Games and pastimes is the theme for this week’s #FeatureFridays with Historic Houses.
Entertainment during Tudor times was an important part of life and that included people like Anne Boleyn, who grew up at Hever Castle.
Cards and dice were popular with all classes during Tudor times and many regularly gambled with Henry VIII losing a fair sum to Anne Boleyn.
One of the more genteel hobbies was Tenes (or tennis, which was played in a specially built building – only for very rich as the building were costly to build).
Anne was watching a game of real tennis at Greenwich Palace on the morning of 2 May 1536 when a messenger interrupted the game to summon her to the council chamber.
When she arrived, she was faced with a royal commission, including her Uncle, the Duke of Norfolk, who informed his niece of her arrest.
Other games and pastimes enjoyed during Tudor times included running at the quintain and the tilt, archery (shooting at the butts), hawking and hunting which were still mainly the preserve of the rich.
Poorer children and some adult men liked to kick balls and there was an early version of football that was particularly violent.
There was also something called cudgel-play where the aim was to be the first to draw blood from the opponents head.
In 1534, Anne Boleyn presented her husband King Henry VIII with an exotic set of Pyrenean boar spears as a New Year’s gift.
He gladly accepted them, whilst rejecting a gold cup from his former queen, Katherine of Aragon.
Another former owner of Hever Castle, Anne of Cleves enjoyed hawking and her brother William sent some hunting birds to Hever Castle. She thanked him for them in a letter written from Hever.
Hever Castle holds annual jousting tournaments and have a go archery.
If you enjoyed this item on games and pastimes why not discover the previous #FeatureFridays news items:
• Clocks, sundials and bells
• Stained glass
• Weddings and betrothals
• Herb gardens
• Armour and costumes
• Musical instruments
• Mazes
• Secret passageways
• Bedrooms
• American Connections
• Weapons
• Follies
• Priest Holes
• Orchards
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.
