Bolton Castle

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Bolton Castle

We can also offer a state of the art Audio- Visual tour to give you an even greater insight into Castle life between the 14th and 17th Centuries.
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🏰 Medieval castle, nr Leyburn, in the magnificent Yorkshire Dales.

👑 600 years of history
🍰 Tea room
🧺 Gift Shop
🌿 Gardens
🦅 Falconry
🐗 Wild Boars
🏹 Archery
🎟️ Events
💍 Weddings

Open 10am-5pm, seven days a week. Bolton is one of the country’s best preserved medieval castles, situated in the heart of Wensleydale with stunning views over the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Completed in 1399 by Rich

ard le Scrope, Chancellor of England to Richard II, its scars bear testament to over 600 years of fascinating history including involvement in the Pilgrimage of Grace, Mary Queen of Scots imprisonment and a six month siege during the Civil War. As well as the new Falconry Experience, Wild Boar Park, Medieval Archery Demonstrations and Bee Keeping display, which were introduced in 2011, we now have our own flock of Wensleydale and other local rare breed sheep. Enjoy the ultimate medieval experience in the historic heart of Wensleydale.
• Spectacular falconry displays
• Archery demonstrations
• Wild Boar Park
• Medieval nursery, childrens’ costumes, trails, and activity packs
• Beautiful gardens, maze and bee hives
• Tea room serving delicious homemade and locally sourced foods
• Group tours and packages

19/08/2025

🌿Have you visited our beautiful gardens this summer?

We have many areas which are well worth a wander and appreciation:

🍃Medieval Gardens
💐Garden History
🪻The Dyer’s Garden
🌺Mary Garden
🌹Rose Garden and Rose Arbour
🌼Herb Garden
🌸Bowling Green
🌻Vineyard & Maze

Open 10am - 5pm, 7 days a week - see you soon 🏰

17/08/2025

Love seeing reels made by our visitors 🏰

15/08/2025

Lord Scrope’s Living History Tudor Weekend
Saturday 16 August & Sunday 17 August

⚔️👑 Step Back to 1588 at Bolton Castle! 🏰🔥
The Spanish Armada has been spotted in the Channel and the beacons are lit! ⛵
Bring the whole family for an unforgettable adventure into Lord Scrope’s Tudor household 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 — experience the tension, the drama, and the daily life of those preparing to defend the realm!

👑 Mary Queen of Scots, once a prisoner at Bolton Castle, was executed just a year ago... and now, Spain may be coming for revenge! Will the invaders be stopped, or is a Spanish army already marching on us? 🏴‍☠️

🪖 Train as a Tudor soldier
🍗 Step inside the bustling castle kitchen
🔨 Meet the hardworking tradespeople
🎭 Immerse yourself in the sights, sounds & stories of 16th-century life
📆 Don’t miss this epic historical experience – perfect for curious kids, history lovers, and brave hearts of all ages! 🏹

📍Bolton Castle – where history comes alive

13/08/2025

TONIGHT! 🎭🎟

Outdoor Theatre: HandleBards perform Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing

Wednesday 13 August
6.30pm to 9pm
Early bird ticket £17.50 per adult
£20.50 per adult on the day, £13 (21 years old and under), £5 (12 years and under)

The HandleBards theatre troupe have pedalled from venue to venue with all of their set, props and costumes on the back of their bikes, and have arrived at Bolton Castle!

The HandleBards are a four-strong troupe of actors who are spending the summer bringing environmentally sustainable Shakespeare to venues across the UK. Join the troupe for a bicycle-powered production of Shakespeare’s ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ like you’ve never seen before. And what’s the play about? Well – a group of soldiers return from the war to a household in Messina, kindling new love interests and re-kindling old rivalries. The parallel love stories of Beatrice, Benedick, Claudio and Hero quickly become entangled with scheming, frivolity and melodrama in Shakespeare’s famous comedy. This is an outdoor production, so please bring a chair or blanket to sit on, a picnic to dig into, and dress for the weather!

Book tickets here: handlebards.com

12/08/2025

🏰🏹Want to experience life as a medieval archer?

Join our intrepid re-enactor and experienced archer who will be showing visitors how to handle a bow and protect yourself from marauding hoards!

