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Downstream from the mill, a bridge takes you across the Avon and onto the island.
In the 1890s, the island used to be inhabited by, amongst others, some Japanese deer, a flock of Chinese geese, an emu, assorted racoons, an ant bear and a baby elephant.
They were part of a menagerie collected by the Countess of Warwick. The elephant got rather big, as elephants do, and had to be given to an animal trainer in Leamington
Spa. The emu, on the other hand, entered the pages of emu history by chasing a bishop through the castle grounds
The popular activity of pleasure boating saw much innovation at Warwick Castle when the Earl and Countess purchased an electric launch. Delivered to the castle by the Great Western Railway
company in 1898, the luxurious launch had comfortable fittings, such as carpets, blinds and awnings and was powered by a number of batteries which were re-charged in the millhouse.
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