Hever Castle, near Edenbridge (Kent)
The childhood home of Anne Boleyn, tragic queen of King Henry VIII.
Summary
- 13th century buildings (or older)
- Gift shop
- Gardens
- Children's play area
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Food and Drinks
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Introduction
Hever Castle is located in the village of Hever near Edenbridge, Kent. It began as a country house, built in the 13th century. In the early 1500s the Boleyn, (originally 'Bullen') family bought the castle. Anne Boleyn, the second queen consort of King Henry VIII of England, spent her early youth there, after her father, Thomas Boleyn inherited it in 1505. He had been born there in 1477, and the castle passed to him upon the death of his father, Sir William Boleyn.
In 1903, William Waldorf Astor invested time, money and imagination in restoring the Castle, building the ’Tudor Village’ and creating the gardens and lake.
The castle now houses historic 16th century Tudor portraits, furniture and tapestries. Other artefacts include two magnificent Books of Hours (prayer books), both signed and inscribed by Anne Boleyn. Costumed figures of Henry VIII and his six wives in the Long Gallery add to the atmosphere and the Council Chamber in the thirteenth century gatehouse contains collections of historic swords, armour, instruments of execution, torture and discipline.
History to the present day
There have been three main periods in the construction of Hever Castle, the oldest part dating back to 1270 when it consisted of the gatehouse and a walled bailey.
The second period was when the castle was converted into a manor in 1462 by Geoffrey Boleyn. In need of repair, he added a Tudor dwelling within the walls. Geoffrey's grandson, Thomas Boleyn, inherited the castle in 1505. He lived there with his wife Lady Elizabeth Howard and their children George, Mary and Anne (the future wife of Henry VIII). The property came into the possession of Henry VIII after the death of Anne's father, Thomas Boleyn, in 1539. He bestowed it upon Anne of Cleves in 1540 as part of the settlement following the annulment of their marriage.
The building subsequently passed through various owners and was finally acquired by the American millionaire William Waldorf Astor as a family residence, commencing it's third period of repair and renovation.
Since 1983 the castle has been owned by Broadland Properties Limited. The castle is open to the public and is particularly well known for its mazes. The only original part of Hever Castle is the gatehouse. In the castle there are exhibits from differing historical eras, including instruments of torture and a museum of the Kent Yeomanry.
The remains of the original country house timbers can still be seen within the stone walls of the fortification.
Grounds and gardens
The spectacular gardens at Hever Castle were laid out between 1904 and 1908 by Joseph Cheal & Son, turning marshland into the spectacular gardens you see today. One of the most magnificent areas of the gardens is the Italian Garden, which was designed to display William Waldorf Astor’s collection of Italian sculpture. The garden has a wide range of features including rose gardens, a herb garden, interesting topiary shapes and the beautiful lake. The yew maze was planted in 1904 and in 1999 a water maze was opened. There is also a Tower maze for children in the adventure playground (the secret is to know the order of Henry VIII's wives.)
Arrival information and how to find us
Address: , Kent, , United Kingdom
Opening times:
3 - 31 March: Wed - Sun: Gardens open: 10:30am, Castle open: 12 noon, Last admission: 4pm.
1 April - 31 October: Daily: Gardens open: 10:30am, Castle open: 12 noon, Last admission: 5pm.
3 November - 19 December: Wed - Sun: Gardens open: 10:30am, Castle open: 11am, Last admission: 3pm.
21 December - 2 January 2011: Daily (Closed 20, 25 26 December): Gardens open: 10:30am, Castle open: 11am, Last admission: 3pm
Admission prices:
Castle & Gardens: Adult £13.00, Senior Citizen £11.00, Child (5-15)£7.00, Family Ticket £33.00 (2 adults/2 children or 1 adult/3 children).
Gardens Only: Adult £10.50, Senior Citizen £9.00, Child (5-15) £6.50, Family Ticket £27.50
Directions: Hever Castle is situated three miles South East of Edenbridge off the B2026 between Sevenoaks and East Grinstead in the village of Hever. Situated 30 miles from London in West Kent, exit the M25 at junctions 5 or 6 and follow the Brown tourist signs. Also well signed from the Hildenborough exit of the A21.
