Bolsover Castle in Derbyshire was built by Sir Charles Cavendish from 1612 to 1617 on the site of a 12th-century castle, with Robert Smythson working with him on the design. The Little Castle tower was complete about 1621. The castle was unfinished when Smythson died in 1614 and Cavendish in 1617. The text names no single architect of record or style.
It was designed for elegant living rather than defence, with Italian-inspired design and later influence from Inigo Jones. The Little Castle has red doors and the Venus Fountain, and the Terrace Range holds the hall and staterooms that William Cavendish added. The Long Gallery is a key feature. The text names no materials.
Parliamentarians slighted the castle during the Civil Wars. Ben Jonson's masque Love's Welcome at Bolsover was performed in 1634 during a royal visit. The 7th Duke of Portland gave it to the nation in 1945, and English Heritage manages it. The article gives no hours.
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