Hever Castle Unveils Two New Tudor Treasures

March 13 2015 | Attractions Castle History

Two rare Tudor treasures were unveiled at Hever Castle on Tuesday 10th March. The event was attended by the press and special guests, including historian and TV presenter Kate Williams, historian and author Alison Weir, Visit Kent Chairman, Amanda Cottrell, and members of the Guthrie family, the current owners of Hever Castle.

International art dealer and TV presenter, Philip Mould, unveiled a rare 16th Century replica of a portrait in the Royal Collection by Joos Van Cleeve. The stunning portrait depicts Henry VIII as a young man. Philip also talked about discovering the only surviving portrait of Henry’s brother, Arthur, for Hever Castle, which he still considers to be the greatest acquisition the castle has made. He then thanked Mr and Mrs Guthrie for their dedication in securing “the greatest privately owned public collection of portraits that tells the story of the Tudors.”

This was followed by the official opening of a new exhibition ‘A Bed of Roses’ by TV historian Dr Jonathan Foyle in the Long Gallery of the Castle. Jonathan gave a fascinating account of his ‘journey of discovery’ authenticating the bed which is believed to be the marriage bed of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. Read more about his research and evidence (4 MB pdf) and view the DNA testing of the bed.

The unveiling of these two treasures coincides with the recent broadcast of BBC Two’s Wolf Hall and the public’s renewed interest in all things Tudor. They will be displayed in the setting where one of history’s great tales of passion between Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII played out. You can see the portrait of Henry VIII in the Queens’ Chamber as a permanent fixture. The bed will be on display in the Long Gallery until 22nd November 2015.

Take a look at the rooms and exhibitions in Hever Castle.