Hever Castle and Gardens

Hever Castle, Kent

Hever Castle is the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, second wife of King Henry VIII.  It is in the village of Hever, in Kent about 30 miles south of London.  It takes about 45 minutes to get there by car.  I don't believe there are any train stations nearby.  In 1903 William Waldorf Astor bought the castle and spent a huge amount of money restoring the castle and building the tudor "village" behind it.  Castle and Garden tour is GBP 15.50 with free parking.

Hever Castle via Kembers.com

Disillusioned by American politics and press, Astor moved to Europe to escape the humiliation he was experiencing via the American press.  Hever Castle was not big enough for the Astor family, thus they created the tudor village that was really more home to live in and a place for servants as well.  

The Castle is quite interesting with a great history of Anne Boleyn and The Astors.  It is furnished as the Astor's left it in the living areas, but there are also rooms that focus on the Boleyns and Anne's history with King Henry VIII.   It is amazing and the gardens are spectacular!

 There is a beautiful Rose Garden and the Italian Garden that was added by William Astor to show off his collection of statuary and antiquities.

 There are many garden rooms that give the gardens an intimate feel in such a large setting.

Here is a picture with our driver Brad.  By the end of our 9 day stay he was like one of the family. He runs a fantastic car service and he is a nice guy.

This is a beautiful property and worth the visit.  As in the English way, there are great cafes, bathrooms, and gift shops.  You can shoot a bow and arrow, go through a maze and picnic.