Town councillors are hoping to organise an event to celebrate the 450th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth I's visit to Kenilworth next year.

Kenilworth Town Council has launched a new group to help organise the plans, with the event likely to take place in July 2025.

Councillors said Kenilworth Castle will be "very much involved in this" having hosted Elizabeth I for 19-nights of banquets and festivities in 1575.

Then in the hands of Robert Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, the castle hosted the queen from Saturday 9 July 1575 when she arrived on horseback with 31 barons and 400 staff to the sound of trumpets, cheers from the local residents, and gunfire which was reportedly heard from 20 miles away.

The queen was housed in her own private chambers, as built by Dudley, which were said to be the most impressive architectural design in the country with huge amounts of glass and luxury - as she would have expected.

While the council did not give any indication what shape the event will take, it is being championed by Deputy Mayor of Kenilworth Cllr James Kennedy.

Speaking on his behalf at the last full council meeting, Cllr Zoe Leventhal said: "He has already had positive indications from music groups and other interested parties. 

"He would like to invite a group to be set up to take this forward."

advertisement

Read a full account of Elizabeth I's visit here.