More information : The site of the Gallery tower overlooking the Tiltyard. The fragmentary remains of the Gallery Tower lie close to the modern day ticket office at Kenilworth Castle. It had a courtyard and would have acted as a gatehouse guarding the southern end of the dam which contained the large defensive lake. Its name derives from remodelling in the 16th century as a viewing gallery for tournaments. The tournaments were held on top of the dam which was widened to make it suitable for jousting; this area became known as the 'tiltyard'.
A survey of the castle made when Robert Dudley took possession in 1563 indicates it was the Duke of Northumberland, John Dudely (Robert Dudley's father) who created the tiltyard in its present form. (1)
Scheduled. At the dam's southern end are the standing remains of the rectangular Gallery Tower which was erected to defend this end of the dam. In the 16th century it was converted into an observation gallery for tournament spectators. (2)
The are lies within a Registered Park and Garden. Adjacent to the bridge stand the remains of the Gallery Tower, a rectangular structure which was converted in the C16 to serve as a stand for tournaments held on the dam, which is today known as the Tiltyard. (3)
A small excavation was undertaken within the Gallery Tower in February 2004 by English Heritage, following on from a geophysical survey in 2003. The geophysical survey indicated potentially complex archaeology on the site, and this combined with the results of two test pits excavated as part of the bridge construction scheme in 1990, led to the excavation of a single trench along the main axis of the tower. The results indicated that the intended occupation surface of the tower was most likely at the turf level (around 82.20 mAOD) or higher. Rough stonework revealed below a step in the tower wall, and was not intended to be seen, and so was either buried during construction or hidden by a now removed floor. No evidence was found for internal cross walls, suggesting the tower was either floored and roofed with single large spans, or that it might have been an open courtyard space with an earthen or paved floor. The excavations did not however investigate the lower levels of the archaeological deposits so evidence may still survive below the limit of excavation. A 17th century or earlier levelling layer filled the interior of the tower. (4) |