Kenilworth Abbey AR Project Progresses
Kenilworth Town Council’s heritage initiative, known as the ‘Kenilworth Revealed’ project, is advancing steadily, bringing history to life through cutting-edge augmented reality (AR) technology. Designed to immerse visitors in the historical landscape of the 16th-century Augustinian Abbey, the project is on track for its projected October 2025 completion.
The initiative aims to enable visitors at Abbey Fields to use mobile phones or tablets to digitally experience the grandeur of the long-lost St Mary’s Abbey. Through augmented reality, users will be able to view detailed, three-dimensional reconstructions of the site, explore interactive scenes depicting daily life, and engage with historically inspired narratives drawn from the Tudor period.
As the development continues, filming for the AR content is already underway. The footage features a variety of local participants, including Member of Parliament Sir Jeremy Wright, town councillors, children from local schools, and the town clerk. These contributors are taking part in dramatizations designed to enhance the historical storytelling of the virtual reconstruction.
Future phases of the project will focus on further developing the computer-generated model of the abbey, alongside the creation of scenes portraying the historic marketplace that once operated on Kenilworth’s High Street. These reconstructions aim to provide a holistic view of the abbey and its surrounding community as it existed over 500 years ago.
The original St Mary’s Abbey stood in Abbey Fields for over four centuries before its dissolution and destruction in 1538 by order of King Henry VIII during the Reformation. Today, only remnants of the gatehouse and guest hall remain visible. The new digital initiative seeks to restore the abbey to its former visual splendour through the lens of modern technology.
This work is made possible through a substantial grant of £98,500 from the HS2 Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF). The funding supports the Abbey Fields Augmented Reality (AFAR) project, which will blend the existing environment with computer-generated 3D imagery. The result will be a compelling and educational experience for visitors, enabling them to witness the abbey as it stood in the year 1500.
When the project is fully operational, visitors standing within Abbey Fields will be able to hold up their devices and see not only the reconstructed abbey but also animated scenes of monks and townspeople engaging in typical daily activities, both within the abbey walls and in the broader Kenilworth community.
The AR experience is being developed through a partnership involving several local and national organisations. These include Kenilworth Town Council, Warwick District Council, English Heritage, Kenilworth Historic and Archaeological Society, Friends of Abbey Fields, the Kenilworth Abbey Advisory Group, and the Harry Sunley Memorial Project.
By merging historical research with modern technology, the ‘Kenilworth Revealed’ initiative represents an ambitious attempt to reintroduce the town’s rich monastic past to residents and tourists alike. The council and its partners believe the project will serve not only as a powerful educational tool but also as a unique attraction that highlights Kenilworth’s historical significance within the wider national narrative.
