KENT The Garden of England Day One Part Two: Hever Castle

The morning was spent at Chartwell and for the afternoon we traveled the 5 miles to Hever Castle, childhood home of Anne BOLEYN, 2nd wife of King Henry VIII of England. In previous visits to London I visited the memorial at the Tower of London that commemorates the many who were beheaded here, including Anne BOLEYN.

King Henry VIII casts a long shadow. His first wife, Catherine of Aragon, failed to bear him a son so he divorced her as well as separating from the Church of Rome. He established the Church of England with himself at its head. In 1534, the Church of England renounced the authority of the Papacy and began the English Reformation. This involved the dissolution of all Catholic monasteries, friaries, priories, and convents ;  the seizing of the church’s wealth; the disposal of their assets; the destruction of many buildings and relics; and the dispersal or destruction of their libraries. This is the backdrop for the divorce and marriage of Anne BOLEYN>

Henry was enamored with Anne BOLEYN who refused him until they were married. It is said he was a frequent visitor at Hever Castle, her childhood home and the seat of the BOLEYN family. He married Anne in a secret wedding in late 1532 or early 1533.

Anne’s first pregnancy ended with the birth of a daughter, on September 7, 1533, Elizabeth [who become Elizabeth I , Queen of England] . A second pregnancy ended in a miscarriage or stillbirth in 1534. The third pregnancy resulted in a miscarriage on January 29, 1536. Anne was executed less than four months later, on May 19, 1536. She was accused of adultery, incest, and high treason, although many historians believe these charges were invented to make room for a new wife and hopefully a male heir. Anne’s brother George was executed on May 17, 1536, two days before Anne, also for alleged involvement in incest and treason. King Henry VIII granted to Anne that she be beheaded by a sword rather than an axe. This sword is displayed here. A solemn reminder of the brutality of the time.

Anne & George’s father, Thomas BOLEYN, lost his position as Lord Privy Seal after their demise, and died in 1539. After his death Hever Castle became the property of King Henry VIII. Below is part of a brass rubbing of Thomas Boleyn on display at Hever Castle.

Henry VIII later bestowed Hever castle to his fourth wife, Anne of Cleaves, as part of their divorce settlement. Eventually, the castle was acquired and restored by William Waldorf Astor, of New York City Astors, in the early 20th century. He later settled in England. In 1973 it was acquired by a private company that manages it today as a tourist attraction. [It is not a part of the National Trust or English Heritage] The Castle is a mix of old and new. There are some rooms outfitted to the time of Anne BOLEYN and King Henry VIII and some in the time of the Astors.

Like all the places I visited I offer just a smattering of photos to whet the appetite. I have to leave out so much but I try to make the photos I include show what impressed me. Windows are definitely something I am drawn to. The first below is a stained glass of the BOLEYN Family Coat of Arms.

I also tend to seek out architectural details or vignettes. Line, texture and color.

Perhaps the most intimate object on display is Anne BOLEYN’s Book of Hours, or personal prayer book.

As impressive is the Castle, it is a relatively small moated castle. The rooms have a more intimate quality than a royal castle. Henry VIII is believed to have visited Hever Castle during his courtship of Anne Boleyn, but whether he ever stayed here is debated. The castle has 4 portraits of Henry on display and a lock said to have belonged to Henry VIII.  One of the portraits and the lock below.

I think I could have spent another day here and only scratched the surface. I was drawn outside to the Woodland garden and I was not disappointed. But as Ralph Waldo Emerson said:

“For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else.”

Exploring the Woodland garden at length, meant I missed the Rose Garden and the Italian Garden, and so it goes. These two photos are looking up toward the staircase to the woodland and looking back toward the castle. [Please expand to get the full experience]

Just a smattering of the Woodland. If you go in the Spring don’t miss it. Especially if you are a Rhododendron lover.

And finally I made it back to the cafe where I bought my lunch. I ate at a picnic table, with a view of the castle and surrounded by mallard ducks and a curious goose. But what really caught my eye was the reflection of brick in the water.

Next we made our way to Canterbury. Up nest Part Three of Day One.

Kelly Wheaton ©2025 – All Rights Reserved

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