He’ll be ready for action Tuesday 12 August and Tuesday 19 August, so children and adults can join him to learn just what it really means to be an archer.

Included in price of admission.
Photo credit Matt Godman Photography.

11/08/2025

Visit our lovely boars and experience the excitement of feeding time - every day from 4pm 🐗

08/08/2025

NEXT WEEK: Wednesday 13th Aug 🎭

Outdoor Theatre: HandleBards perform Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing

🏰Wednesday 13 August, 6.30pm to 9pm at Bolton Castle

The HandleBards theatre troupe are pedalling from venue to venue with all of their set, props and costumes on the back of their bikes, and they arrive at Castle next week.

The HandleBards are a four-strong troupe of actors who are spending the summer bringing environmentally sustainable Shakespeare to venues across the UK. Join the troupe for a bicycle-powered production of Shakespeare’s ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ like you’ve never seen before.

And what’s the play about? Well – a group of soldiers return from the war to a household in Messina, kindling new love interests and re-kindling old rivalries. The parallel love stories of Beatrice, Benedick, Claudio and Hero quickly become entangled with scheming, frivolity and melodrama in Shakespeare’s famous comedy.

This is an outdoor production, so please bring a chair or blanket to sit on, a picnic to dig into, and dress for the weather!

Book tickets here: handlebards.com

Early bird ticket £17.50 per adult
£20.50 per adult on the day, £13 (21 years old and under), £5 (12 years and under)

06/08/2025

We have exciting news about curlews! We're still receiving tracking updates as part of a project monitoring the range of locations curlews call home. These iconic birds often spend autumn and winter elsewhere, returning to the Yorkshire Dales in spring to breed.

📍Our latest update shows that OrangeWhite began his journey back to Cockersands, Morecambe Bay, in the early hours of 10 July.

He’s now settled into his familiar wintering grounds, showing a clear preference for the coast 🌊Though he did explore a few inland spots just east of the M6 along the way!

This project is being run by the BTO British Trust for Ornithology, with the support of the gamekeepers and farmers of Bolton Estate in , and our Wildlife Team.

You can find out more about all the tracked curlews, see maps of their movements, and read about the background to the project on our website 👇

https://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/about/wildlife/projects/breeding-waders-in-the-yorkshire-dales-national-park/

📷 Wendy McDonnell I photographed from the roadside close to Bolton Castle.

04/08/2025

Mary Queen of Scots Family Event

Tues 5th, Wed 6th & Thurs 7th August

📅 Tues - 2.30pm
📅 Wed - 11am & 2.30pm
📅 Thurs - 11am & 2.30pm

Back by popular demand! Our Mary Queen of Scots event was such a hit, we’ve decided to put on another date.

An interactive session, you’ll get a chance to play a part as Mary as shares stories of living with the Scrope family at Bolton Castle whilst she was in residence.

Included in admission price.

📸 Tag us in your visit - we love seeing your Bolton Castle memories

02/08/2025

🎟It's EVENT weekend here at 🏰

Join us for a Living History Tudor & Mary Queen of Scots weekend👑 this Sat 2 August & Sun 3 August.

Mary fled Scotland to England, eventually brought to Bolton Castle - which played host to the captive Queen of Scotland for six months.

🏰Visit the rooms she occupied
🏰Join our living historians
🏰Find out more about life in a Tudor castle

01/08/2025

Happy Yorkshire Day to all our followers, whoever you are and wherever you’re from ~ you’re always welcome here 🏰

30/07/2025

🏰Make a day of it at Bolton Castle☕

Exploring the castle or just passing by - don’t miss our cosy tea room and delicious locally made food.📍 Nestled within the castle walls, the tea room is open daily from 10am to 4pm and offers:

🍰 Homemade cakes & scones
🥧 Our famous Bolton Pie
🥪 Fresh sandwiches & quiche
🫖 A wide selection of teas & barista coffee
🌱 Vegan & gluten-free options available
🫖 Afternoon Tea also available (just pre-book) – the perfect treat after a walk through the gardens or a tour of the castle.

📸 Tag us in your visit - we love seeing your Bolton Castle memories
👉 https://boltoncastle.co.uk/wensleydale-tea-rooms

Address

Nr Leyburn
Leyburn
DL84ET

Website

http://www.boltoncastle.co.uk/

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