Bolton Castle

Description

Bolton Castle provides a huge range of exciting things to do in Wensleydale, Yorkshire. From family days out to educational trips and historic tours you will find a raft of sights, sounds and smells which bring the castle to life and make for a truly memorable trip.

Now one of the country’s best preserved medieval castles, Bolton was originally built, by Sir Richard Le Scrope, to rival the finest and most luxurious homes in the land. Completed in 1399, its scars bear testament to over 600 years of fascinating history including involvement in the Pilgrimage of Grace, Mary Queen of Scot’s imprisonment and a Civil War siege.

Bolton Castle was a grand family home as well as a defensive fortress and, despite being partially ‘slighted’ by Cromwell’s’ men during the Civil War siege, is still preserved in outstanding condition with many interesting rooms and features to discover including the Old Kitchens, Dungeon, Solar, Nursery, Armory, Great Chamber and Mary Queen of Scots’ bedroom. About one third of the rooms are fully intact and the rest of the Castle is almost completely accessible giving visitors great insight into its turbulent past.

We give our visitors a taste of what life was really like during the Castle’s heyday through providing the sights, sounds, smells and experiences of life in the past with our wonderful falconry displays, archery demonstrations, wild boar, bees, rare breed sheep and hands on crafts and games.

Visitors often comment on the incredible atmosphere of the Castle with many of the rooms giving the feeling that their inhabitants had just walked out.
Other highlights include;

• Children’s costumes, trails, Activity Books and Activity Packs available Medieval Nursery with games and toys

• Beautiful gardens and maze

• Tea room serving locally sourced and homemade cakes, snacks and light lunches.

• Group tours, packages and special booking rate available (groups over 15 persons)

The castle is still in the private ownership of Lord Bolton, the direct descendant of the castle’s original owner Sir Richard le Scrope.

Visit our new garden with displays of flowering plants traditionally associated with Our Lady such as her slippers, thimble, teardrops and her nightcap.