Hever Castle - Past & Present
HEVER CASTLE sits in the Kent countryside in the village of Hever. Lavished with antiques and works of art, surrounded by beautiful and extensive gardens and steeped in history, Hever Castle is an excellent destination for a day out or location for a special function.
The castle is best known as the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, the second and arguably most influential wife of Henry VIII and mother of Queen Elizabeth I. It was at Hever Castle that Anne first met Henry who became infatuated with her after his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, failed to provide him with a male heir and he tired of his former mistress, Anne's sister, Mary.
Henry's passion for Anne led him to reform the Church of England, placing himself at its head, in order to divorce Catherine. However, Henry and Anne's life together was not to end happily as he became enraged with her for not providing him with a son. In 1536 Anne was arrested and imprisoned in the Tower of London on a charge of High Treason based on adultery and incest with her brother. Anne was executed on 19th May 1536, Henry went on to marry another four times and Hever Castle was reverted to the Crown.
The oldest parts of the castle, the gatehouse, walled bailey, moat and drawbridge date back to 1270. The Boleyn family added the Tudor dwelling inside the castle wall in 1500. Finally, in 1903 William Astor extensively restored the castle, filled it with treasures and built the private wing (now available for hire for private functions), gardens and lake.
Today, the castle is home to historical pieces ranging from exquisite antiques, elaborate furniture and a collection of Tudor portraits second only to the National Portrait Gallery. Notably, the Henry VIII armorial tapestry carrying the Hampton Court label hangs above the fireplace in the Dining Hall and prayer books from 1450, inscribed by Anne Boleyn sit in the Book of Hours Room. Visitors can stroll from the Entrance Hall throughout the castle, taking in the rooms of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII.
The gardens of Hever Castle provide another excellent reason to visit, with four acres of mature and varied formal gardens that are a delight in any season. Individual gardens range from Anne Boleyn's Orchard, the Rhododendron Walk, to the Rose Garden with many more in between. Perhaps most spectacular are the beautiful Italian Gardens and at their foot, a magnificent Loggia, Piazza, fountain and 38-acre lake. On top of this, topiary decorates much of the castle surroundings and Hever Castle boasts one of the few full hedge mazes in the country open to the public, as well as a unique water maze.
Throughout the year Hever Castle provides a variety of events for visitors. Regulars on the calendar include the Easter Egg Trail, Tudor May Day celebrations, Patchwork and Quilting exhibitions, Jousting tournaments, Halloween events and Christmas. Especially for 2008, Hever Castle opens a new exhibition, 'Losing your head over Henry' which explores the relationship between the Boleyn and Howard families and in June, the castle celebrates 100 years of Edwardian restoration with a series of exhibitions, tours, picnics, musical and evening events.