Bolton Castle - History

History

It was built between 1378 and 1399 by Richard le Scrope, 1st Baron Scrope of Bolton and Chancellor of England, and is an example of a quadrangular castle. Construction was reputed to cost 18,000 Marks. The licence to build it was granted in July 1379 and a contract with the mason Johan Lewyn was made in September 1378. Leland described 'An Astronomical Clock' in the courtyard and how smoke was conveyed from the hearth in the hall through tunnels. Bolton Castle was described by Sir Francis Knollys as having 'The highest walls of any house he had seen'.

The first recorded major event took place in 1536 during the lordship of Sir John Scrope, 8th Baron Scrope of Bolton, who not only supported the Pilgrimage of Grace rebellion against the reforms of King Henry VIII but gave Adam Sedbar, Abbot of Jervaulx, sanctuary in the castle. In consequence John Scrope had to flee to Skipton pursued by the King's men but Sedbar was caught and executed. In retribution the king ordered the castle to be torched, causing extensive damage but within a few years the damage had been repaired and Sir John had regained his seat in Parliament.

The most famous event to have taken place in the castle's history was the stay by Mary, Queen of Scots. After her defeat in Scotland at the Battle of Langside in 1568 she abdicated and fled to England, posing a threat to the position of the Protestant Queen Elizabeth I. Although Mary was initially held in Carlisle under the watch of Henry Scrope, 9th Baron Scrope of Bolton, Carlisle proved unsuitable and in July 1568 Mary was moved to Bolton Castle. Mary was given Henry Scrope's own apartments in the South-West tower. Of her retinue of 51 knights, servants and ladies-in-waiting only 30 of her men and six ladies-in-waiting were able to stay in the castle, the rest taking lodgings nearby. Her retinue included cooks, grooms, hairdresser, embroiderer, apothecary, physician and surgeon. Bolton Castle was not initially suitable for housing a Queen, and tapestries, rugs and furniture were borrowed from local houses and nearby Barnard Castle in County Durham. Queen Elizabeth herself loaned some pewter vessels as well as a copper kettle. Mary was allowed to wander the surrounding lands and often went hunting. Her prime occupation while at the castle was having her hair done. But Sir Francis Knollys, whom Mary nicknamed 'Schoolmaster', taught her English, as she only spoke French and Latin. She even met with local Catholics, something for which Knollys and Scrope were severely reprimanded. In January 1569 Mary left Bolton Castle for the last time, being taken to Tutbury in Staffordshire where she spent 18 years before her execution in 1587.

After the death in 1630 of Emmanuel Scrope, 1st Earl of Sunderland (1627), without any legitimate children, Bolton Castle was inherited by Mary the eldest of his three illegitimate daughters. She married Charles Powlett, 6th Marquess of Winchester and 1st Duke of Bolton.

The castle is currently owned by their descendant, Harry, the eighth Lord Bolton, who resides at nearby Bolton Hall, which was originally built in 1675. Bolton Castle is run by his son and daughter-in-law, Tom and Katie Orde-Powlett.

Several movies and television productions have used the site as a location including Ivanhoe, Elizabeth, Heartbeat, and All Creatures Great and Small.

There is a garden including a maze, herb garden, wild flower meadow, rose garden and a vineyard on the site in addition to the castle.