At the end of August, I visited Hever Castle, the childhood home of Anne Boleyn and her siblings, Mary and George.

The Gardens at Hever Castle

The gardens around Hever Castle are incredible, and there are plenty of photo opportunities. The gardens looked beautiful at the end of August, and the weather was perfect, so I could enjoy the grounds.

I enjoyed exploring the grounds. There is a lot to see, and the back of Hever Castle looks interesting. Visitors can take great photos there.

Hever Castle

To get to the castle, you must walk through the grounds. However, the walk is worth it, as the gardens are amazing, and the castle is stunning. Just before entering the castle, you are given the option of having an audio guide. I decided to use one this time, and it helped me learn a lot about Hever and its history. Most of it is about the Astors, who purchased Hever Castle, and Anne Boleyn.

 

Anne of Cleves, Henry VIII’s fourth wife, had also spent time at Hever. King Henry VIII gave it to her after the annulment of their marriage since Anne didn’t fight him about it. Anne made several changes in Hever, which are still visible today. It was Anne of Cleves who added the long gallery where all of the portraits are kept. In the window at the far end are three stained-glass windows with the coat of arms of Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves.

There is also the Anne of Cleves Bower House, which is close to the river. However, it is unknown when it was built. It could have been built by Anne of Cleves’s time at Hever or by William Waldorf Astor, who used to own Hever.

 

 

 

Summer Activities

All sorts of activities are going on at Hever Castle during the summer.

A steamboat, the Lady Astor,  was taking visitors around the lake. Some places at Hever, like the Japanese Tea House, can only be viewed from the lake and are not yet open to the public. I loved the tour across the lake, and it felt very calming.

While on the boat trip, you hear a little about the lake’s history. It wasn’t initially at Hever Castle but was created by the Astors, who brought Hever so they could preserve it.

One of the activities I did was archery. I was able to hit the target with my last arrow. I enjoyed doing it, and it was a lot of fun.

 

Other activities were available, such as a storytelling time for children about time travellers. The archery set-up was next to where the storytelling took place, so I overheard a little.

 

The Hever Castle official website can be found on the link.

You can discover more about my special interests and days out I have been on by using the links.