Bolsover

The approach to Bolsover from the north and east is surrounded by some splendid dramatic scenery, and the town has a significant amount of historical importance, with the main tourist attraction being Bolsover Castle. A castle has stood here since the 12th century, though the present building is a fairytale ‘folly’ built for Sir Charles Cavendish during the early 1600s on the site of a ruined castle. By the mid-18th century much of the building had been reduced to the ruins seen today, though thankfully the splendid keep has withstood the test of time.

Pevsner remarked that not many large houses in England occupy such an impressive position as Bolsover Castle, as it stands on the brow of a hill overlooking the valley of the River Rother and Doe Lea. The first castle at Bolsover was built by William Peveril, illegitimate son of William the Conqueror, as part of his vast Derbyshire estates. Nothing remains of that Norman building. Now owned by English Heritage, visitors can explore the Little Castle, or Keep, which is decorated in an elaborate Jacobean celebration with wonderful fireplaces, panelling and wall paintings. The series of remarkable rooms includes the Vaulted Hall, the Pillar Room, the Star Chamber, the Elysium and the Heaven Room. Sir Charles’ son, William, was responsible for the eastern range of buildings known as the Riding School, an impressive indoor area built in the 17th century, and the roofless but still impressive western terrace. The ruins of the state apartments are also here to be discovered. The whole building later descended to the Dukes of Portland, and it remains a strangely impressive place. However it is threatened by its industrial surroundings. The legacy of centuries of coal mining beneath its walls is subsidence. Bolsover Castle regularly hosts historic and cultural events throughout the year and the site is ideal for family picnics.

One building in Derbyshire no longer in need of restoration is Bolsover’s Cundy House. It’s recently been restored using money from English Heritage and is open for visitors at any reasonable time of day. Hundreds of years ago, Cundy House was built to provide water for Bolsover Castle.

Naturally, the Parish Church of St Mary’s in Bolsover holds many monuments to the Cavendish family, but it seems amazing that the church has survived when its recent history is revealed. Dating from the 13th century, the church’s monuments include two magnificent tombs: one to Charles Cavendish, who died in 1617, and the second to Henry Cavendish, who died in 1727. Destroyed by fire in 1897, except for the Cavendish Chapel, St Mary’s was rebuilt, only to be damaged again by fire in 1960. It has since been restored. Buried in the churchyard are John Smythson and Huntingdon Smythson, the 17th-century architects probably responsible for the design of the rebuilt Bolsover Castle.