Editing Warwick Castle (section)

===The fire of 1871===

The castle was extensively damaged by a fire that started in the early hours of Sunday, 3 December 1871,<ref>{{cite book|title=Mistress of Charlecote: The Memoirs of Mary Elizabeth Lucy 1803-1889, pp141-2. [Victor Gollancz 1983; cited Orion edition 2002]|last=Fairfax-Lucy|first=Alice}}.</ref> in Lady Warwick's apartments above the library,<ref>{{cite web |title=Burning of Warwick Castle |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/1334491 |access-date=8 November 2024 |website=National Library of Australia: The Brisbane Courier, Thursday February 29, 1872}}</ref> to the east of the Great Hall. Lord and Lady Warwick were away. The flames spread rapidly, the recently restored roof fell in and the Hall and private apartments were completely destroyed. A few of the most valuable books and pictures were all that could be saved.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/1334491 |website=National Library of Australia: The Brisbane Courier, Thursday February 29, 1872 |title=Burning of Warwick Castle |access-date=8 November 2024}}</ref>
Art treasures and valuables, including paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens and Van Dyke, were rescued from other rooms in the castle.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/1334491 |website=National Library of Australia: The Brisbane Courier, Thursday February 29, 1872 |title=Burning of Warwick Castle |access-date=8 November 2024}}</ref>

The alarm was raised at 2&nbsp;am. Two children, Eva and Sydney Greville, were snatched from their beds in a room above the dining hall by their nurse and carried to safety through smoke and flames, minutes before the main staircase collapsed.<ref>{{cite book|title=Mistress of Charlecote: The Memoirs of Mary Elizabeth Lucy 1803-1889, pp141-2. [Victor Gollancz 1983; cited Orion edition 2002]|last=Fairfax-Lucy|first=Alice}}.</ref> Fire brigades came from Warwick and Leamington, but efforts to fight the spread of the fire were hampered by an inadequate water supply and by the height to which it needed to be pumped. It appeared for a time that the entire castle might be lost.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/1334491 |website=National Library of Australia: The Brisbane Courier, Thursday February 29, 1872 |title=Burning of Warwick Castle |access-date=8 November 2024}} </ref>

Some weeks later, according to Lady Warwick,<ref>{{cite book|title=Mistress of Charlecote: The Memoirs of Mary Elizabeth Lucy 1803-1889, pp141-2. [Victor Gollancz 1983; cited Orion edition 2002]|last=Fairfax-Lucy|first=Alice}}.</ref> it was found that the fire had been started deliberately by their recently employed under-butler.<ref>{{cite book|title=Mistress of Charlecote: The Memoirs of Mary Elizabeth Lucy 1803-1889, pp141-2. [Victor Gollancz 1983; cited Orion edition 2002]|last=Fairfax-Lucy|first=Alice}}.</ref> On the Saturday, when the Warwicks were absent, he had asked the housekeeper's permission to bring a friend to show him the castle. Between them the two had stolen all items of value from the private apartments, and the under-butler had started a fire to conceal the robbery.<ref>{{cite book|title=Mistress of Charlecote: The Memoirs of Mary Elizabeth Lucy 1803-1889, pp141-2. [Victor Gollancz 1983; cited Orion edition 2002]|last=Fairfax-Lucy|first=Alice}}.</ref>

Although the Great Hall and private apartments were gutted, the overall structure was unharmed.{{sfn|Stephens|1969|pp=452–475}} 
Restoration and reparations carried out by Salvin during 1872–75 were subsidised by donations from the public, which raised a total of £9,651 (£{{Formatprice|{{Inflation|UK|9651|1875|r=-4}}}} as of {{CURRENTISOYEAR}}).{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}}{{sfn|Stephens|1969|pp=452–475}}