| Summary : The Great Mere, an artificial lake in the grounds of Kenilworth Castle. The mere protected the castle to the south and west, and was one of the largest medieval man-made water defences in Britain. A lake was originally created by Geoffrey de Clinton, and documentary sources from circa 1125 record that the canons of Kenilworth Priory were permitted to catch fish in his 'pool' on Thursdays. In about 1210 King John substantially enlarged the lake by damming local streams and this provided the water supply for the moat and a pool to the north and east of the castle. The mere covered an area 800 metres long and 150 metres wide, providing fish, wildfowl and the power for two water mills. The massive dam which retained the water in the mere runs south eastwards from the southern side of the outer court. In the 12th century a wall ran along the east side of the dam, and when it was enlarged in the 13th century, a wall was added to the west side in order to fortify the whole of the dam. During the late medieval period and the 16th century the mere became important as a decorative feature which enhanced the setting of the castle, with Arthurian themed entertainments. This was the setting for Henry V's 'Pleasance in the Marsh', or manor house, for his private entertainment. In the mid-16th century the northern end of the dam was further increased in order to make it suitable for tilting, a favourite aristocratic sporting pastime. The dam was breached in 1649 in order to drain the mere and prevent it being reflooded. Today the area is farmland. |
More information : [Name SP 2730 7205] Kenilworth Great Pool [GT] (Site of) (1)
The Mere, or Great Pool was created by Geoffrey de Clinton, chamberlain to Henry I, or by his son and successor Geoffrey. It was 1/2 mile long and in places 500 ft. wide and was formed by damming the streams on the south and west of the castle. It also supplied the moat on the other two sides. The Mere was drained in 1649. (2)
Extent of the Great Pool.
[This is indicated by the absence of field names on the plan.] (3)
The probable boundary of the pool, based on Fish's survey and confirmed by perambulation, has been delineated. Part of an apparently associated scarp has been re-surveyed at 1/2,500 scale. (4)
Registered Park and Garden. (5)
A 10 metre wide sample section of the floor of the mere adjacent to the dam, together with the dam itself, are scheduled. (6)
The Great Mere, an artificial lake in the grounds of Kenilworth Castle. The mere protected the castle to the south and west, and was one of the largest medieval man-made water defences in Britain. A lake was originally created by Geoffrey de Clinton, and documentary sources from circa 1125 record that the canons of Kenilworth Priory were permitted to catch fish in his 'pool' on Thursdays. In about 1210 King John substantially enlarged the lake by damming local streams and this provided the water supply for the moat and a pool to the north and east of the castle. The mere covered an area 800 metres long and 150 metres wide, providing fish, wildfowl and the power for two water mills. The massive dam which retained the water in the mere runs south eastwards from the southern side of the outer court. In the 12th century a wall ran along the east side of the dam, and when it was enlarged in the 13th century, a wall was added to the west side in order to fortify the whole of the dam.
During the late medieval period and the 16th century the mere became important as a decorative feature which enhanced the setting of the castle, with Arthurian themed entertainments. This was the setting for Henry V's 'Pleasance in the Marsh', or manor house, for his private entertainment. In the mid-16th century the northern end of the dam was further increased in order to make it suitable for tilting, a favourite aristocratic sporting pastime. The dam was breached in 1649 in order to drain the mere and prevent it being reflooded. Today the area is farmland. (7)
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