Bolton Was Always a Castle

Bolton Castle has always been a castle, unlike Castle Howard in the previous post.

Bolton Castle in Wensleydale, North Yorkshire, England

Bolton Castle is a 14th-century castle located in Wensleydale, Yorkshire, England and the nearby village of Castle Bolton takes its name from the castle. Bolton is a Grade I listed building and a Scheduled Ancient Monument which signifies structures of exceptional architectural or historic interest that receive the highest level of statutory protection in the UK.

Bolton is considered to be one of England's best preserved medieval castles. Despite being damaged in the English Civil War (1642-1651), much of it survived. It's never been sold and remains in the ownership of Scrope family descendants.

Bolton Castle was built between 1378 and 1399 by Sir Richard le Scrope, 1st Baron of Bolton. The Scropes were one of the oldest established Norman families in Britain and by the 14th century they were very powerful and extremely wealthy. A license to build the castle was granted in July 1379. The cost of construction is believed to have been about $25,000 in current U.S. dollars. 

In 1536, John, 8th Baron Scrope supported the Pilgrimage of Grace rebellion against the religious reforms of King Henry VIII. Scrope fled to Skipton pursued by the King's men. In retribution, the king ordered Bolton Castle to be torched, causing extensive damage. Within a few years, some of the damage had been repaired and Sir John regained his seat in Parliament.

Restored bed chamber of Lord Scrope

After the 1630 death of Emanuel Scrope, 1st Earl of Sunderland, without any legitimate children, Bolton Castle was inherited by Mary, the eldest of his three illegitimate daughters. 

Bolton is a prime example of a quadrangular castle and features four rectangular corner towers. While typical of the period, its rectangular towers don't extend far beyond the curtain walls. (A curtain wall is the main defensive perimeter wall of a medieval castle that encloses the inner courtyard, running continuously between projecting towers.) The physical footprint of Bolton Castle measures about 187 feet by 131 feet.

The castle was built with defense in mind. It has opening that enabled objects to be dropped onto attackers below. Private apartments were on the upper floors. 

As interesting as the castle’s history is to explore, its interior is not easily accessible for those with mobility issues due to its spiral stairways and uneven surfaces.

Internal access doors were protected by a heavy, vertical-sliding grating or gate made of wood, iron, or a combination to block the entrance of the castle. 

Members of our tour group in Mary Queen of Scots bedroom

Bolton Castle was considered an appropriate location for Mary, Queen of Scots to be imprisoned after her defeat at the Battle of Langside in 1568. It is believed that Mary, along with her retinue of 51 knights, servants and ladies-in-waiting stayed in apartments in the south-west tower. According to available information, Mary was allowed to wander the grounds, and she often went hunting and also learned to speak English while confined to the castle grounds. It seems like she didn’t have too difficult a confinement at Bolton.

Restored great hall. Bolton Castle

While a great deal of the castle remains in ruins, several rooms have been restored as period pieces with interesting features. These rooms include old kitchens, dungeon, nursery, armory and great chamber. Of course, these restorations have helped make the castle more attractive as a tourist destination.

Bolton Castle hedge maze

The property has extensive grounds with a maze, herb garden, wild flower meadow, rose garden and a vineyard. The surrounding Bolton Estate historically spanned thousands of acres. Past estate records noted upwards of 12,000 to 15,000 acres of moorland, woodland and agricultural lands.

Thomas Peter Algar Orde-Powlett and wife, Kate, owners of Bolton Castle

The castle is currently owned by Thomas Peter Algar Orde-Powlett, 9th Baron of Bolton, who inherited after the June 2023 death of his father, Harry Orde-Powlett. Unlike Castle Howard in the previous post it's not lived in by family members at the current time; however, they do live on the estate in other housing.

And, like Castle Howard, Bolton Castle has been used as a filming location for various movies and TV shows, including Ivanhoe, Elizabeth, Anne Boleyn, Heartbeat and All Creatures Great and Small.

Like so many these ancient structures, Bolton Castle is foremost a tourist attraction and is also occasionally rented out for events like weddings. It's open from April to October. However, annual visitor numbers for Bolton Castle are not publicly published by the estate or national databases. It’s a privately owned and commercial heritage site.