Pictures of Bolsover

About Bolsover

Bolsover is a small town lying 5 miles east of Chesterfield. It occupies a picturesque valley setting, watched over by 17th century Bolsover Castle which stands on the site of a former fortress of Norman times.

The castle was built by Sir Charles Cavendish, and although it was constructed to represent an impressive fortress, complete with a fantasy of pinnacles and turrets, it was perhaps more of an overly large comfortable mansion with a hint of times gone by.

Visitors to the castle enjoy fantastic views over the surrounding countryside and the town. There are elaborate rooms to fitted with superb panelling, wall paintings and fireplaces to explore, together with an early indoor riding school joined to the castle via a passageway leading to a range of buildings of which one is now a gallery. The castle has a new Discovery centre and new interpretation facilities have been installed. The castle offers a year round programme of events, including historic re-enactments.

The gardens have been fully restored, this features a lovely fountain with 23 statues which plays again for the first time in centuries. Following your visit to the castle, the grounds make an ideal spot to enjoy a picnic.

The parish church of St. Mary is worth a visit. It was gutted by fire towards the end of the 19th century and much reconstruction work had to be done. However, the 13th century limestone tower escaped the flames, and inside there is a beautiful 13th century sculpture of the Nativity.

The town has a busy High Street, plenty of shops and interesting inns. The Bell, is a pub dating from the 1700's, this has lots of oak beams, thus retaining much of its earlier character when quite possibly it served as a coaching inn.

Today, Bolsover is a bustling place, ideally placed for easy access to the dramatic scenery of the Peak District National Park, and for the visual delights of Sherwood Forest, lying in a southerly direction a few miles from the town.