sentenced to death for highway robbery. He managed to escape execution but his estate was forfeited to Queen Elizabeth I. The manor continued to be Crown property until it was sold to Robert Lee, a Lord Mayor of London knighted by King James I. Thankfully the Lee family rebuilt the house in style.

The Olde Minte, Southam

This traditional pub is just the place for a friendly pint when you are out exploring, and if its rugged walls could talk they would tell you a few tales. Because this was once where local trading tokens were minted, and where during the Civil War Charles I melted down silver to make coins to pay his soldiers. Follow the town trail and you will come across the old manor house where the King stayed in 1642 and it was at Southam that he addressed his troops before the Battle of Edgehill.

The Castle at Edgehill

Will you stay in the Prince Rupert Room or King’s Room in the quirky octagonal tower? Built many years after the Battle of Edgehill, the castle tower reputedly stands on the site from which Charles I observed the Parliamentarian army deploying in the vale below and where he raised his standard. The views are superb.

The White Swan, Henley-in-Arden

King Charles II, disguised as a groom, is believed to have stayed here while he was on the run from the Roundheads after the Battle of Worcester 1651. Tuck into the inn’s speciality Steaks on the Stone presented on hot lava stones, and maybe sleep in a Super-King Room.

Regent Hotel, Royal Leamington Spa

Originally opened in August 1819 as Williams Hotel, The Regent was renamed just three weeks later by permission of the Prince Regent (later King George IV). Illustrious royal guests have included Princess (later Queen) Victoria, Prince Louis Napoleon (later Napoleon III) and Empress Eugenie. Today a Travelodge, the hotel is well placed on The Parade for browsing the elegant heart of the town.

Right royal names

Do you know the stories behind popular pub names? The Rose & Crown emblem dates from the end of the Wars of the Roses, when Henry Tudor united the red rose of Lancaster with the white rose of York - while the White Lion harks back to that same conflict, carrying the heraldic symbol of King Edward IV. 

Astute Tudor innkeepers later repainted Pope's Head signs with King's Head signs after King Henry VIII broke with the Church of Rome. The White Hart was the personal badge of King Richard II, who in 1393 passed a law requiring all taverns to display a sign - so many simply adopted his emblem, and it remains one of the most enduring pub names in England. 

Meanwhile The Red Lion harks back to a decree by King James I of England that public buildings (including taverns) should display a heraldic red lion to reinforce his authority. Royal Oak, of course, refers to Charles II’s escapade hiding in an oak when he fled after the Battle of Worcester. And The Crown? Simply the safest of all allegiances - a name that never needed changing, whoever sat on the throne.

Raise a toast to popular royal pub names on your travels around Warwickshire, including at:

  • The Rose & Crown, Warwick - a 17th century inn on the Market Place, in the shadow of Warwick Castle
  • The Rose & Crown, Stratford-upon-Avon - with Tudor timber beams, records for this site go back to 1596
  • The King's Head, Aston Cantlow - in the village where Shakespeare's parents are believed to have married
  • The White Hart, Ufton - a country inn with far-reaching views across the South Warwickshire countryside
  • The White Lion, Radford Semele - a beautiful historic thatched village pub near Leamington Spa
  • The Red Lion, Long Compton - in a handsome Cotswold-edge village on the southern border of Warwickshire
  • The Red Lion, Hunningham - a riverside pub overlooking the River Leam with views across the county
  • The Royal Oak, Alcester - in one of Warwickshire's most attractive small market towns
  • The Crown Inn, Claverdon - a traditional two-room free house on the Henley Road between Warwick and Henley-in-Arden
  • The Crown Inn, Harbury - a village pub and restaurant in this pretty village near Leamington Spa, Warwick and Stratford
  • The Crown Inn, Stockton - a family-run village pub near Rugby on the road to Southam
  • The Crown, Tiddington - a family-friendly pub just over a mile from Stratford-upon-Avon
  • The Crown, various - one of the most enduring of all pub names, found in villages across the county

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