Of the many Christmases that Anne Boleyn spent at Hever Castle, there was one in particular where she made a decision that would change not only her life, but the course of English history.
By December 1526, King Henry VIII had been pursuing Anne for almost a year. Henry already had a queen, Catherine of Aragon, but he had been bombarding Anne with love letters and, by Christmas, Henry had made a formal proposal of marriage. Anne now had to make a decision whether or not to accept it.
In November 1526, there is a record of a payment that was made by Thomas Boleyn to the King’s goldsmith for Mistress Anne’s bill. It was for almost £4, which was quite a sum in 1526; this is almost £2,000 today.
Historians believe this payment might have been for a small bejewelled ship that Anne would send to Henry for his New Year’s gift. It was Anne’s clever way of telling Henry that she was prepared to weather the rough seas ahead and to voyage into matrimony with him.
Neither Henry nor Anne could have prepared themselves fully for the turbulent journey ahead, however. It would be a further six and a half years before Anne was crowned queen, and ultimately that decision made in Christmas 1526 led to the break with the Church of Rome and the installation of Henry as the Supreme Head of the Church Of England.
That voyage set sail from here at Hever Castle.
Discover more about a Tudor Christmas here.
Book your visit to Hever Castle & Gardens.
Within the grounds of the Hever Castle Estate, there are two opportunities for you to stay the night with us.
Hever Castle has played host to many important events and celebrations for over 600 years. In 1903 when William Waldorf Astor set about restoring Hever Castle to its former glory, he added the Astor Wing, to accommodate his family and guests, before creating a lake and the spectacular Italian Garden to house his impressive collection of ancient Greek and Roman statuary.
There are multiple places to eat & drink across the Hever Castle Estate. Select between the Castle & Gardens and Golf Club below to discover more.
Set in the mature grounds of the Hever Castle Estate, Hever Castle Golf Club is a 27 hole Kent golf course that will encourage and inspire all golf enthusiasts.
Set in the mature grounds of the Hever Castle Estate, the Wellbeing Centre consists of five smart treatment rooms.
