 Hever Castle
The picturesque moated Tudor mansion seen today became famous in the early
16th century as the family home of the Bullens. But Hever Castle's history
actually began over 200 years earlier, when a massive gatehouse and
walled bailey were erected within the confines of a large moat, much
of which survive today. On two occasions during the 14th century licences
were granted to crenellate and fortify the manor house, but uncertainty
remains as to who the original builder could have been.
Following a succession of ownerships, Geoffrey Bullen arrived at Hever Castle in 1462,
after making his fortune in London. By the end of the 15th century,
the family had greatly modified the old castle to provide them with
a comfortable Tudor dwelling house surrounded by beautiful grounds.
And it was in this truly enchanting setting that Anne Bullen (Boleyn)
spent her childhood, and was later courted by Henry VIII. Following
Anne's execution, and the death of her father shortly afterwards, Hever
Castle was given to Anne of Cleves. Despite owning it for the rest of
her life, it is doubtful whether she lived there at any time during
that 17-year period. It was then purchased by the wealthy Waldegrave
family, and remained in their ownership until the early years of the
18th century. After that, Hever Castle fell into the hands of successive
owners who neglected to maintain and restore the old building on a regular basis.
Consequently, when William Waldorf Astor (the first Viscount Astor of Hever) bought
Hever Castle in 1903, the structure had deteriorated drastically. He immediately
set about restoring the external façade of the castle to its
former 15th century glory, created the Tudor-style village to provide
extra accommodation, and returned the lake and gardens to the splendid
vision they present today. Internally, the manor house retains some
of its original décor, albeit mostly of the Tudor-style renovation
work, but Mr Astor achieved his aim 'to live in 20th century style
and comfort' without severely impacting the historic origins of
the castle's architecture. Several rooms in the house, including the
Drawing Room, Inner Hall, Dining Hall, Library and Morning Room display
elaborate 20th century decoration, but also contain paintings, coats
of arms and various artefacts from the Boleyn era.
Hever Castle presents a pleasing and successful combination of three distinct
building periods, spanning more than 600 years. Set in extensive grounds,
which include the stunning Italian Gardens, some formal gardens, a maze,
and an enormous lake, this simple square structure became the venue
for a courtship that would change England for ever. |
