"A new chapter for Kenilworth tourism" has begun with the launch of a new mobile app, bringing the town's Abbey to life.

'Kenilworth Revealed' - a free augmented reality app - is now available to be downloaded, having officially launched today (November 10).

Produced by Kenilworth Town Council, the app will allow visitors to Abbey Fields to see the Augustinian Abbey on their phones as it would have appeared in the 1500's.

At each of 30 plaques across the park, users will point their phones to unlock video, sound and live-action storytelling.

Five themed "quests" - Daily Life, Produce & Diet, Visitors, Religious Observance and Surroundings - challenge players to collect relics and sigils as they follow an interactive trail through centuries of history.

Speaking at the launch event last week, Cllr Alan Chalmers said: "What you will see has been a real collective effort; it has included 92 people and one horse!"

Kenilworth Revealed has launched

The University of Warwick professor continued: "This collaboration combines cutting-edge technology and historical research to 

make heritage accessible in an exciting, modern way. 

"People can now literally step into 

"Kenilworth's past - and that's a powerful draw for the town's future."

First announced when Cllr Chalmers was Mayor of Kenilworth, the project has seen the town council collaborate with the University of Warwick, MyJamsLtd, the University of Warwick and Zubr.

Kenilworth Revealed has also been funded by a £98,500 grant from HS2's business and local economy fund.

A lot of the filming for the app has taken place in and around Kenilworth, and has included local people, including the town's MP.

Speaking at the launch last week, MP for Kenilworth and Southam Sir Jeremy Wright said: "We would not be here, we would not be experiencing any of this if it was not for Alan and his vision and leadership."

Sir Jeremy Wright was one of the many local people involved in the re-enactments (image by Nub News)

He continued: "I also want to say thank you to Alan for taking the course you took, not to employ actors to do all of this recreation but asking people in this town to do it.

"You've called the project Kenilworth Revealed. Of course it does reveal what Kenilworth was like 500 years ago, but I think it also reveals something of what Kenilworth is like now. 

"That is a town which is able to provide this level of enthusiasm, this level of commitment, determination to make this project work and to do it with ordinary people."

A 'matching game' has also been created including local businesses and historical versions of their logos for locals to guess.

Kenilworth Revealed has seen plaques installed around Abbey Fields and High Street, matching up to the locations or representations of inside and outside the abbey. This as well as a market on High Street which also includes a tongue-in-cheek representation of Custard Corner.

Designs for the recreation of the abbey were taken from examples of surviving Augustinian Abbeys across the country as well as the Chapter House in Bristol.

As more information comes to light, the designs will continue to be updated and the council also hopes to extend the project beyond Abbey Fields, to the castle and town centre.

Thirty plaques have been installed around Abbey Fields (image by Nub News)

"Kenilworth Revealed is about more than history - it's about community," said Cllr Mark Stevens, Leader of Kenilworth Town Council.

"This investment uses central government funding, not local council budgets, to help our town thrive. 

"By attracting more visitors to explore our heritage, we're supporting local shops, cafés and cultural life."

Download Kenilworth Revealed in the app store today.