CASTLE BOLTON

North Riding of Yorkshire

One of Yorkshire's most beautifully situated and best preserved Castles; Castle Bolton sits in the heart of Wensleydale.

The Castle was built by Richard, Lord Scrope during the reign of Richard II - a licence to crenellate was granted in 1379 but the Castle was almost certainly nearly complete by that point. The Castle has a uniformity of design owing to its architect and builder being the same man, John Lewyn.  The Castle is of quadrangular plan, with a relatively small courtyard and particularly tall walls and towers; it is perhaps the best of all England's non-moated courtyard Castles.

Mary Queen of Scots stayed here in 1568.

The Castle remained the property of the Scropes for many centuries.  During the Civil War the Castle was held for the King by the teenage John Scrope.  After a year long siege the Castle finally surrendered in November 1645 and was subsequently slighted.  The west range and south-west tower remaining inhabited for a few centuries afterwards.

Today the Castle is open to the public during the summer months and well worth a visit.

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2001