| Hever Castle | |
|---|---|
| Hever,Edenbridge, Kent | |
 Hever Castle in 2014 | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Castle |
| Owner | Broadland Properties Limited |
| Open to the public | Yes |
| Condition | Intact |
| Location | |
  Hever Castle Shown withinKent | |
| Coordinates | 51°11′14″N0°6′51″E / 51.18722°N 0.11417°E /51.18722; 0.11417 |
| Grid reference | grid referenceTQ478452 |
Hever Castle (/ˈhiːvər/HEE-vər) is located in the village ofHever, Kent, nearEdenbridge, 30 miles (48 km) south-east ofLondon, England. It began as acountry house, built in the 13th century. From 1462 to 1539, it was the seat of theBoleyn (originally 'Bullen') family.[1]
Anne Boleyn, the secondqueen consort ofKing Henry VIII of England, spent her early youth there after her father,Thomas Boleyn, inherited it in 1505. The castle passed to him upon the death of his father,Sir William Boleyn. It later came into the possession of King Henry VIII's fourth wife,Anne of Cleves.
TheGrade I listed castle is now owned by the Guthrie family's Broadland Properties.
There have been three main periods in the construction of this historic castle. The castle's oldest part dates to 1270 and consisted of the gatehouse and a walledbailey. It was then owned byJames Fiennes, 1st Baron Saye and Sele.[2] The second period was when the castle, then in need of repair, was converted into amanor in 1462 byGeoffrey Boleyn, younger brother ofThomas Boleyn, Master ofGonville Hall, Cambridge. He added a Tudor dwelling within the walls. The third period of repair and renovation was in the 20th century, when it was acquired byWilliam Waldorf Astor.[3]
Geoffrey Boleyn's grandson,Thomas Boleyn, inherited the castle in 1505. He lived there with his wifeLady Elizabeth Howard and their childrenGeorge,Mary andAnne (the future wife ofHenry VIII). It is not known if Anne was born at Hever (the year of her birth is not certain), but she lived there until she was sent to theNetherlands in 1513 to receive an education at the court of theArchduchess Margaret. Henry VIII often used the nearbyBolebroke Castle to conduct his courtship with Anne.[4]
The property came into the possession of Henry VIII after the death of Anne's father,Thomas Boleyn, in 1539. He bestowed it uponAnne of Cleves in 1540 as part of the settlement following the annulment of their marriage. Hever Castle still has one of Henry VIII's private locks, taken with him on his various visits to noblemen's houses and fitted to every door for his security.[5]
The property subsequently passed through various owners, including theWaldegrave family from 1557 to 1715, theHumfreys family to 1749 and theMeade-Waldo family from 1749 to 1903. During this latter period of ownership, the castle fell into a poor state of repair, during which time it was leased to various private tenants.[6]
In 1903, it was acquired and restored by the American millionaireWilliam Waldorf Astor, who used it as a family residence.[7] He completed a restoration, added the Tudor village (also known as the Astor Wing)[8] and also added the Italian Garden to display his collection of statuary and ornaments.[9][10]
The castle has been Grade I listed since 10 September 1954; that was after the addition of the Tudor village, "a picturesque cluster of guest cottages".[11]
In 1983, the Astor family sold the castle to John Guthrie (1906-1992), chairman of the family-run business, Broadland Properties Limited.
The castle was used as the location formusic videos.[12] TheLoggia on the lake was used as the location for a peace conference in the comedy-dramaThe Great. Other productions that have filmed on the property includeThe Princess Bride andInkheart.[13]
Hever Castle is now a tourist attraction, drawing on its links to Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII, its mazes, gardens and lakes. There is an annual event programme with assorted events, including jousting tournaments and archery displays in the summer months and an annual patchwork and quilting exhibition in September. The castle has also become the venue for atriathlon and open water swimming.[14][15] The castle has three floors containing antique furniture, Anne Boleyn's prayer books, instruments of torture, and a large collection of Tudor paintings. There is also a museum of theKent and Sharpshooters Yeomanry.[16]
The remains of the original country house timbers can still be seen within the stone walls of the fortification, while the gatehouse is the only original part of the castle. It has the oldest working originalportcullis in England.[17] The grounds of the castle include ayewmaze, planted in 1904. There is also a water maze, opened in 1999, the object of which is to reach the folly at the centre without getting wet. In the children's adventure playground, there is a tower maze (currently[when?] undergoing reconstruction). The castle gardens contain a wide range of features, including an Italianate garden (includingFernery), rose gardens, herb garden, andtopiary.[18]
The castle has 28 B&B rooms that can be rented in a B&B format. The castle has three restaurants, located in the gardens.[19]
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List Entry Number: 1273465
The 28 bedrooms are spread between the ground and first floors of the two wings.
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