Bolsover Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bolsover Castle |
|
|---|---|
Bolsover Castle seen from below with the Little Castle protruding above the rest of the castle
|
|
| General information | |
| Town or city | Bolsover, Derbyshire |
| Country | England, United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 53°13′53″N 1°17′49″W / 53.23139°N 1.29694°W |
| Official name: Bolsover Castle | |
| Designated: | 9 October 1981 |
| Reference #: | 1012496 |
|
Listed Building – Grade I
|
|
| Designated: | 23 March 1989 |
| Reference #: | 1108976 |
Bolsover Castle is a cool old building in the town of Bolsover (grid reference SK471707), in Derbyshire, England. The castle you see today was built in the early 1600s. It stands on the remains of a much older castle from the 1100s! Sir Charles Cavendish started building the current castle between 1612 and 1617. Today, English Heritage looks after the site. It's a very important historic place, protected as a Grade I listed building and a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
Contents
What is the History of Bolsover Castle?
How Old is Bolsover Castle?
The very first castle at Bolsover was built by the Peverel family in the 1100s. It became property of the King in 1155. Later, the Ferrers family, who were powerful Earls, tried to claim the land.
Who Fought for Bolsover Castle?
In 1173, King Henry II's sons rebelled against him. During this time, Henry spent money to improve Bolsover and Peveril Castle. He also sent more knights to protect them.
When King John became king in 1199, the Ferrers family still wanted Bolsover. William de Ferrers paid King John a lot of money for the land. But the King kept control of Bolsover Castle itself.
In 1216, King John finally gave the castles to Ferrers to get his support during a big rebellion. However, the castle's keeper, Brian de Lisle, refused to hand it over. Even though both men supported King John, Ferrers was allowed to use force. Bolsover Castle was captured by Ferrers' forces in 1217 after a siege.
When Did the Crown Take Back the Castle?
The castle went back to the Crown in 1223. Money was spent to fix the damage from the siege. Over the next 20 years, more improvements were made. Four towers were added, the main tower was fixed, and new buildings like a kitchen were built.
After 1290, the castle was given to local farmers. Over time, it slowly started to fall apart because it wasn't properly maintained.
How Was the Castle Rebuilt?
In 1553, King Edward VI gave Bolsover Castle to Francis Talbot. His son, the 6th Earl of Shrewsbury, was famous for looking after Mary, Queen of Scots.
After Shrewsbury died in 1590, his son sold the castle ruins to Sir Charles Cavendish. Charles wanted to build a brand new castle on the old site. He worked with a famous designer named Robert Smythson. Their new castle was made for fancy living, not for fighting.
Building stopped when both men died in 1614 and 1617. Charles's sons, William and John, continued the work. They were inspired by Italian designs. The main tower, called the 'Little Castle', was finished around 1621.
What Happened During the English Civil War?
Building was stopped again by the Civil Wars (1642-1651). During this time, the castle was taken by the Parliamentarians. They damaged it, and it became a ruin.
William Cavendish, who became a Duke, later restored the castle. He added new rooms and made it beautiful again. By the time he died in 1676, the castle was in great shape. The family lived there for about twenty years.
Later, the castle passed to the Bentinck family. After 1883, no one lived there. In 1945, the 7th Duke of Portland gave the castle to the nation. The government fixed the buildings and opened parts of it to visitors.
Today, English Heritage cares for Bolsover Castle. It's a popular place for tourists to visit.
Is Bolsover Castle Haunted?
In 2007, a TV show called Most Haunted Live! visited the castle. In 2017, English Heritage staff even voted it the most haunted site they look after!
Bolsover Castle is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. This means it's a very important historic place that is protected. It's also a Grade I listed building, recognized as a very important structure around the world.
Gallery
-
The exterior of the long gallery
-
The Little Castle at Bolsover
-
Model of Bolsover Castle as it may have looked in the late 1600s
.jpg)
