‘Guy de Beauchamp’ says it’s time for the massive trebuchet to leave Warwick Castle (Picture: Warwick Castle/Triangle News)
Planning a surprise attack on a fortress and have a spare £100,000? Well, this could be for you.
For almost two decades, this 22-tonne monster catapult – believed to be the world’s largest – has been wowing crowds at Warwick Castle.
But its time sitting on the lush green lawns has sadly come to an end because its owner thinks it’s a bit of an eyesore.
‘Guy de Beauchamp’, an actor who plays the 10th Earl of Warwick for tourists, said: ‘Frankly the old trebuchet parked outside is bringing down the overall look of the place.
‘It worked like a dream up in Scotland though, and it’s still got plenty of life left in it so it makes sense to sell it on.
‘It would make a nice starter trebuchet for a less important nobleman who wants to defend his smaller castle than mine.’
The real Guy de Beauchamp lived between 1313 to 1369, and the castle’s current owner is property investor Nick Leslau.
The trebuchet’s time at Warwick Castle is coming to an end (Picture: Warwick Castle/Triangle News)
A big for sale sign sits right in front of the trebuchet (Picture: Warwick Castle/Triangle News)
The huge wooden device can fling flaming cannonballs 150ft into the air and was suspected of causing a fire which destroyed a historic boathouse in the castle grounds in April 2015.
At the time, more than 300 visitors watched in horror as a fireball was flung into the air moments before the medieval thatched boathouse went up in flames.
The trebuchet is called Ursa – which is latin for bear, Warwickshire’s emblem.
It was built in 2005 and made from 300 pieces of oak, using designs from the 13th century.
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The 18-metre tall weapon is not for the faint-hearted and requires eight men to load cannonballs weighing up to 150kg.
In August 2006, the massive weapon claimed the record as the most powerful catapult in the world when it lobbed a 13kg projectile a staggering 249 metres at 160mph.
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The trebuchet is called Ursa – which is latin for bear after Warwickshire’s county emblem.
