The county town of Warwick is steeped in military history. From the fortress of Warwick Castle to the almshouses of The Lord Leycester, through to the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, The Warwickshire Yeomanry and the adoption of the warship HMS Warwick, the town and the wider county has firmly established itself as a place that celebrates and commemorates its military heritage.
Working in partnership the town's museums, venues, volunteers and Town Council we have created a Military Heritage Trail that provides you with eight exciting and educating locations to visit in Warwick, charting the history of the Regiments that made their home here and honouring the men and women that gave their all for their country - giving you the chance to walk in the footsteps of those who came before.
Some Museums are free with optional donations, while others require a small fee for entry. All funds received go towards the important work of maintaining and future proofing the museums for generations to come, preserving the important military history of the town.
You can pick up your free copy of the trail from Warwick Visitor Information Centre, Jury Street, Warwick, CV34 4EW, or from one of the participating venues. Alternatively, you can download a copy of the trail from our website, or view it on Google Maps.
Watch the trailer
The Fusilier Museum Warwick
This museum tells the history of the County’s oldest regiment from its formation in 1674, through wars of empire in the 18th and 19th century and through the two world wars, to more recent operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The museum displays uniforms, medals and much more supported by audio-visuals and touch screen interactives. These present the stories of soldiers such as Hannah Snell who disguised herself as a man to join the regiment; Euan Lucie-Smith, the first commissioned officer of mixed race to join the British Army in World War 1; and Field Marshal Montgomery, a famous British commander of World War 2.
The museum is open daily Tuesday to Saturday. Opening times and the museum’s events programme can be found on their website.
The Lord Leycester
Statesman and military commander Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, acquired the buildings in 1571 and founded an almshouse for those “maimed or hurt in the wars in service of the Queen’s majesty”. More than 400 such people – known as the ‘Brethren’ or ‘Brothers’ - led by the Master, a military officer, have lived at the hospital over the 450 years since.
They have fought in numerous battles and wars, including the Battle of Waterloo, the Crimean War and both World Wars.
Following a multimillion-pound refurbishment, thanks to National Lottery players, this magnificent and historic heritage site has begun a sustainable new chapter, enabling it to continue caring for ex-servicemen and women, and sharing the stories of the Brethren past and present for the long term future.
To book tickets, please visit us online or come along to see us at 60 High Street, Warwick, CV34 4BH.
The Museum of The Queen’s Royal Hussars
Churchill's Own, Warwick
Located at the lower end of Priory Road, Warwick, the Museum of The Queen’s Royal Hussars – Churchill’s Own tells the story of the Army’s senior light cavalry Regiment through to modern times.
Take a journey through time and discover how the Regiment changed from Dragoons or Hussars and from horses to tanks. Through the incredible artefacts on display, explore how Hussars lived and fought and find out about Winston Churchill’s connection to the Regiment.
A handling collection, tours and interactive games make this a fun attraction for the whole family.
See our website for days and times when we’re open.
The Museum of The Queen's Royal Hussars
St. Mary's Church
Inside the Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick, is a Chapel dedicated to the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, now called the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. The Chapel honours the fallen from this famous infantry regiment who served in both World Wars and earlier conflicts.
A stained-glass window designed by Philip Chatwin was inspired by the idea of the souls and personalities of the fallen being conveyed to heaven by angels. The church also contains a marble and alabaster WW1 memorial to the fallen and memorial plaques to the Warwickshire Yeomanry and Warwickshire Royal Horse Artillery, as well as the White Ensign and battle honours of HMS Warwick.
For opening times and events, please visit the website.
The Warwick War Memorial
The war memorial in Church Street is an unusual Eleanor Cross spire featuring carved symbols of Warwickshire. On the nearby churchyard railings, casualty lists were posted during WW1. 364 men from Warwick who died in WW1, and one woman are commemorated. Janet Greatorex was a Nursing Sister who died of tuberculosis while treating sick soldiers.
At the end of World War II, the names of another 112 local men were posted on the memorial. The total of 477 names includes several who had been missed initially but were identified by researchers from Unlocking Warwick, the Town Council’s volunteer group, and added to the memorial on its centenary in 2021.
Warwickshire County Record Office
Warwickshire County Record Office preserves the archive of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, which features a wealth of information about the Regiment’s history and those who served. In addition, from World War I there are letters home from serving soldiers and case files from South Warwickshire Military Tribunals.
From World War II there are records of the Warwick Home Guard and Civil Defence Service.
The Record Office is open Wednesday to Friday, 9am to 4pm, and Saturday 9am to 12pm.
To book an appointment to view records, visit their website and follow the Eventbrite link.
Warwickshire County Record Office
The Warwickshire Yeomanry Museum
The Museum covers the history of the Regiment from 1794 to 1956. Time-lined displays include a Field Gun captured at ‘The Affair at Huj’ on 8th November 1917 in Palestine. The museum includes artefacts of the Warwickshire Gunners.
The museum is open weekends and Bank Holidays from Easter to October, 10am to 4pm and at other times throughout the year by appointment – please see the website.
Admission is free but donations are welcome.
The Warwickshire Yeomanry Museum
Commonwealth War Graves
The Warwick town cemetery contains 57 Commonwealth War Graves, 26 from World War 1 and 31 from World War II, including two German and one Italian. Many of these graves, which are regularly maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, lie in a specially designated plot.
For opening times, please visit the website.