Bolton Castle Bolton Castle is a 14th - century castle located in Wensleydale , North Yorkshire ( ) . The nearby village Castle Bolton takes its name from the castle . The castle is a Grade I listed building and a Scheduled Ancient Monument . The castle was damaged in the English Civil War , but much of it remains . It has never been sold and is still in the ownership of the descendants of the Scrope family . History . The castle was built between 1378 and 1399 by Richard le Scrope , 1st Baron Scrope of Bolton and Chancellor of England , and is an example of a quadrangular castle . The licence to build it was granted in July 1379 and a contract with the mason Johan Lewyn was made in September 1378 . Construction was reputed to cost 18 , 000 Marks . The 16th century writer John Leland described ' An Astronomical Clock ' in the courtyard and how smoke was conveyed from the hearth in the hall through tunnels . Bolton Castle was described by Sir Francis Knollys as having ' The highest walls of any house he had seen ' . In 1536 Sir John Scrope , 8th Baron Scrope of Bolton supported the Pilgrimage of Grace rebellion against the religious reforms of King Henry VIII and gave Adam Sedbar , Abbot of Jervaulx sanctuary in the castle . In consequence John Scrope had to flee to Skipton pursued by the King ' s men but Abbot Sedbar was caught and executed . In retribution the king ordered Bolton castle to be torched , causing extensive damage . Within a few years the damage had been repaired and Sir John had regained his seat in Parliament . Mary , Queen of Scots , at Bolton . Mary , Queen of Scots stayed at Bolton for six months . After her defeat in Scotland at the Battle of Langside in 1568 she fled to England , posing a threat to the position of the Protestant Queen Elizabeth I . Mary was initially held at Carlisle Castle under the watch of Henry Scrope , 9th Baron Scrope of Bolton , but Carlisle proved unsuitable and in July 1568 Mary was moved to Bolton . Mary was given Henry Scrope ' s own apartments in the South - West tower . Of her retinue of 51 knights , servants and ladies - in - waiting only 30 of her men and six ladies - in - waiting were able to stay in the castle , the rest taking lodgings nearby . Her household included cooks , grooms , hairdresser , embroiderer , apothecary , physician and surgeon . Bolton Castle was not initially suitable for housing a Queen , so tapestries , rugs and furniture were borrowed from local houses and nearby Barnard Castle in County Durham . Queen Elizabeth herself loaned some pewter vessels as well as a copper kettle . Mary was allowed to wander the surrounding lands and often went hunting . Her prime occupation while at the castle was having her hair done by her friend Mary Seton . Sir Francis Knollys , whom Mary nicknamed ' Schoolmaster ' , taught her English , as she only spoke French , Latin and the Scots language . She even met with local Catholics , something for which Knollys and Scrope were severely reprimanded . In January 1569 Mary left Bolton Castle for the last time , being taken to Tutbury in Staffordshire where she spent much of the 18 years before her execution in 1587 . Later history . After the death in 1630 of Emanuel Scrope , 1st Earl of Sunderland , without any legitimate children , Bolton Castle was inherited by Mary the eldest of his three illegitimate daughters . She married Charles Powlett , 6th Marquess of Winchester and 1st Duke of Bolton . The castle is currently owned by their descendant , Harry , the eighth Lord Bolton , who resides at nearby Bolton Hall , which was originally built in 1675 . Bolton Castle is run by his son and daughter - in - law , Tom and Katie Orde - Powlett . There is a garden including a maze , herb garden , wild flower meadow , rose garden and a vineyard on the site in addition to the castle . Film location . Several movies and television productions have used the castle as a location including ;