A name has been confirmed for Kenilworth's new Wetherspoon, drawing on the town's rich medieval history.

'The Dictum of Kenilworth' will be the name for the new boozer at The Square, which will be built in the vacant Poundland unit in the town centre.

Signed in October 1266, the dictum was a peace treaty signed to bring an end to the siege of Kenilworth and the Second Barons War.

Work on the new pub began this week, nearly three years after Wetherspoon announced it was coming to town.

Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said to Nub News: "The company is to start development work on its new pub in Kenilworth on Monday (February 17).

"We are looking forward to opening the pub, though there is no opening date as yet.

"Wetherspoon believes the pub will be a great asset to the town and be welcomed by people in Kenilworth."

The chain will invest at least £2 million in the build, which it says will create 60 new jobs for the town.

advertisement

What was the Dictum of Kenilworth?

Between June and December 1266 Kenilworth Castle was besieged by the royal forces under the control of Prince Edward (later Edward I) to wrestle it from the control of those rebelling against the English King, Henry III.

Civil war had persisted in England throughout the 1260's after the rebel Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester, had raised an army against the king.

De Montfort was actually killed at the Battle of Evesham before the siege, but the rebellion raged on.

The dictum was delivered to the castle in October 1266, allowing the rebels to buy back the land that had been stripped from them, effectively pardoning them.

But they rejected it until finally giving out in the December when starvation and disease forced them to submit.

As per the dictum, they were allowed to leave with their horses and weaponry, and the castle was taken over by the royal forces.

Read more about the siege of Kenilworth here.

advertisement