Bolsover Castle

Bolsover Castle is a country house built in the seventeenth century on the site of a medieval fortress. The keep was constructed between 1612 and 1621 for Sir Charles Cavendish in a deliberately medievalizing style. The architects were probably Robert and John Smythson. Additional ranges were added around 1627 to 1642, with John Smythson likely responsible for work during the first period and Huntingdon Smythson for work between around 1635 and 1642. The building has undergone later alterations. The structure is built from coursed squared limestone and ashlar, sourced from quarries at Bolsover, Bolsover Moor and Shuttlewood, with tiled roofs and roofs concealed behind parapets.

The complex comprises a square keep with an enclosed forecourt at its north west end, a Fountain Garden enclosed by massive walls, an angled Terrace Range to the south west, a return Riding School Range, and a return wall enclosing the Inner Court.

The keep is square in plan and rises three storeys above a semi-basement. It has square projecting angle turrets and a larger square stair tower in the north east corner. A moulded plinth, moulded bands at the base of each storey, and a battlemented parapet run around the exterior. The turrets are capped with pyramids. The south elevation displays five symmetrical bays. A full-height square projecting porch bay dominates the centre. A long straight flight of stone steps leads to a keyed round-arched entrance on the piano nobile, with a latticework balustrade. Above the entrance is a window with a pediment resting on banded half-columns, and a corbelled-out balcony projects beneath a mullioned cross window above that. The central bay is flanked on each side by two 2-light mullioned windows to the basement; above these are two 2-light mullioned windows with two transoms, and above again are two stone cross windows. The side elevations, comprising four and five bays, display similar fenestration, predominantly with cross-windows. The stair tower rises higher than the main structure and contains single-light windows with recessed and chamfered surrounds, positioned at alternate heights to correspond with the internal staircase.

A forecourt to the south is enclosed by walls and four square towers, two of which flank the entrance. These towers are battlemented with prominent pinnacles and rectangular windows featuring raised surrounds. A central entrance between blind piers is approached by a double flight of stairs across the front, each with a half-landing.

The interior of the keep has principal rooms on the piano nobile that are rib-vaulted with classical columns serving as piers. The vault bosses display scrolled ornamentation. The fireplaces feature highly unusual projecting canopy heads decorated with bold Jacobean panelling. The overall character of the interior decoration is medievalizing. The basement contains kitchen and service rooms. On the ground floor are the main hall and the Pillar Parlour. The hall is reached from a vestibule and contains two pillars; the Pillar Parlour is accessed from the other side of the vestibule, with a service stair between them. The hall has a fireplace with a medievalizing ogee arch based on designs from Serlio's Book VII. The panelling features lunettes painted with the Labours of Hercules, added after 1617. The Pillar Parlour's panelling derives from Elizabethan work at Theobalds, which John Smythson drew in 1618. The vault bosses resemble horses' heads. Gothic windows were inserted in 1834. The Anteroom contains lunettes painted with figure subjects after Martin de Vos and an architectural scene. The two principal rooms on this floor are of different heights, creating space for the Star Chamber above. The Star Chamber features arcaded panelling with painted figures of prophets and saints in the window reveals, and stars on the ceiling. A three-tier fireplace, the most elaborate in the keep, occupies this chamber. The Marble Closet above the porch employs a black and white colour scheme. Sir William's private suite occupies the south side, arranged around an internal lobby, and includes the Best Bedchamber, Elysium and Heaven rooms, all decorated in Italian Mannerist style. The top floor has a central octagonal lobby surrounded by arched niches.

The Fountain Garden to the south is enclosed by massive walls incorporating medieval masonry from the inner bailey walls. Garden rooms are set within the wall thickness, some vaulted with fireplaces. A Venus Fountain, adapted from a design by John Smythson, occupies the garden's centre.

To the south west lies the angled Terrace Range. At its north end are the Cavendish Apartments, comprising two storeys over a basement. The first two bays are angled with a Dutch gable; they feature a blocked 2-light window to the basement and two cross windows on each floor above. The four bays to the right have similar fenestration and a large rusticated and pedimented doorway. Between the windows are distinctive buttresses or banded half-columns rising from corbels. The main range to the right consists of one storey over a basement in a symmetrical arrangement of ten bays with a central rusticated doorway. Large cross windows have unusual pediments broken into three pieces, divided by similar banded half-columns. A double flight of steps ascends to the main entrance. At the south west end stands half of the south west gate, featuring vermiculated rustication, half a segmental pediment and a banded ball finial.

The elevation facing the Inner or Great Court displays a battlemented range at the south end with tall cross windows and low rectangular windows above, all with classical moulded architraves. The northern part comprises an irregular row of six Dutch gables. Cross windows and tall windows with two transoms punctuate the elevation, with 2-light mullioned windows to the basement and within the gables. This derelict range once contained the Great Gallery running the full height of the south side, with a bedchamber, withdrawing room, hall and great hall or dining room facing into the court, while service rooms and private apartments occupied the north end.

The Riding School range features rows of gabled dormers on both sides with alternating triangular and segmental pediments. The elevation to the court is almost symmetrical, arranged in 3-5-7 bays, with the riding school itself at the centre projecting forward on both sides. A massive central entrance or triumphal gateway, heavily rusticated with a broken segmental pediment enclosing a ball finial, stands in the court. It is flanked by pairs of large cross windows with moulded architraves and 2-light mullioned windows within the dormers. A similar composition to the right contains five symmetrical bays plus two additional bays and a second triumphal gateway, this section once housing the forge. A three-bay range at the east end contains three tiers of 2-light mullioned windows with various small chambers within.

The medieval castle that preceded the present keep, dating to around 1173 to 1179, lies beneath the forecourt foundations. In 1553 the castle was granted to George Talbot, later Earl of Shrewsbury, who was married to Bess of Hardwick.