Warwick Castle - Before The Castle

Before The Castle

An Anglo-Saxon burh was established on the site of the future Warwick Castle in 914; the construction of the fortifications was instigated by Ethelfleda, daughter of Alfred the Great. The burh she established was one of ten which defended Mercia against the marauding Danes. Its position allowed it to dominate the Fosse Way, as well as the river valley and the crossing over the River Avon. Although the motte in the south west of Warwick Castle is called "Ethelfleda's Mound" it is in fact part of the later Norman fortifications, rather than an Anglo-Saxon relic.