Hever Castle and Gardens in Sevenoaks, Kent

Hever Castle and Gardens in Sevenoaks Kent offers over 700 years of history to discover at this breath-taking castle. Dating back to 1270, Hever’s original mediaeval defensive castle with gatehouse and walled bailey dates to mediaeval Europe while Boleyn family added Tudor dwellings inside its walls in 15th and 16th centuries.

Hever Castle was Anne Boleyn’s childhood home. Anne became King Henry VIII’s second wife and was ultimately responsible for giving birth to Queen Elizabeth I. Although their affair ultimately turned bitter, its legacy helped sway Henry away from Catholicism and towards the founding of the Church of England.

Today, Hever Castle is an unparalleled treasure trove of history and art. Boasting one of the country’s finest collections of Tudor portraits as well as an exhibit about Anne Boleyn herself, there’s much to explore at Hever. Plus there are regular special events taking place here. Refer to this page for more information.

The Medieval Council Chamber is the oldest room in the castle and features an exquisite Gothic fireplace with intricate tracery. There are also fascinating displays of furniture from that era as well as fascinating artefacts from it.

As you explore the castle, be sure to visit the Book of Hours Room where Anne Boleyn kept two prayer books that now reside within this room as well as a newly acquired wooden heraldic panel.

Consider visiting the Astor Suite, featuring memorabilia from the Astor family who purchased Hever in 1903. Much of what you’ll see here can be credited to William Waldorf Astor who transformed and expanded Hever Castle while creating its magnificent gardens and lake.

Hever Castle in Kent offers an unforgettable day trip. Set amidst 125 acres of grounds, Hever Castle provides plenty to keep both adults and kids busy!

At this park, there’s an adventure playground, yew maze and water maze for children to have loads of fun with. Additionally, there’s a lovely lake for walks as well as a Japanese teahouse to visit.

There’s also the SKY Military Museum where visitors can learn more about Kent and Sharpshooters Yeomanry as well as try archery or rowing boats for themselves.

Gardens are also an impressive sight. Beautifully laid out and boasting all sorts of interesting sights – from an Italian Garden with classical statuary to the 5,000 rose bushes that put on an amazing show – the gardens offer something special for visitors to take in.

They also feature a Blue Corner where you’ll find large rocks adorned with blue hydrangeas, Californian lilac and heliotrope flowers in bloom.

If you’re visiting Hever Castle with children, be sure to stop and visit the Yew Maze, planted in 1904 and still flourishing today. Children of all ages love playing this maze – trying their hardest not to end up wet while trying to reach its centre folly is great fun!

The gardens at Hever were created in the early 1900s by American millionaire William Waldorf Astor who had a passion for history and gardening. The four-acre Italian Garden, with its pillars, statuary and sculpture dating back to Roman times is a beautiful place to explore.

There’s a good selection of gardens at Hever including the Blue Corner which has a number of different plants that come into bloom in various shades of blue during the year. It’s a lovely garden to visit with children as they will love the yew trees that they can see throughout the site and they’ll also enjoy walking around the lake too!

A day out in Kent is not complete without visiting Hever Castle & Gardens. The grounds are beautifully manicured and offer plenty of space for relaxing and enjoying the natural beauty of the surroundings. They include a lake with boating opportunities, the KSY Military Museum and a mini model house exhibition to name but a few things to do at this historic attraction.

The castle and surrounding gardens are an essential part of any visit to Hever, and as you can see there is a lot to do here. There are mazes, adventure playgrounds, a boating lake, jousting, museums and so much more! And with 125 acres of gardens to explore, there really is something for everyone!

Hever Castle and its 125 acres of award-winning gardens, was named one of the UK’s best historical attractions in a Which? survey.

Located in Sevenoaks, Hever is just over an hour’s drive from central London and offers easy access to the motorway network. It is a great place for families with children and a good base to explore the local area.

While there are many wonderful historic properties to see around the country, Hever is among the best. It is a great place to learn about the history of England while seeing one of the most stunning castles in the world.

A visit to Hever Castle is a great day out for the whole family and you will certainly be blown away by its beauty. You can learn about Ightham Mote in Sevenoaks here.