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The oldest part of the Lord Leycester building, the chapel, dates back to 1123. Between 1385 and 1430, the medieval Guilds constructed the half-timbered buildings, creating a centre to govern the town, house travellers and give support to the poor. The building still functions as an almshouse to this day, housing ex-servicemen and women who are known as the Brethren.
The multi-million-pound restoration project enabled critical works to prevent the buildings from falling into disrepair. It helped the Lord Leycester to continue caring for ex-servicemen and women and sharing the stories of Brethren past and present.
One of the highlights of the restoration work was revealing a commemorative plaque recording a visit to the Great Hall by King James I of England when he visited Warwick in 1617. It had been hidden since the building was last restored in the mid-20th century.
Dr Heidi Meyer, Master of the Lord Leycester, said: "It has been a long road to get to this point. We could not have done it without local community support and our major funders including the Heritage Fund – we are deeply grateful to them."
The Lord Leycester won the Heritage Project category, West Midlands in the 2024 RICS Awards. The judges of this prestigious award noted the project's "sensitive and intricate improvement works" which enable visitors to explore more of the building and make the building's temperature more comfortable.
