Fodor's Expert Review Lord Leycester Hospital

The 14th-century half-timber Lord Leycester Hospital at Warwick's Norman gate is a genuine hidden gem. The Lord Leycester has effectively been a retirement home for soldiers since Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leicester, dedicated it to that purpose in 1571. Within the complex, there is a 12th-century chapel, an impressive beamed hall, and a fine courtyard with a wattle-and-daub balcony and 500-year-old gardens. It's currently undergoing a major renovation, and you should expect improved visitor experiences when it reopens as the project has attracted major investment. Hopefully tours with one of the guides dressed in Elizabethan robes will still be available, along with the chance to enjoy a cream tea in the very friendly Brethren’s Kitchen, where food has been served for centuries.