Hever Castle and Gardens - The Childhood Home of Anne Boleyn
Hever Castle in Kent is the perfect place for a family day out. With a 13th-century castle and award-winning gardens set in 125 acres of beautiful grounds, the castle and gardens have something for all ages to enjoy. And no matter what time of the year you decide to visit, you are sure to have a wonderful time. We recently visited the castle on a nice and sunny day and had a fantastic time.
The 'castle' (more like a fortified country house) though small compared to many other castles that we have visited, is very beautiful. Structured with a drawbridge & a moat and the ivy on the walls, the medieval building looked amazing. And it has a long history associated with it. During the 15th and 16th centuries, Hever Castle was home to the Boleyns. It was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII. Later the castle passed into the ownership of Anne of Cleves who was the fourth wife of King Henry VIII. It was then owned by a number of other notable families before it gradually fell into a decline. Hever Castle was then acquired by William Waldorf Astor in the 20th century and after a lot of renovation and repair works; it was opened to the public. Today it is one of the most popular attractions in Kent, drawing visitors from near and far mainly due to its links to Anne Boleyn.
Once inside the castle, you follow a pre-set route that leads you through all the rooms on the ground floor and then you head up to the upper floors. There is a lot to see - antique furniture, books, family portraits, paintings, tapestry and even instruments of torture! And there are friendly and knowledgeable volunteers/guides in every room to answer any question you may have. You can walk through the castle rooms at your own pace without being rushed around. I loved the flower arrangements in all the rooms. They were stunning and I think all the flowers and foliage in the floral arrangements come from the gardens at Hever.
There is also a permanent exhibition that depicts key events in Anne Boleyn’s life at the Castle.
The gardens at Hever Castle are set in around 125 acres of beautiful grounds and are simply stunning. When we visited in June there were many colourful blooms and the garden areas were filled with the sweet scent of flowers.
The Italian Garden with lawns and yew hedges was lovely. On one side was the Pompeiian Wall which had small bays that housed stone and marble sculptures while on the other side was the Pergola Walk with grottoes that had ferns and other shade loving plants. At the end was the Loggia, flanked by huge pillars and with a lovely 'Trevi Fountain' inspired sculpture and fountain. What a beautiful place!
The Rose Garden was equally lovely and is said to be the setting for more than 4,000 roses in shades of red, yellow, orange and pink. The flowers were in full bloom during our visit and it was a haven of vibrant colours and sweet scent. You could just sit in the garden, let your mind relax and take in the beauty of the blooming flowers.
The Tudor Garden is made up of a number of small, sheltered gardens like the Fountain Garden, the Herb Garden and the Chess Garden which has golden yew cut into chess pieces. All these gardens have been laid out and planted in the same style as it would have been in the time of Anne Boleyn.
The Blue Corner as you would have guessed from the name is a garden that is predominantly blue in colour. There are some large rocks in the landscape and plants like blue hydrangeas, Californian lilac, heliotropes and other blue seasonal perennials add beauty to this lovely garden.
In addition to the castle and the wonderful gardens, Hever also has the following attractions:
- KSY Military Museum: where you can learn about the Kent and Sharpshooters Yeomanry.
- Miniature Model House exhibition: A lovely collection of miniature English houses.
- Lakeside walk: A delightful walk around the lake which will take you past the weir, a Japanese teahouse and WWII pillboxes.
- Maze: There are two different mazes at Hever. The Water Maze with stepping stones and hidden jets (a big hit with all ages) and the Yew Maze which is nearly 100 years old.
- Tudor Towers and Playground: Play areas with lots of interesting things for kids.
You can easily spend the whole day at Hever Castle and not get bored. There are a couple of restaurants and kiosks scattered around the grounds offering snacks, drinks, ice creams etc. You can also bring your own picnic and enjoy it on the lawns in the grounds or along the Lake Walk. An excellent day out!
Hever Castle & Gardens | Hever, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 7NG
Telephone | +44 (0)1732 865224
You can purchase (online or on admission) two types of ticket at Hever Castle: Castle & Gardens and Gardens Only. Most events are included in the ticket price; however, some like boating, archery and shield painting are not included in the entrance price. Online tickets to the castle & gardens are priced at £13.80 (students), £9.20 (child aged 5 to 15), £14.15 (seniors) and £16.25 (adults). Annual memberships are also available. You can check the latest ticket prices on Hever Castle's website.
