Castles · South East England
Hever Castle
Hever Castle — Grade I listed country house in Hever, Kent, England, UK.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–3 h
- Nearest railway station
- Hever · 1.5 km
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
About
Hever Castle is a castle in the United Kingdom — fortified architecture from the medieval, Tudor, or Victorian-revival period. Records date its origin to 1271. Designed by http://www.wikidata.org/.well-known/genid/8173f6951d921903447a8876a49378bd. Heritage designation: Grade I listed building. Address: TN8 7NG. Wikidata describes it as: "Grade I listed country house in Hever, Kent, England, UK". Coordinates: 51.1869°, 0.1139°.
Photo gallery
Heritage listing
Hever Castle ( HEE-və) is located in the village Hever, Kent, near Edenbridge, 30 miles (48 km) south-east of London, England. It began as a country house, built in the 13th century. From 1462 to 1539, it was the seat of the Boleyn (originally 'Bullen') family. Anne Boleyn, the second queen consort of King Henry VIII of England, spent her early youth there after her father, Thomas Boleyn, inherited it in 1505. The castle passed to him upon the death of his father, Sir William Boleyn. It later came into the possession of King Henry VIII's fourth wife, Anne of Cleves.
From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.
Protected designations
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: High Weald
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Kent Downs
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Hever Castle ( HEE-və) is located in the village Hever, Kent, near Edenbridge, 30 miles (48 km) south-east of London, England. It began as a country house, built in the 13th century. From 1462 to 1539, it was the seat of the Boleyn (originally 'Bullen') family. Anne Boleyn, the second queen consort of King Henry VIII of England, spent her early youth there after her father, Thomas Boleyn, inherited it in 1505. The castle passed to him upon the death of his father, Sir William Boleyn. It later came into the possession of King Henry VIII's fourth wife, Anne of Cleves. The Grade I listed castle is now owned by the Guthrie family's Broadland Properties.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
There have been three main periods in the construction of this historic castle. The castle's oldest part dates to 1270 and consisted of the gatehouse and a walled bailey. It was then owned by James Fiennes, 1st Baron Saye and Sele. The second period was when the castle, then in need of repair, was converted into a manor in 1462 by Geoffrey Boleyn, younger brother of Thomas Boleyn, Master of Gonville Hall, Cambridge. He added a Tudor dwelling within the walls. The third period of repair and renovation was in the 20th century, when it was acquired by William Waldorf Astor. Geoffrey Boleyn's grandson, Thomas Boleyn, inherited the castle in 1505. He lived there with his wife Lady Elizabeth…
Description
Hever Castle is now a tourist attraction, drawing on its links to Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII, its mazes, gardens and lakes. There is an annual event programme with assorted events, including jousting tournaments and archery displays in the summer months and an annual patchwork and quilting exhibition in September. The castle has also become the venue for a triathlon and open water swimming. The castle has three floors containing antique furniture, Anne Boleyn's prayer books, instruments of torture, and a large collection of Tudor paintings. There is also a museum of the Kent and Sharpshooters Yeomanry. The remains of the original country house timbers can still be seen within the stone…
Visiting
The castle has been used as a location for music videos. The 2020 drama-thriller television series The Third Day used the castle as a filming location. The Loggia on the lake was used as the location for a peace conference in the comedy-drama tevelvision series The Great. Scenes from the second season of the Star Wars series Andor were filmed at the castle, doubling for Naboo. It was previously used for Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. Movie productions that have filmed on the property include The Princess Bride and Inkheart.
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.1869, 0.1139
- County
- Kent
- District
- Sevenoaks
- Parish
- Hever
- Postcode
- TN8 7NG
- Parliamentary constituency
- Tonbridge
- Established
- 1271
- Nearest railway station
- Hever — 1.5 km
- Official site
- www.hevercastle.co.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q1132683 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Hever Castle (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Hever Castle.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Featured in these 3 guides
Itinerary
Kent: castles, white cliffs, and the Garden of England
Three days of Norman castles, Tudor palaces and Channel coast.
Itinerary
Tudor Britain: a five-day tour
Hampton Court, Hever, Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII — the architecture of a dynasty.
Itinerary
Kent castles and gardens
Leeds, Hever, Penshurst — and Sissinghurst.
Other places nearby
Loading nearby places…
Nearby
📷 5Gardens · South East England
Italian Sculpture Garden To South East Of Hever Castle
Italian Sculpture Garden To South East Of Hever Castle — sculptures and garden near Hever Castle, Kent, England, UK.
📷 5Public art & sculpture · South East England
Italian Sculpture Garden To South East Of Hever Castle
Italian Sculpture Garden To South East Of Hever Castle in England South East, United Kingdom.
📷 5Museums · South East England
Kent and Sharpshooters Yeomanry Museum Kent and Sharpshooters Yeomanry Museum
Kent and Sharpshooters Yeomanry Museum Kent and Sharpshooters Yeomanry Museum — a museum in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic churches · South East England
Church of St Peter
Church of St Peter — church in Hever, Kent, England, UK.
📷 5Memorials & monuments · South East England
Hever War Memorial
Hever War Memorial — Grade II listed building-listed memorial in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
📷 5Towns & cities · South East England
Hever
Hever — village and civil parish in Kent, England.
Other castles from this era
📷 5Castles · London
Allington Castle
Allington Castle — stone-built moated castle in Allington, England.
📷 5Castles · London
Cheveley Castle
Cheveley Castle — castle in Cheveley, Cambridgeshire, England, UK.
📷 5Castles · London
Guildford Castle
Guildford Castle — castle in Guildford, Surrey, England, UK.
📷 5Castles · London
Hertford Castle
Hertford Castle — Grade I listed castle in East Hertfordshire, England, UK.
More castles in this region
Flagship📷 10Castles · South East England
Old Wardour Castle
Old Wardour Castle — Grade I listed castle in Wardour, Wiltshire, England, UK.
📷 5Castles · South East England
Amberley Castle
Amberley Castle — Grade I listed castle in Horsham District, United Kingdom.
📷 5Castles · South East England
Arundel Castle
Arundel Castle — castle in West Sussex, England, UK.
📷 5Castles · South East England
Ballands Castle
Ballands Castle — former castle in Somerset, England, UK.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Hever Castle?
- Hever Castle is in Kent, South-East England, United Kingdom (postcode TN8 7NG), in the parish of Hever.
- When was Hever Castle built?
- Built or established in 1271. Designed by http://www.wikidata.org/.well-known/genid/8173f6951d921903447a8876a49378bd.
- Is Hever Castle a listed building?
- Hever Castle is officially recognised as Grade I listed building listed.
- Is Hever Castle a protected site?
- Yes — Hever Castle is part of the High Weald National Landscape (AONB) and the Kent Downs National Landscape (AONB).
- Does Hever Castle charge admission?
- Hever Castle typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.
- How do I get to Hever Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Hever, about 1.5 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode TN8 7NG.