Bolsover Castle

Over het museum

Bolsover Castle stands on a ridge above the Vale of Scarsdale on the site of a medieval castle built by the Peverel family after the Norman Conquest. By the late Middle Ages the castle was neglected. In 1612 Sir Charles Cavendish began to build the “Little Castle” on its ruins as a private retreat, designed to recall a Norman keep.

After Charles died in 1617, his son William Cavendish, later Duke of Newcastle, finished the interiors with the architect John Smythson. The rooms have richly carved fireplaces and coloured wall paintings, and they lead through the building from earthly to heavenly themes. William also added the long Terrace Range, now a roofless shell. In 1634 he spent a fortune entertaining Charles I and Queen Henrietta Maria, and the court masque Love’s Welcome, written by Ben Jonson, was performed in the Fountain Garden.

During the Civil War the castle was taken by Parliament and partly damaged. After returning from exile in 1660, William and his second wife Margaret Cavendish repaired it and built the large Riding House, one of the earliest to survive in England, where he trained horses in an early form of dressage. The castle is now cared for by English Heritage, and visitors can explore the Little Castle, the terrace and the gardens.

Hoogtepunten

• The Little Castle with its Star Chamber, Heaven Closet and wall paintings
• Roofless Terrace Range brought to life by a multimedia guide
• Riding House, one of the earliest to survive in England
• Fountain Garden with a statue of Venus and the circular wall walk
• Cavalier Horsemanship displays and family trails

Vaste collectie

• The Little Castle – A 17th-century “toy keep” with richly painted rooms, carved fireplaces and replica furnishings that visitors may touch.
• Riding House and interactive exhibition – The indoor Riding House and a hands-on exhibition that introduces the history of the site and William Cavendish’s horsemanship.

Beheerder

English Heritage

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

Prices depend on the date and are lowest when booked online until midnight the day before (off-peak adult £13.85, on weekdays; standard days £15.38; peak days £17.00). Tickets bought on the day cost more, with an adult gate price from £18.10. Prices shown exclude the optional Gift Aid donation. English Heritage members enter free.

Toegankelijkheid

• Deels rolstoeltoegankelijk
• Lift: geen informatie
• Aangepast toilet
• Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats
• Hulphonden welkom
• Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten: geen informatie
• Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
• Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
• Audiodescriptie: geen informatie

The Little Castle is not accessible to wheelchair users: there are 107 steps up to the top and 100 down to the bottom. The Terrace Range, the Venus Garden and parts of the Riding House and stables have level access with impacted gravel paths, and some parts have access subject to seasonal changes, so visitors should phone the castle in advance. Disabled parking is 50 metres from the entrance, and visitors with limited mobility can be dropped off outside the visitor centre without booking. Accessible toilets are in the visitor centre. Audio induction loops are in the visitor centre, audio installations have transcripts and films have subtitles. Some areas are dim in the cellar of the Little Castle, and the grounds have uneven grass, narrow steps and sheer drops. An access map can be downloaded from the English Heritage website. Assistance dogs are welcome across the site.

Kinderen & gezin

Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen

• Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
• Speurtocht, doeboekje of kinderaudiotour
• Doe- en voelstations
• Verschoonruimte
• Speeltuin / speelhoek

The family multimedia guide has games, and in the Little Castle there are no ropes or barriers, so the reproduction furniture can be touched and sat on. A wooden outdoor play area shaped like a mini castle is next to the café, and there is a dressing-up box in the Riding House. Pushchairs are welcome but there are steps around the Little Castle.

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

The castle is on Castle Street, off the A632, 6 miles east of Chesterfield; from the M1 leave at junction 29A and follow the brown signs. what3words: newspaper.ember.chapters. There are bike racks at the site.

Service & horeca

• Café
• Museumwinkel

A large café at the entrance has views of the Riding House, with child-sized portions and high chairs. There is a gift shop, a second-hand bookshop in the viewing gallery of the Riding House, a grassed picnic area with benches and toilets in the visitor centre and next to the Riding House. Dogs on leads are welcome in the grounds only.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

Het museum heeft hierover geen informatie gepubliceerd.

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