Bolsover Castle

England’s’ Fairytale Bolsover Castle

Bolsover Castle
Bolsover Castle

Bolsover Castle
Arriving at Bolsover Castle

Definitely one of my favourite outings in the East Midlands of England was my visit to Bolsover Castle in Derbyshire. Bolsover Castle is an unlikely mix of early Norman stronghold, Jacobean manor, country house, and romantic folly. The Norman castle was erected by the Peveril family shortly after the Conquest, but today little remains of that structure. The third Peveril was exiled in 1155 and Bolsover was siezed by the crown. We do know that there was a stone keep here around 1173, surrounded by a curtain wall. Parts of the curtain wall are incorporated in the “Wall Walk” in the castle gardens.

Bolsover Castle
Entering the ruins of the terrace range
Bolsover Castle
Feeling very short against the towering entrance

We started our Castles exploration in what was a vast and stately Terrace Range overlooking the Vale of Scarsdale. It is now a dramatic roofless shell but still very dramatic. I felt like a small kid exploring the ruins of what was once a stately building.

Bolsover Castle
What is left of the ballroom!
Bolsover Castle
Adel infront of the old stable door

In 1553 the castle was purchased from the crown by Sir George Talbot, later to become Earl of Shrewsbury. Talbot was later given the onorous post of gaoler to Mary, Queen of Scots, a duty which seriously dented his family finances. To ease the burden of debt, Bolsover was first leased, then sold, to Sir Charles Cavendish in 1612.

Bolsover Castle
Playing around in the ruins

The buildings we got to explore are largely the work of two men, Sir Charles and his son William, first Duke of Devonshire.

Bolsover Castle
I can just imagine how striking this place must have been
Bolsover Castle
Entering the Little Castle

In 1612 Sir Charles began what is now The Little Castle, a mock medieval keep. Cavendish built in a romantic style, consistent with his fanciful ideals of chivalry. He employed Robert Smythson to create from the Norman castle a mansion of turrets and towers in a grand mock-medieval style. Despite its imposing appearance, The Little Keep was designed with comfort, not defence. This castle provided luxurious living quarters, by the standards of the day, for Sir Charles and his retinue.

Bolsover Castle
This is the “Little Castle”, looks quite big to me!

As we entered the LIttle Castle building we were informed that there were 107 steps leading to the top of the castle on the main staircase. I did count the steps but came one short….needless to say I wasn’t going to climb them again just to make sure there are 107.

Bolsover Castle
Beutiful view out of the castle window

I loved walking through the beautiful rooms with their elaborate decorations. There is definitely a fairytale quality to BolsoverCastle, created by the sumptuously painted walls and ceilings of the Little Castle.

I loved the intricately carved fireplaces  and would have loved to see them all lit up on a cold winters night.  The richly-coloured murals and panelling of the castles’ miraculously preserved and beautifully restored interiors took me on an allegorical journey from earthly concerns to heavenly delights.

Bolsover Castle
The elaborately painted ceiling!
Bolsover Castle
The beautiful garden with its Venus fountain

We ended our visit with a walk through the small, walled garden with its Venus fountain in its centre. Here it felt as if I was walking in the footsteps of William Cavendish himself. 

Bolsover Castle
Leaving Bolsover Castle

14 comments

  1. What an amazing castle. To think I live in the UK and have never visited it. Shame on me. I remember it from some historical novel I read, though. Thank you for taking me on a tour of one of my national sites. The British often say that tourists know more about our historic places of interest than we do ourselves.

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  2. Brilliantly captured, Janaline. It’s many years since I was there and didn’t actually go inside the house. There was an event on and we were entertaining our small son with “the battle”. The interiors look beautiful 🙂

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  3. Such beautiful shots Janaline and it must have been quite an experience. Great architecture and it’s absolutely beautiful there. Thanks for the tour hon. 😀

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