BOLTON CASTLE

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DESCRIPTION

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Remains of a quadrangular castle, built by Richard le Scrope in 1378-1399. Mary, Queen of Scots was imprisoned here in 1568-9. Besieged and slighted during the Civil War in 1645. There are planning similarities with Bodiam Castle (TQ 72 NE 1) in that it can be broken down into eight major household units and some twelve lesser lodgings all integrated into one unified conception The walls have recently been consolidated by English Heritage.

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SE 0337 9183. Bolton Castle (NR) (in ruins) (AD 1378). (NAT) Well (NR). (1)

SE 0333 7982. Moat (NR). Bolton Castle (NR) (remains of) (NAT). (2)

Bolton Castle, a rectangular fortified house with square angle
towers, enclosing a courtyard, built by Richard le Scrope
1378-99. Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned here 1568-9 and the castle was besieged and `slighted' during the Civil War 1645 (3).

Faulkner stated that the castle was "built on a fresh site", inferring an earlier castle in the vicinity, although VCH gives no mention of this. The interior of the 14th century castle can be broken down into eight major household units and some twelve lesser lodgings all integrated into one unified conception. For planning similarities see Bodiam Castle (see TQ 72 NE/1) Plan (4).

Castle. Late C14. By John Lewyn, master-mason, for Richard le Scrope. Rubble with ashlar dressings. Four 3-storey ranges about a rectangular courtyard, with 4-storey corner towers, that to north-east demolished. Turrets in the centres of north and south ranges. Entrance was by a gatehouse in the east range, with a chamfered pointed arch set in a taller arch, the passage
barrel-vaulted.Grade I (5). (3-6)

As described, and in good condition. The west and part of the south wings are still in use and incorporate a museum. The well is extant and in good condition. At the south west corner are the only traces of the alleged moat (auth 1) but is most likely that this has been incorrectly interpreted and is merely a landscaping
feature. There are no other remains, and as the ground falls away steeply on the east and south sides a moat seems to be unlikely. (7)

SE 034 918. Bolton Castle. Scheduled No NY 14. (8)

A four-phase conservation project has been completed by English Heritage to address the serious threat to the castle indicated
by freshly-fallen stones both inside and outside the walls. The
walls have now been almost entirely repointed and all the wall
tops consolidated. Archaeological work included photogrammetry, rectified photography and the accurate recording of the restoration work on the outer walls. (9)

Listed by Cathcart King. (10)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 25" map, 1912

( 2) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" map, 1958

( 3) edited by William Page 1914 The Victoria history of the county of York, North Riding, volume one

The Victoria history of the counties of England 1914 Page(s)272-3

( 4) Royal Archaeological Institute The archaeological journal

(P A Faulkner) 120- 1963 Page(s)225-30,234

( 5) List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest

DOE (HHR), Leyburn Rural District, Yorkshire North Riding, July 1966, p 11

( 6) Scheduled Monument Notification

List Ancient Monuments, 1971, p 266

( 7) Field Investigators Comments

Field Investigator, AGM, 11-AUG-1977

(8) English Heritage 1995 County list of Scheduled Monuments : March 1994

1994 Page(s)24

(9) Trust for British Archaeology and Council for British Archaeology Rescue news : the newspaper of RESCUE, the British Archaeological Trust

66 - 1995 Page(s)8

(10) David J Cathcart King 1983 Castellarium anglicanum : an index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the Islands. Volume II : Norfolk-Yorkshire and the islands

2 - 1983 Page(s)513-4

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