April events at hever castle

Step into our garden this spring. The gardens have awoken and have ignited into life with vibrant colour in the Italian Garden and pastel pink magnolia hues surround the Castle courtyard. There’s never been a better time to fall in love with the Kent countryside. April is set to be the most exciting month of the year yet as we reopen daily until 6 pm.

Of course our much loved, Lindt Gold Bunny Hunt is back, a delightful alternative to the Easter egg hunt – because everyone loves Lindt! Celebrate St George’s Day on the 23rd and join us for our new Tulip event from the 24th. Creating a carnival of colour through the grounds, don’t miss our first Tulip festival in Kent. Perhaps the best thing about this time of year is the bank holidays – we all love them and here at Hever you can spend the May bank holiday weekend taking in the spring spirit at our May Day Festival. 

Take a closer look at what’s on in April: 

Lindt Gold Bunny Hunt – easter event!
St George’s Day
Tulip Celebrations – new event!
May Day Festival
Anne of Cleves’ Panel – new artefact!
Show & Stay
Hever Castle Golf Club

Lindt Gold Bunny Hunt – easter event
1 – 17 April

For some magical family moments this Easter, hop through Hever on the trail of the Lindt Gold Bunny to earn a delicious chocolate treat. Enjoy family entertainment throughout the Easter holidays from April 1 to 17 – sure to put a spring in everyone’s step.

Children can make and decorate an Easter bonnet at daily craft workshops* (*small additional charge) and then parade their creation in front of the Castle for the chance to win prizes for the best Easter bonnets.

More family fun awaits in the Castle, where visitors can discover the history of Easter and learn about Easter traditions in the Castle quiz. Full event details here. 

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St George’s Day 
23 April

Celebrate St George’s Day with the family at Hever. Hear tales of George’s adventures and meet his dragon – Flame – and try to avoid his smoke and ear splitting roar!

Children can make a fire breathing dragon in a free craft workshop or test their knowledge in a Knights and Shields trail around the Castle* (*Castle entrance fee applies), collecting a gold coin at the end of the trail. Full event details here.

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Tulip Celebrations – NEW TULIP EVENT
24 – 28 April & 2 – 7 May (excluding bank holiday weekend) 

Be uplifted by 7000 tulip bulbs proudly standing to attention and providing a visual feast of spring colour. 

Visitors to this brand new event will be able to collect a leaflet from the Information Centre and enjoy a self-guided tulip trail throughout the grounds. For an even more immersive experience, free tulip garden tours will also be available with Hever Castle’s head gardener Neil Miller at 11:30 each day.

Wander through the grounds and marvel at the thousands of tulips, in 60 varieties, planted outside the Castle, in the Tudor Garden and throughout the Italian Garden.

A short talk on the history of the tulip will also take place daily at 14:00, allowing visitors to learn more about this stunning bulb. Full event details here.

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May Day Festival – may bank holiday weekend
29 April – 1 may

Celebrate May Day at Hever Castle with a weekend of fun family activities and traditional May Day customs.

Join the Lord and Lady of the May on the Castle forecourt and see the crowning of the May Queen. Visitors are invited to dance around the Maypole with brightly coloured ribbons intertwined. This age old custom is followed by demonstrations of May Day Dancing accompanied by 16th century music.

Meet the mythical Jack-in-the-Green. Follow the Green Man from folklore in a customary May Day procession through the gardens as he wakes up the plants for summer with the help of children and their magical May bells. Full event details here. 

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Anne of Cleves’ Panel

We’re very excited to announce that Hever is now home to a rare panel belonging to Anne of Cleves. The panel is part of a collection which are believed to have been used for interior decoration at one of Anne of Cleves’ homes after her divorce from Henry VIII.

For centuries these panels had long been forgotten. When researching her book, author Sarah Morris found references to the panels and contacted Dr Jonathan Foyle. The panels were tracked down to the Church of St Leonard. Coincidentally, at the same time, a similar panel was put up for auction. It was this panel which bared a striking resemblance to the decoration which forms part of Anne of Cleves’ tomb at Westminster Abbey.   

After extensive analysis of the wood, the panel was dated to 1544. Perfect timing to be placed in one of her homes and also for use as inspiration on her tomb. The oak panel shows Anne’s insignia and appears to have been made for her and installed on her orders. Uncover more of the mystery which surrounds the panel with a visit to the Castle. 

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Show & Stay

Watch a show under the stairs and then spend a night in 5* luxury. With The Festival Theatre at Hever Castle having only just released its programme of events for the 2017 season, why not combine an overnight stay at Hever Castle Luxury Bed and Breakfast with a theatre performance?

Stay in one of our 28 individually styled luxury 5* bedrooms. A ‘Full English’ breakfast is included with every stay, and you can enjoy access to parts of the gardens outside of opening hours. With performances ranging from The Wind in the Willows, The Merry Wives of Windsor, to The Pirates of Penzance, there’s something for everyone.

Accommodation is currently available on most show dates but please check bedroom availability by calling 01732 861800 or emailing stay@hevercastle.co.uk prior to booking your theatre tickets. Details on this year’s performances can be found at http://www.heverfestival.co.uk/

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Hever Castle Golf Club

There are a range of different courses to play at the Hever Castle Golf Club. Choose from the 27 hole Championship Course, comprising of the Kings and Queens nines, which has been showcased on Sky Sports. Or for a quicker round, the Princes Course at nine holes provides a challenging and stunning game.

The Championship Course 

At a glance of the scorecard, one of the longest holes in Britain, the 644 yard Par 5 17th hole, certainly stands out; however, the course boasts an array of stunning holes. The delightful short 6th and 8th holes on the front nine are both played over water, and a beautiful stretch of holes from the 11th to the 13th (Hever Castle’s very own ‘Amen Corner’) carries over water and small slick greens. However, Hever Castle is not as intimidating as might be imagined, and with a backdrop of beautiful surroundings playing this course is a real pleasure. The course can be played from a number of measure teeing positions with the enjoyment of all levels of golfer in mind. We know that you will thoroughly enjoy the challenge.

The Princes Course

The Princes nine hole course has a wonderful layout and has been built to the highest specification. Although shorter in length from the Championship Course it provides a good test of golf, where accuracy is important, especially on the par 3 3rd and 6th, both played over picturesque lakes.

The Boleyn Course 

The Boleyn Course blends the Princes and Kings nines to create a very enjoyable 18 holes. This course has a wonderful variety of hazards from tight tree lined fairways to beautifully presented water hazards, strategically placed bunkers and small greens.

The Express Course 

Located alongside the Princes Course, the Express 9 hole features oversized holes and a shorter course, perfect for those who are just starting out or looking for a quick round of golf with friends.

Latest green fees:

18 hole golf 

9 hole golf 

To book call 01732 700771 or book online here. 

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