Bolsover Castle

In Brief.

Bolsover Castle is more a country house, or perhaps pleasure dome, than a fortress. Mostly built for, and reflecting the social interests of, a single 17th century aristocrat, the historical narrative largely relates to the lifetime of that individual. Reflecting this, there is a well preserved country house with quirky artistic interiors, a renovated riding house, and a ruined wing once used for larger scale entertaining, including of royalty.  The grounds are compact, but include a pleasant walled garden.

The Little Castle and walled garden.

What's Here?

The castle occupies a compact site adjacent to Bolsover town centre. Run by English Heritage, there is a reception building selling tickets, with a cafe and a shop.  The reception building gives access to a lawn, including some picnic tables and a castle themed play area, beyond which is the castle itself, which consists of three sections.
The Little Castle, pictured above, is the original building, built during the final years of the life of Charles Cavendish, who died in 1617. The interior is in excellent condition, and although built within a short period is refreshingly diverse: a hall contains a vaulted ceiling; several rooms have ornate wooden panels alongside wall and ceiling paintings; there is a light and airy central lantern space; and there are grand stone fireplaces in several rooms (normally I would pass fireplaces without a glance, but these are not just your average fire surrounds).  The Little Castle also gives access to the walls round the garden, which is a calm space with a wacky fountain.
Low-decorum fountain.

The other two groups of buildings reflect the interests of William Cavendish, who inherited the castle as the Little Castle in 1617; his interests included social climbing and horses. The Riding House Range includes a riding house used for Manege, a precursor to dressage, of which William Cavendish was a devotee, and an area with banners that outline the life and times of the owner and his family.  The Terrace Range is now a shell, containing state apartments and dining rooms, once used to entertain Charles I. Beyond the Terrace Range is the terrace, which was the main entrance for guests, with a panoramic countryside view.
The Terrace Range and the Terrace

Practicalities.

  • Distance from Manchester Town Hall: 61 miles
  • Drive Time: 90 minutes.
  • Price: $$
  • Parking: Free parking beside the castle and in the town.
  • Food and Drink: A cafe with views of the castle serves cakes, sandwiches and a few hot dishes. In my visit, it was full of retirees having lunch by 12:15.
  • Retail therapy: There is a small shop, including toys and assorted local foodstuffs.
  • Child Friendly: There is a nice play area, and places to run around and explore. 
  • Toilets: Yes.
  • Do it justice in: 90 minutes.
  • Inside-Outside: 60:40

References.

Paul Dury, Bolsover Castle, English Heritage Guidebooks. This is colourful and informative, though quite detailed for using on the day, and is available from the shop.

Location: Castle St, Bolsover, Chesterfield S44 6PR, UK

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