Historic day at Bolsover Castle

Year 1 in our Infant School visited the fairy-tale style 17th Century Stuart mansion, Bolsover Castle, on November 12 to learn more about castles.

The castle is one of the most iconic locations in Derbyshire, built to entertain high-class guests of the time. It provides stunning views across the surrounding countryside, perched on a ridge above the Vale of Scarsdale. It is now a Grade I listed building (for buildings of exceptional interest) and a Scheduled Ancient Monument (for ‘nationally important’ archaeological sites or historic buildings).

This trip was a great opportunity for everyone to see the main structures of castles, how their building materials changed from Motte and Bailey to stone, and get a glimpse of the richest peoples’ lavish lifestyles in the 1600s.

The girls learned about the builders of the castle, the Cavendish family, who are one of the most influential aristocratic families in England and famously spent £15,000 on banquets and entertainment for King Charles I in 1634. They also explored some of the castle’s luxurious features: the Little Castle, an extravagant retreat for Sir William Cavendish, the Fountain Garden, featuring a statue of the goddess Venus, and the dining hall and riding school.