David Coppen joined Hever Castle this year having previously had a varied career with 21 years in the Met Police, as a sales assistant at John Lewis and also briefly as a Pontins blue coat.
As well as working in the Castle David runs his own dance school in Dunton Green with dancers aged from 12 to 81. He teaches them ballroom and Latin dancing four nights a week.
He and his wife were 5th in the UK in the professional ballroom championships before they decided to concentrate more on teaching. They have also appeared on the TV series Granchester as part of a police men’s ball scene.
He joined Hever Castle having been an annual member for several years and a big fan of the Castle:
“What a fab place to work. It’s compact and it feels lived in. You can imagine the Tudor ladies walking along in their long dresses.”
His favourite rooms are the Book of Hours Room and the Long Gallery: “They are so different from the other bits of the Castle.”
His favourite object is the Book of Hours that Anne Boleyn took to the scaffold. “It’s got a lot of DNA on it and Anne Boleyn actually held it. It’s fantastic.”
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.
