England 2023- Bolsover Castle

 

Looming over the M1* a stately building dominates the landscape, surveying the speeding cars and watching over the modern life that has gradually taken over the space around it. We’ve seen it on many of our trips to England, perched atop a hill created from medieval ruins and the decades of soil that settled upon it.  I’ve always been fascinated with Bolsover Castle because it seems untouchable from the road below. This trip felt like the right time to actually stop and visit the castle. With my brother-in-law living just 5 minutes from the castle we got to kill two birds with one stone! See the castle, visit with family and probably most importantly meet his dogs.

The original structure was a medieval fortress that changed hands a few times and was in and out of Crown control before being granted to a succession of local farmers, eventually falling into disrepair. The current incarnation of the castle was built and altered by the Cavendish family, descendants of our revolutionary Elizabethan Bess of Hardwick- builder of Hardwick Hall not 7 miles away. 

Half of the structures on the property are romantic ruins and the other half are intact, furnished and painted vibrant colors. We made our way to the Little Castle which was started by Bess of Hardwick’s son Charles Cavendish and finished by his sons William and John. The castle was continuously inhabited for around 200 years until 1883 when it sat unoccupied until 1945. Eventually it was gifted to the state and is now maintained by English Heritage.

Entrance to the Little Castle

Walking up the stairs to the Little Castle you’re greeted by the statue of an impish Hercules flashing his genitals at you while he holds up the balcony above him. I’m afraid our maturity flew out the window and we couldn’t help but giggle. Embarrassingly the children did not even crack a smile while those of us over 40 were smirking and trying so hard to keep a straight face. Our afternoon was filled with many giggles, which actually began in the stable area when costumes were donned and wooden horses ridden. 

While touring the rooms I learned to look up as soon as I walked in. The ceilings in so many of the rooms of the Little Castle are just superb. Whether Gothic pointed rib vaults or painted masterpieces, it is just as important to point your gaze upwards as it is to inspect the paintings on the walls or glance out the windows at the Vale of Scarsdale or garden below. 

The ceiling that I liked the best is in the Star Chamber. The robins egg blue hue is achieved using blue verditer pigment adorned with 254 gold leaf stars. It’s opulent without being gaudy. 

My absolutely favorite space inside the Little Castle is the lantern (a cupola like structure) on the top floor. This area is magical when the sun is shining- it streams through the windows making patterns on the walls and ground. The space feels bright and light. I found it incredibly peaceful. The built in benches were inviting me to sit and pull out a book.  I would happily have lived in the Little Castle- it is surprisingly a modest size inside- nothing intimidating. It definitely felt like the family home it was intended to be. 

We made our way outside and I made a beeline for the 17th century fountain that stood in the old medieval inner ward. This fountain was still in use in 2023 (the year we were visiting), however it was dry for us that day. The Venus Fountain at Bolsover Castle is one of the few surviving in situ fountains from the 1600’s in England. It felt really special to be able to view it. 

The gardens were replanted in 2014 with plants authentic to the period, inspired by the writing of a gardener in 1613. It was so wonderful to see flowers I had never seen before.

Crown Imperial, from the Lily family 

Crown imperial 

Snowbell, related to amaryllis

 Persian lily

Persian lily close up

We wound up our time at Bolsover Castle with a walk on the walls called the “High Walke”. This walkway was built on top of the medieval walls and fully restored in 2014. I never miss an opportunity to walk a medieval wall.

Viewing history and climbing multiple staircase works up an appetite so it was time for us to seek out a late lunch. We arrived at the restaurant and proceeded to have a parking experience that we still laugh about to this day. Parking spaces in the UK are slender and packed in, designed by the much smaller cars of old, but cars have only grown in size and the English have caught onto the SUV market so popular in the US. We had a modest sized car by US standards but in England this car felt like a boat. I had to get out of the car before we could even begin to park because there was no way I was going to be able to open the door and squeeze out. We were pinned between a stone wall with an abundant bush spilling over it and the equally large car next to us. Had our rental been our own car I would have cried at the sound of said bush scraping the side of the car, making a sound akin to nails on a chalkboard. That my friends is why we always get full insurance on our rental cars here. I want to be able to turn it back in,in whatever condition it manages to be in. It’s not uncommon to lose side mirrors in the UK and I will not have it on my head. 

Why yes, I went on google street view to get a photo of the parking lot and space. The red car is parked where we parked. 

Lunch was lovely and entertaining. My brother in law was relentlessly teased when his beer arrived in a very fancy, very feminine glass. His daughters had a field day with that one. We talked housing prices and grocery bills, compared cost of living and discussed the rise of the “new build” in England, particularly in the North where we were. In the US we would call these housing developments or track housing, planned communities where every house looks the same and is governed by an HOA (homeowners association). We were wary of these as they lack character but after staying in one that week we changed our minds. It was so nice to have the modern conveniences that we’re accustomed to in the states which you may not find in an old home or character property. 

This is a “park where you can” situation 

My brother in laws new build community

Seen on our drive through Bolsover. It was King Charles III’s coronation while we were there. Someone had knitted a little Charles and Camilla 

Charles and Camilla seen in the wild

My brother in law resides in a very nice new build on the outskirts of Bolsover. It is so new that when we sent him a housewarming plant the postal service didn’t recognize the address as existing. We settled in for the remainder of the early afternoon at his house, where I Iistened to the brothers trade memories and we poured over boxes of old family photos. This was my time to shine. Being such an avid genealogist I actually knew just about everyone in the photos and was able to provide info about their lives, to help fill in the gaps for the boys and they in return helped flesh out details for me. 

Daniel’s grandfather third from left, top row WWII

Daniel’s beautiful grandmother 

I’d like to end this day on perhaps what we’ve all been waiting for: the dogs. My brother in law has 2 chocolate labs, Ned and Jonas. It took us an embarrassingly long time to be able to tell them apart and it came down to the smallest detail: the texture of their hair. If I recall correctly Jonas has more wave and his coat is a bit coarser but honestly sitting here 2 years later I just might have this wrong. I’m hopeful we’ll get to see them again this year as we’ve lost our own dog a year ago and I miss cuddling a big solidly built dog. I’d say that was an ideal way for us to end our day.

Jonas

*M1 is a motorway, equivalent to a freeway or interstate highway in the US