Bolsover Castle: A Short History and Guide
A castle built for pleasure, parts of it have been sensitively restored
As you travel along the M1 motorway between Nottingham and Sheffield, near Chesterfield's exit, you can see Bolsover Castle standing guard on a high ridge of land a few miles to the east. If you can spare the time, a visit to the castle will be an enjoyable experience.
Although the castle owes its origins to a medieval foundation in the 11th century, what you can see today is almost entirely the work of members of the Cavendish family in the 17th century. The castle was built for pleasure, not defense, although it did suffer damage during the English Civil War. That said, the ruined nature of part of the castle is due to neglect and abandonment rather than enemy action.
The castle buildings follow the ground plan of the medieval original, with a 'keep,' an inner court, an inner bailey, and an outer bailey, but there is no sign of the original stonework. The buildings comprise three main elements, the Terrace Range and State Apartment, the Riding House and stable block, and the 'Little Castle' together with the attached wall-walk.
