- Type
- Ruin
- Origins
- c. 1220 · 13th century per Wikidata: founding, first mention or construction
- Location
- England, United Kingdom
- Commissioned by
- Ranulf de Blondeville, 6th Earl of Chester
- Coordinates
- 53.1651°, 0.0169°
History
The castle was built around 1220 by Ranulf de Blondeville, Earl of Chester, after his return from crusade. Its plan was modern for its day – a polygonal curtain wall with D-shaped towers and no keep, surrounded by a moat. It later passed to the Dukes of Lancaster, and in 1367 John of Gaunt's son Henry was born here; in 1399 he overthrew Richard II and became King Henry IV. During the Civil War, in 1643, Parliamentarian troops besieged the castle, and in 1652 its defences were demolished. The last tall section of wall collapsed in 1815.
What to see
What remains are the low curtain walls, tower bases and gatehouse, uncovered during 20th-century excavations. The ruins are ringed by a water-filled moat, and the banks look over the village of Old Bolingbroke at the foot of the Lincolnshire Wolds. The site is open and well explained by information panels.
Wikipedia article Official website Wikidata Q3241847
Popularity: articles about this site in 18 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).