The Market Hall exhibition features personal tales of the Greville family and their servants, beginning over 400 years ago, when Sir Fulke Greville boldly asked King James I for Warwick Castle and he agreed. The display at St Mary’s enables even more of these tales to be explored.  

As St Mary’s Church is the location of Greville family tombs and memorials, the complementary exhibition includes stories of unwanted funeral pomp and pageantry and beloved servants remembered, as well as a forgotten visit to Warwick by a famous artist who painted the castle.    

These stories have all come from the Greville family archive. Warwickshire County Record Office raised funds to buy the nationally significant archive in 1978 and a special project to catalogue it and make it accessible to the public began in 2021. Warwick Castle Unboxed reveals some of what has been uncovered.    

The St Mary’s display will include a chance to see some original documents from the Greville family collection, held at Warwickshire County Record Office.  

Councillor Darren Cheshire, Warwickshire County Council Portfolio Holder for Environment, Heritage and Culture said: “Warwick Castle is one of the county’s most recognisable landmarks, but it’s the personal stories behind it that truly bring its history to life. This exhibition helps us see beyond the walls to understand the lives of those who lived and worked there. By linking the displays at Market Hall Museum and St Mary’s Church, we can provide visitors with a richer, more connected experience of Warwickshire’s heritage.” 

Rob Eyre, Senior Archivist said: “The response to the exhibition in Market Hall Museum has been fantastic but there have been so many stories emerging from the archive it has been impossible to include them all. We are delighted therefore to have the opportunity to display additional material in St Mary’s.” 

Kate Rist, Communications and Events Manager for The Collegiate Church of St Mary said: “We at St Mary’s Church are very excited to be a small part of the new exhibition at Market Hall Museum, bringing the remarkable story of the Greville family back into public view. 

“A significant feature of the programme is the inclusion of the tomb of Fulke Greville inside St Mary's Church. The ornate monument remains one of Warwick’s most important historical landmarks and offers visitors a direct connection to the man whose ambitions secured the castle for his family line. 

“The collaboration aims to present a fuller picture of Warwickshire’s heritage by connecting artefacts, archives and historic sites across the town.” 

Warwick Castle Unboxed complementary exhibition opens at the Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick, on Thursday 28th May and will run until the autumn.  

For church opening times please see: www.stmaryswarwick.org.uk  

Warwick Castle Unboxed: New stories from an old castle exhibition is currently showing at Market Hall Museum. Opening hours Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm. Free entry