Thanks to Hever Castle for arranging our entry. All opinions, as always, remain our own.
Hever Castle
The 'castle' (more like a fortified country house) though small compared to many other castles that we have visited, is very beautiful. Structured with a drawbridge & a moat and the ivy on the walls, the medieval building looked amazing. And it has a long history associated with it. During the 15th and 16th centuries, Hever Castle was home to the Boleyns. It was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII. Later the castle passed into the ownership of Anne of Cleves who was the fourth wife of King Henry VIII. It was then owned by a number of other notable families before it gradually fell into a decline. Hever Castle was then acquired by William Waldorf Astor in the 20th century and after a lot of renovation and repair works; it was opened to the public. Today it is one of the most popular attractions in Kent, drawing visitors from near and far mainly due to its links to Anne Boleyn.
Once inside the castle, you follow a pre-set route that leads you through all the rooms on the ground floor and then you head up to the upper floors. There is a lot to see - antique furniture, books, family portraits, paintings, tapestry and even instruments of torture! And there are friendly and knowledgeable volunteers/guides in every room to answer any question you may have. You can walk through the castle rooms at your own pace without being rushed around. I loved the flower arrangements in all the rooms. They were stunning and I think all the flowers and foliage in the floral arrangements come from the gardens at Hever.
There is also a permanent exhibition that depicts key events in Anne Boleyn’s life at the Castle.
The Gardens
The gardens at Hever Castle are set in around 125 acres of beautiful grounds and are simply stunning. When we visited in June there were many colourful blooms and the garden areas were filled with the sweet scent of flowers.
The Italian Garden with lawns and yew hedges was lovely. On one side was the Pompeiian Wall which had small bays that housed stone and marble sculptures while on the other side was the Pergola Walk with grottoes that had ferns and other shade loving plants. At the end was the Loggia, flanked by huge pillars and with a lovely 'Trevi Fountain' inspired sculpture and fountain. What a beautiful place!
The Rose Garden was equally lovely and is said to be the setting for more than 4,000 roses in shades of red, yellow, orange and pink. The flowers were in full bloom during our visit and it was a haven of vibrant colours and sweet scent. You could just sit in the garden, let your mind relax and take in the beauty of the blooming flowers.
The Tudor Garden is made up of a number of small, sheltered gardens like the Fountain Garden, the Herb Garden and the Chess Garden which has golden yew cut into chess pieces. All these gardens have been laid out and planted in the same style as it would have been in the time of Anne Boleyn.
The Blue Corner as you would have guessed from the name is a garden that is predominantly blue in colour. There are some large rocks in the landscape and plants like blue hydrangeas, Californian lilac, heliotropes and other blue seasonal perennials add beauty to this lovely garden.
In addition to the castle and the wonderful gardens, Hever also has the following attractions:
- KSY Military Museum: where you can learn about the Kent and Sharpshooters Yeomanry.
- Miniature Model House exhibition: A lovely collection of miniature English houses.
- Lakeside walk: A delightful walk around the lake which will take you past the weir, a Japanese teahouse and WWII pillboxes.
- Maze: There are two different mazes at Hever. The Water Maze with stepping stones and hidden jets (a big hit with all ages) and the Yew Maze which is nearly 100 years old.
- Tudor Towers and Playground: Play areas with lots of interesting things for kids.
You can easily spend the whole day at Hever Castle and not get bored. There are a couple of restaurants and kiosks scattered around the grounds offering snacks, drinks, ice creams etc. You can also bring your own picnic and enjoy it on the lawns in the grounds or along the Lake Walk. An excellent day out!
Hever Castle & Gardens | Hever, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 7NG
Telephone | +44 (0)1732 865224
Entrance prices
You can purchase (online or on admission) two types of ticket at Hever Castle: Castle & Gardens and Gardens Only. Most events are included in the ticket price; however, some like boating, archery and shield painting are not included in the entrance price. Online tickets to the castle & gardens are priced at £13.80 (students), £9.20 (child aged 5 to 15), £14.15 (seniors) and £16.25 (adults). Annual memberships are also available. You can check the latest ticket prices on Hever Castle's website.
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