Was in the area filming Hardwick Hall so nipped over to get some footage of the castle.
Bolsover Castle
In 1068 William the Conqueror granted custody of the large manor of Bolsover to one of his knights, William Peveril. Nearly a Century Later in 1155 Williams son picked the wrong side against Henry II thus forfeiting his estates to the crown. During the First Barons’ War in 1216 a group of barons fought against King John after he refused to accept the terms of Magna Carta and Bolsover Castle was besieged as a result.
In 1322 the Castle was Temporarily abandoned when the garrison was stood down and the buildings gradually fell into decay. In 1600 the Cavendish Family took over the castle when Bess of Hardwick’s son, Charles Cavendish, procured it to use as his main residence. It was during this period when Charles commissioned Robert and John Smythson to build the Little Castle.
In 1618 Charles’s son William inherited the castle and completed its renovation of the ‘old house’ with state apartments, a gallery and a hall.
During the Civil war William is appointed commander-in-chief of the northern Royalist counties but after losing the Battle of Marston Moor he goes to Paris as an exile and Parliament orders the slighting of Bolsover to prevent Further Royalist use. Years later he was to return and buy back his estates, granting Bolsover to his sons who subsequently carry out repairs. In the 1770s Bolsover passes through marriage to the Dukes of Portland and the Terrace Grange was unroofed excellerating its ruin.
John Hamilton Gray becomes vicar of the parish in 1833 and he and his family carry out alterations and repairs to the Little Castle, where they lived as guardians. During the early 20th Century Massive cracks form from slipping limestone bedrock that threatened the castle’s stability and a nearby Coalite plant damages the stonework with acidic pollution.
After the Second World War the Ministry of Works took over the site, stabilising the structures and gradually opening it to the public. The Grade I listed building and Scheduled Ancient Monument is now in the care of the English Heritage charity.
The flight was not in a FRZ and the local council does not have a bylaw to prevent TOAL. It was closed, when we visited hence no low level shots or inside photos and video of the castle but I will revisit soon to finish the video off!