Warwick Castle brings together the best of ancient and modern, marrying the history of one of England’s most famous landmarks with the best of up-to-date entertainment.

Originally built by William the Conqueror in 1068, Warwick was developed in medieval times and became the home of the Greville family until it was taken over by the Tussauds Group in 1978.

More famous for its ownership of the London waxworks museum which bears the name, Tussauds has used the former military stronghold in the county town of Warwickshire and brought in the popular Horrible Histories franchise to appeal to children.

A walk around the castle, taking in the centuries of history is a must.

Walking through the rooms, the priceless artwork and extensive collections of arms and armour help transport you back to the days when the Wars of the Roses were played out.

Whether you choose to favour Lancashire’s red rose or Yorkshire’s white, Warwick Castle had an important role to play.

Every visitor gets a chance to play their own little part in that war for England, the spectators being split into two sides for the jousting tournament that is put on for their entertainment.

When the jousts come to an end and the combatants take to hand-to-hand fighting, it is up to the audience to decide who is the losing participant.

Splitting the spectators into two gives you the feeling that you are really a part of what is going on, bringing to life the feeling of what it was like to be in the joust – horses charging, knights screaming, sinews straining, muscles flexing and the sound of sword clanging on shield.

Visitors can pick sides in a jousting contest

When the jousting is over, you get the chance to talk to the knights and even get up close to the powerful horses.

Continuing the medieval theme, falconers put on a display that sees birds of prey swooping low over the audience from high on the castle walls.

Move inside and the learning process continues in the Horrible Histories’ Victorian schoolroom.

Run by a brother and sister, the school encourages audience participation. But woe betide anyone who gets their spellings wrong, as one of our party was unlucky enough to find out after being made to wear the dunce’s hat.

A visit to the dungeons underlines the stark reality of those who were on the wrong side of the law in the castle’s heyday.

For lesser indiscretions there are the stocks, which visitors are invited to try out for the ideal photo opportunity.

A last walk around the ramparts gives a fantastic view of the city and its surrounding countryside. It’s easy to imagine fending off invaders with arrows, boiling oil, boulders and anything else which comes to hand.

And to round off the visit, a quick tour of the souvenir shop provided a Warwick Castle fridge magnet – a permanent reminder of a fantastic day out.