OCR · GCSE · History
Course version: J410 · Version from Mar 2026
Form and Function c.1000–1750 (J410/12 and J410/13) - The location of…
Full specification wording
Castles: Form and Function c.1000–1750 (J410/12 and J410/13) - The location of Kenilworth Castle: The specific geographical location of Kenilworth Castle.
Kenilworth Castle stands in the English Midlands, in the county of Warwickshire, at the town of Kenilworth a short distance south-west of Coventry and south-east of Birmingham.
Checked against the OCR J410 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 2 of 4
- 3 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
Kenilworth Castle stands in the English Midlands, in the county of Warwickshire, at the town of Kenilworth a short distance south-west of Coventry and south-east of Birmingham. For the geography of a castle site, place it by county, region and nearest towns rather than by a vague direction such as 'in the north'. A reliable method is to fix the county first (Warwickshire), then the region (the West Midlands of England), then the nearest large settlements (Coventry to the north-east, Warwick to the south-west, Birmingham to the north-west). This locates the site within England and within the Midlands, which is the geographical answer the question tests. Keep the answer to the named county and region; do not confuse Kenilworth with castles in Wales, Scotland or the south of England.
What earns the marks
- Names Warwickshire as the county containing Kenilworth Castle.
- Places Kenilworth Castle in the English Midlands or West Midlands region.
- Identifies Kenilworth town as the settlement beside the castle.
- Locates the site in England rather than in Wales, Scotland or Ireland.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Places Kenilworth Castle in Wales.
Put it right by naming Warwickshire in the English Midlands.
Confuses Kenilworth with Warwick Castle and gives the wrong town.
Put it right by naming Kenilworth town itself.
Gives only a vague direction such as 'in the middle of England' without a county; correct this by adding Warwickshire.
Exam tips
- Read all options before choosing and eliminate any option naming a county outside the English Midlands.
- Anchor the answer to the county name Warwickshire, then check the region matches.
- Treat nearby towns such as Coventry and Warwick as clues to the county rather than as the answer itself.
Try the lesson
The start of the Castles: Form and Function c.1000–1750 (J410/12 and J410/13) - The location of Kenilworth Castle: The specific geographical location of Kenilworth Castle. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
In which English county is Kenilworth Castle located?
Listen
Kenilworth Castle stands in the English Midlands, in the county of Warwickshire, at the town of Kenilworth a short distance south-west of Coventry and south-east of Birmingham. For the geography of a castle site, place it by county, region and nearest towns rather than by a vague direction such as 'in the north'. A reliable method is to fix the county first (Warwickshire), then the region (the West Midlands of England), then the nearest large settlements (Coventry to the north-east, Warwick to the south-west, Birmingham to the north-west). This locates the site within England and within the Midlands, which is the geographical answer the question tests. Keep the answer to the named county and region; do not confuse Kenilworth with castles in Wales, Scotland or the south of England. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Names Warwickshire as the county containing Kenilworth Castle. Places Kenilworth Castle in the English Midlands or West Midlands region. Identifies Kenilworth town as the settlement beside the castle. Locates the site in England rather than in Wales, Scotland or Ireland. A common slip: Places Kenilworth Castle in Wales. Instead, naming Warwickshire in the English Midlands. Exam tip: Read all options before choosing and eliminate any option naming a county outside the English Midlands.
See it
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Geographical location of Kenilworth Castle
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
County and regional identity of the site
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Using place names to fix a site on a map
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
See every definition
- Geographical location of Kenilworth Castle
- Stands in the English Midlands, in the county of Warwickshire, at the town of Kenilworth a short distance south-west of Coventry and south-east of Birmingham.
- County and regional identity of the site
- Fix the county first (Warwickshire), then the region (the West Midlands of England), then the nearest large settlements.
- Using place names to fix a site on a map
- Place it by county, region and nearest towns rather than by a vague direction such as 'in the north'.
Label the diagram
Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.
1Box 1
2Box 2
3Box 3
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