Bolton Castle
Well-preserved 14th-century fortress in Wensleydale where Mary, Queen of Scots was held, with medieval gardens, falconry and a tea room.
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Over het museum
Bolton Castle was built for Sir Richard le Scrope, Lord Chancellor to Richard II. The licence to fortify it was granted in 1379, and building went on until 1399. A contemporary writer noted its unusually high walls. The Scrope family held it for generations, and it was damaged by the king's commissioners in 1536 after the family backed the Pilgrimage of Grace.
Its most famous prisoner was Mary, Queen of Scots, who was held there for six months from 1568 in the care of Lord Scrope and Sir Francis Knollys. During the Civil War the castle was held for the king, and it only surrendered in 1645 when the garrison was starving. Parliament ordered it to be slighted two years later, which destroyed the east curtain wall and the garrison quarters, although the south-west tower and the west range with its private rooms stayed in use. The family left for nearby Bolton Hall in 1675, and the north-east tower collapsed in 1762.
The castle later passed through the Dukes of Bolton to the family of the Lords Bolton, and it is still run by the Bolton Estate. About a third of the rooms survive intact, with displays showing life for archers, cooks, monks and the Scropes. Today the castle also has medieval-style gardens, a vineyard and maze, and a falconry centre.
Hoogtepunten
- Castle where Mary, Queen of Scots was imprisoned in 1568
- Medieval fortress with surviving towers and great chamber
- Historic gardens, vineyard and maze
- Falconry displays and daily activities such as archery and boar feeding
- Views over Wensleydale and the Yorkshire Dales
Vaste collectie
- Castle rooms – About a third of the original rooms survive intact, with displays showing castle life for archers, cooks, monks and the Scrope family.
- Opgericht
- 1379
- Beheerder
- Bolton Estate
Toegangsprijzen & kortingen
| Volwassenen | £ 15 |
|---|---|
| Met korting | £ 12,50Ages 4 to 18 and over 67s |
| Kinderen & jongeren | £ 12,50gratis t/m 3 jaar · Ages 4 to 18; children under 4 enter free |
| Senioren | £ 12,50Over 67s |
| Mensen met een beperking | –begeleider gratis · Carers enter free; the person they care for pays the usual price |
| Groepen (vanaf 15 pers.) | £ 14 p.p.Adult price per person for groups of 15 or more paying in a single transaction; concessions £11.50 |
| Gezinnen | £ 602 adults and 3 concessions, at least one of whom must be a child |
| Gardens only, adult | £ 6Includes the boar park, falconry flying display and bee house |
| Gardens only, concession (ages 5 to 18 and over 67s) | £ 5 |
| Gardens only, family | £ 292 adults and 3 concessions |
Members of the Historic Houses Association enter free with their membership number. School groups pay £8 per pupil for castle entry only or £16 for a full activity day.
Toegankelijkheid
- Deels rolstoeltoegankelijk
- Lift: niet aanwezig
- Aangepast toilet: niet aanwezig
- Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats: geen informatie
- Hulphonden welkom
- Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten: geen informatie
- Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
- Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
- Audiodescriptie: geen informatie
The castle is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and is not easily accessible for visitors with reduced mobility because of spiral stairs and uneven surfaces. There are no accessible toilets in the car park or the castle. The tea room is reached by a flight of stairs. Access statements for the castle and the estate are published on the website. Only assistance dogs are allowed in the castle and the main gardens.
Kinderen & gezin
Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen
| Toegang kinderen | gratis t/m 3 jaar |
|---|---|
| Gezinsticket | £ 60 · 2 adults and 3 concessions, at least one of whom must be a child |
- Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
- Speurtocht, doeboekje of kinderaudiotour
- Doe- en voelstations
Daily activities include a bird of prey display, an archery demonstration and wild boar feeding, and an activity bag for children can be bought. Hands-on falconry experiences are available at extra cost. Children under 4 enter free.
Bereikbaarheid & parkeren
Met het openbaar vervoer
A bus service runs to Bolton Castle (Dales bus route 857).
Met de auto
Betaald parkeren
Paid parking opposite the castle entrance, in a field where dogs are welcome.
The castle is near Leyburn in Wensleydale, in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
Route plannenService & horeca
- Café
- Museumwinkel
The tea room serves homemade cakes, scones, sandwiches, quiches and light lunches, including vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, and is open to visitors without a castle ticket. A take-away service is available for the gardens. Afternoon tea can be booked in advance.
Evenementen & zaalverhuur
- Ruimtes te huur
- Privéfeesten
- Bruiloften / trouwceremonies
Civil weddings and partnerships can be held in the Great Chamber or the Chapel, with exclusive hire of the whole castle and gardens, or a reception only. The adjacent medieval St Oswald's Church holds up to 150 people.
Aanvragen & detailsJe bezoek plannen
| Rondleidingen | ja |
|---|---|
| Audiotour | ja |
| Aanbod voor scholen | ja |
| Goed om te weten | An audio guide can be downloaded as an app. Private guided tours for groups of 15 or more can focus on Mary, Queen of Scots, the Civil War or castle life, and garden tours are offered. School groups can book activity days with costumed role play, archery and dancing. Dogs are not allowed in the castle or the main gardens because of the falconry birds, but they are welcome in the car park field and at a table outside the tea room. |
