(Image: Gareth Buddo)
A packed programme of theatre, medieval adventures and family activities has been unveiled at a North Yorkshire castle as it prepares for the late summer and autumn seasons.
Bolton Castle, in Wensleydale, will host a mix of performances, living history events, and immersive medieval experiences for children as part of its ongoing calendar of family events.
The programme began on August 20 with an outdoor theatre performance of Shakespeare’s Macbeth by the HandleBards, known for their energetic and unconventional retellings of classic plays.
Children at Bolton Castle
(Image: Gareth Buddo)
On August 26, children aged seven to 13 can take part in Knights School, a three-hour immersive experience that offers a taste of 15th and 16th-century aristocratic training, including armour handling, longbow practice, jousting on a wooden horse and sword drills.
Other activities include medieval music performances, living history weekends and special Halloween events.
For adults, evening castle tours will take place on September 4 and October 9 from 6pm to 8pm, limited to 20 guests per evening.
Better at the Tea Room. Hungry for Halloween at Bolton Castle 2024
(Image: Gareth Buddo)
These tours feature re-enactors and storytelling designed to bring the castle’s history to life as night falls.
Guests are also invited to stay afterward for a drink around the fire.
On September 6, a Living History Day will explore the castle’s role during the English Civil Wars, or the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.
Children at Bolton Castle
(Image: Gareth Buddo)
A castle spokesman said: "Bolton Castle was held for three years in support of King Charles in what is known as the English Civil Wars, but more accurately, the Wars of the Three kingdoms. Find out more about the reasons the people of the British Isles went to war against themselves."
From September 11 to 13, Medieval Music in the Dales returns, transforming the castle into a celebration of medieval music with performances in every corner of the historic site.
A castle spokesman said: "Over the weekend, the Castle comes to life with music in every corner."
Bolton Castle
(Image: Gareth Buddo)
Living history weekends continue into October, starting with Lord Scrope’s Living History Weekend on October 3 and 4.
This event is set in the autumn of 1461, after a year of civil war in England, and offers visitors the chance to meet the garrison, witness military training, and explore the castle’s kitchens and daily life.
The following weekend, on October 10 and 11, another living history event will focus on Bolton Castle’s archers and men at arms who left Harfleur in 1415, just before the Battle of Agincourt.
Visitors can learn about the challenges faced by these men and their families during this pivotal moment in history.
Halloween events run from October 18 to 31, transforming the castle into a spooky setting with themed decorations in the courtyard and dungeons, including skeletons, witches, coffins, and cauldrons.
A castle spokesman said: "Plus there are costumes and props to try on for those ghoulish family photos!"
As part of the Halloween programme, lantern-lit storytelling evenings will be held, with one event tailored for adults and another for children.
Additional activities include storytelling sessions at 1pm and Witches Trial at 2.15pm in the Great Chamber on October 24, 25, 26, 29, 30 and 31.
Visitors can also try out the stocks and take part in other medieval-themed fun during the half-term break.
While the castle’s current programme concludes at the end of October, Bolton Castle is already planning for future exhibitions, including a major display dedicated to Mary Queen of Scots set to open on March 6, 2027.
This exhibition will run until September 5, 2027, and marks the first time Bolton Castle has hosted an exhibition of this scale, centred on a historical figure who was once held within its walls.
For more information on the full programme of events, visit www.boltoncastle.co.uk.