Are you interested in all things history? If strolling around castles and ruins sounds up your street, look no further.
Why not take your loved ones and enjoy some quality family time while learning something new?
Thinking of fresh ideas for days out or things to do can be difficult at times so to help you out, we’ve rounded up five of the castles, including ruins, you can see near Bolton.
5 castles and ruins you can see in and around Bolton
Liverpool Castle replica, Lever Park
The castle nestling on the banks of Lower Rivington Reservoir was built as a replica of Liverpool Castle, part of industrial magnate Lord Leverhulme’s grand plan for the area.
When he died in 1925, his family decided it would be impossible to complete work on the castle and other parts of the estate.
The roads leading away from the castle lead to Rivington Lane which runs between Rivington village and Horwich.
Bury Castle
While you can’t see Bury Castle in its former glory, you can spot its medieval foundations in Bury’s town centre, in Castle Square.
Sir Thomas Pilkington built the castle in 1469, according to Visit Manchester, and it was later strengthened as a fortified manor house, around 1470.
You can find out more about the castle in a guide from Bury Tourist Information Centre.
Lancaster Castle
Lancaster Castle is owned by the Duchy of Lancaster and it was a HM prison until 2011, according to the castle’s website.
Now, visitors can explore the castle and learn more about its history.
Clitheroe Castle
Clitheroe Castle has been standing for more than 800 years and its grounds are open everyday for visitors to explore for free, according to the Lancashire County Council website.
Visitors can climb to the top and expect to see “stunning panoramic views of Ribble Valley’s beautiful, historic landscape”.
Greenhalgh Castle
This castle is on a small hill, positioned near Garstang and Thomas Stanley was granted a licence to build it by King Henry VII on August 2, 1490, according to the Garstang Heritage Society’s website.
The website explains the structure of the castle, saying: “The castle consisted of four towers joined together by curtain walls surrounding a central, rectangular courtyard. It was surrounded by a circular moat, and entry was via a single door.
Recommended reading:
- Aerial photograph reveals Bolton's very own castle at Lever Park
- Take a look inside this stunning castle home with its own turret garden
- The great Bolton bucket list according to Chat GPT - How much have you ticked off?
“The towers stood around sixty feet high, and the remaining western tower is externally 25 feet square.
“The tower walls are 5 feet 6 inches thick, making the internal measurements 14 feet square.”
The castle is on private land so you can't visit it but you can spot it from Castle Lane and the River Wyre bridge where the watch tower once was.
