For many people their first view of Bolsover Castle is from the M1, on top of a hill dominating the surrounding landscape. It was a display of wealth which was meant to be seen and to impress. Although it appears at first sight to be a medieval castle, it is in fact a C17th rich man’s extravagance, built for show rather than defence.
Entry through the grand gateway takes you into a grassy area with a massive old copper beech tree in the centre. To the left is the Riding School, with the Terrace Range overlooking the Doe Lea valley and the Vale of Scarsdale, with the Little Castle on a mound ahead.
The present castle was built on the ruins of an earlier motte and bailey castle, built by the Peveril family in the early C12th. A settlement grew up beyond the gate of the outer bailey. It was a splendid site on the edge of a cliff overlooking the Doe Lea valley. The Peveril’s didn’t hold the castle for long as it was forfeited and passed to the king in 1155. By the C14th, the castle was falling into a ruin and was rented out to tenants.
In the C16th the ruined castle was bought by George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, who later married Bess of Hardwick. Charles Cavendish, Bess’s youngest son from an earlier marriage, lived at Welbeck Abbey and acquired the ruined castle in 1608. He employed the architect Robert Smythson to help rebuild the Castle, beginning with the mock Norman ‘Little Castle’ on the site of the old keep.
It was the height of fashion at the time to build mock castles. The medieval walls around the inner bailey were restored to enclose the Fountain Garden.
Charles died in 1617 and was succeeded by his son William, who was a follower of fashion and was considered a playboy, courtier and poet. He finished building and furnishing the Little Castle and was responsible for the wall paintings. It was never lived in permanently, which may explain why there are no servants quarters
Once that was complete, William began building the Terrace Range which followed the line of the inner bailey.
William had ambitions at court and this building became the State Apartments with a Long Gallery and service rooms attached to it, ready for a visit by Charles I in 1634. This was a no expenses spared visit, including a lavish feast and a spectacular entertainment entitled “Love’s Welcome”. William was hoping for an appointment at court. He must have suitably impressed the king as he was appointed governor to his son Charles.
William supported the King during the Civil War but, after the disastrous Battle of Marston Moor, he went into exile on the Continent and Bolsover Castle was surrendered to Parliamentary Troops. Lead was stripped from the roof of the State Apartments.
While in Antwerp William became interested in horses and the ‘art of manege’, establishing a riding school to train horses to circle, leap and kneel in carefully choreographed displays. He returned to England on the Restoration of the Monarchy and his lands were returned to him. He restored and extended the Terrace Range and built a Riding School to house and train his horses. It is one of the finest surviving indoor riding schools in the country.
After William’s death in 1676, his son only used Bolsover Castle occasionally. The Long Gallery in the Terrace Range was used for stabling horses and was also a brewhouse. By the C18th it was in a poor state of repair. In the C19th, the castle was let out to the vicar of Bolsover but he was ‘miserably addicted to intemporate habits’ (alcohol) and was succeeded by his curate who carried out some repairs. The castle was left empty from the end of the C19th until it was given to the Ministry of Works which later became English Heritage. They stabilised and repaired the castle. Further work was carried out during 2013-4 when tapestries were hung in the Star Chamber, rooms on the top floor of the Little Castle opened up and the wall walk restored.
cont...
Entry through the grand gateway takes you into a grassy area with a massive old copper beech tree in the centre. To the left is the Riding School, with the Terrace Range overlooking the Doe Lea valley and the Vale of Scarsdale, with the Little Castle on a mound ahead.
The present castle was built on the ruins of an earlier motte and bailey castle, built by the Peveril family in the early C12th. A settlement grew up beyond the gate of the outer bailey. It was a splendid site on the edge of a cliff overlooking the Doe Lea valley. The Peveril’s didn’t hold the castle for long as it was forfeited and passed to the king in 1155. By the C14th, the castle was falling into a ruin and was rented out to tenants.
In the C16th the ruined castle was bought by George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, who later married Bess of Hardwick. Charles Cavendish, Bess’s youngest son from an earlier marriage, lived at Welbeck Abbey and acquired the ruined castle in 1608. He employed the architect Robert Smythson to help rebuild the Castle, beginning with the mock Norman ‘Little Castle’ on the site of the old keep.
It was the height of fashion at the time to build mock castles. The medieval walls around the inner bailey were restored to enclose the Fountain Garden.
Charles died in 1617 and was succeeded by his son William, who was a follower of fashion and was considered a playboy, courtier and poet. He finished building and furnishing the Little Castle and was responsible for the wall paintings. It was never lived in permanently, which may explain why there are no servants quarters
Once that was complete, William began building the Terrace Range which followed the line of the inner bailey.
William had ambitions at court and this building became the State Apartments with a Long Gallery and service rooms attached to it, ready for a visit by Charles I in 1634. This was a no expenses spared visit, including a lavish feast and a spectacular entertainment entitled “Love’s Welcome”. William was hoping for an appointment at court. He must have suitably impressed the king as he was appointed governor to his son Charles.
William supported the King during the Civil War but, after the disastrous Battle of Marston Moor, he went into exile on the Continent and Bolsover Castle was surrendered to Parliamentary Troops. Lead was stripped from the roof of the State Apartments.
While in Antwerp William became interested in horses and the ‘art of manege’, establishing a riding school to train horses to circle, leap and kneel in carefully choreographed displays. He returned to England on the Restoration of the Monarchy and his lands were returned to him. He restored and extended the Terrace Range and built a Riding School to house and train his horses. It is one of the finest surviving indoor riding schools in the country.
After William’s death in 1676, his son only used Bolsover Castle occasionally. The Long Gallery in the Terrace Range was used for stabling horses and was also a brewhouse. By the C18th it was in a poor state of repair. In the C19th, the castle was let out to the vicar of Bolsover but he was ‘miserably addicted to intemporate habits’ (alcohol) and was succeeded by his curate who carried out some repairs. The castle was left empty from the end of the C19th until it was given to the Ministry of Works which later became English Heritage. They stabilised and repaired the castle. Further work was carried out during 2013-4 when tapestries were hung in the Star Chamber, rooms on the top floor of the Little Castle opened up and the wall walk restored.
cont...
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