If you're enamored with Tudor history--or if you've read Phillipa Gregory's book, The Other Boleyn Girl--you might want to take a little trip outside of London to Hever Castle, the ancestral Boleyn home. The easiest way to do this is via car, but the drive is motorway until you get to Kent...about an hour south of Gatwick. I actually drove to Kent to visit Chartwell, Winston Churchill's home, but I was delighted to discover Hever so close to my original attraction. A wonderful idea would be to combine these two places and make a full day. However, Hever is going to be the biggest hit with kids.

What's to see?
First, I would be remiss to not mention the beautiful area in which this castle is nestled. In contrast to the hustle and bustle of London, Kent is full of orchards, green hills, hedge fences, and sheep. The drive itself was enjoyable for me.
Second, Americans will have an added point of interest because it was an American who rescued Hever from dilapidation and lovingly restored it to its current condition. Granted, he was a Waldorf, and after his grandfather made the family fortune in the New World, he decided to be a 'gentleman', he had to return to Old Europe. Well, I can forgive him this slight to our country because I understand his attraction to England.

Third, the castle itself is most interesting. With a tour wand as my guide, I loved going from room to room and hearing about all of the past owners' fortunes. In the first room, I paused to look at the small portraits of Anne and her sister Mary. Both of these women had relationships with Henry VIII. Though Mary was only a mistress, it was perhaps better for her to be discarded than beheaded! Onward and upward I found the long gallery that contains wax figures of the Boleyns. Then there are the portraits of Anne's daughter, Elizabeth I, whose success on the throne might have been her mother's greatest revenge. Also interesting was the hidden room for taking mass used by one Catholic family that owned the castle and the hiding place downstairs where a priest was supposedly murdered. (His ghost is said to still be in residence!)

So what will be fun for children? Kids will love the Henry VIII playground, the hedge maze, and the water hazard maze near the lake. The grounds are extensive, so they will appreciate running about without having to tip-toe through a museum. Even the gardens with their ancient Italian statues (all imported by the Waldorfs) will be interesting for them to explore. Get an ice cream in the cafe at the end! Also, there's a fabulous exhibit in dollhouse minature of how homes have changed over the centuries for the aristocracy.

Cost? Adults, Castle+gardens=£10.50, Gardens Only=£8.40; Kids (5-14), Castle+gardens=£5.70, Gardens Only=£5.40. Family tickets and senior discounts are available.

Sections are closed in Winter and Castle operates on Limited Hours in that season.

What's to see?
First, I would be remiss to not mention the beautiful area in which this castle is nestled. In contrast to the hustle and bustle of London, Kent is full of orchards, green hills, hedge fences, and sheep. The drive itself was enjoyable for me.
Second, Americans will have an added point of interest because it was an American who rescued Hever from dilapidation and lovingly restored it to its current condition. Granted, he was a Waldorf, and after his grandfather made the family fortune in the New World, he decided to be a 'gentleman', he had to return to Old Europe. Well, I can forgive him this slight to our country because I understand his attraction to England.

Third, the castle itself is most interesting. With a tour wand as my guide, I loved going from room to room and hearing about all of the past owners' fortunes. In the first room, I paused to look at the small portraits of Anne and her sister Mary. Both of these women had relationships with Henry VIII. Though Mary was only a mistress, it was perhaps better for her to be discarded than beheaded! Onward and upward I found the long gallery that contains wax figures of the Boleyns. Then there are the portraits of Anne's daughter, Elizabeth I, whose success on the throne might have been her mother's greatest revenge. Also interesting was the hidden room for taking mass used by one Catholic family that owned the castle and the hiding place downstairs where a priest was supposedly murdered. (His ghost is said to still be in residence!)

So what will be fun for children? Kids will love the Henry VIII playground, the hedge maze, and the water hazard maze near the lake. The grounds are extensive, so they will appreciate running about without having to tip-toe through a museum. Even the gardens with their ancient Italian statues (all imported by the Waldorfs) will be interesting for them to explore. Get an ice cream in the cafe at the end! Also, there's a fabulous exhibit in dollhouse minature of how homes have changed over the centuries for the aristocracy.

Cost? Adults, Castle+gardens=£10.50, Gardens Only=£8.40; Kids (5-14), Castle+gardens=£5.70, Gardens Only=£5.40. Family tickets and senior discounts are available. Sections are closed in Winter and Castle operates on Limited Hours in that season.

It had various owners until William Waldorf Astor bought the dilapidated castle in 1903. It was fashionable at the time for super-wealthy Americans to "buy" some connection to English aristocracy, and that's just what Astor did. He spent a great deal of money and effort to restore the castle as well as build the gardens and a Tudor Village. Most of what you see today is from Astor's restoration.

Hever has more of a fairy-tale look to it and feels much livelier than nearby Knole. The grounds feature a traditional maze made from yew bushes as well as a modern water maze: step on the wrong tile and you get doused. The Italian garden - constructed to display Astor's huge collection of Italianate sculpture - is quite amazing, even more so when you consider it took over 1,000 men nearly two years to build.

Hever Castle was originally a manor house built in about 1200 and developed as a castle about 300 years later when owned by the Bullen family. Mary Bullen was mistress to King Henry VIII but her sister Anne, who changed her name to Boleyn because she thought it more gentele, was to become queen when she married Henry. During their courtship Henry was a regular visitor at Hever. Anne, however, did not succeed as a queen in Henry's opinion as she only produced a daughter (later to become Queen Elizabeth I) and no male heir. For this, Henry had her beheaded so he could marry again, for the third time - to Jane Seymour. Although Jane did produce a son (Edward VI) she died soon afterwards leaving Henry in need of another wife. He married Anne of Cleves and this lady was luckier in that when she disappointed Henry he divorced her and gave her a home, Hever Castle.

Over the next few hundred years the castle fell into disrepair until it was bought by William Waldorf Astor in 1903. Not only did he restore the castle into a family home, create the lake and most of the gardens which surround it, but he also built the 'Tudor' village behind the castle to accommodate staff and guests.

The castle is moated with a drawbridge and two portcullises. Inside is a mix of museum, art gallery, and family home with everything from suits of armour to family portraits, library, and torture chambers.

The gardens include the peaceful lake, a normal maze with hedges, a water maze, Anne Boleyn's walk, and formal gardens with a collection of Roman, Greek, and other statuary. The scent of the rose garden in summer is amazing.

Entertainment such as medieval jousting and archery are popular additions during summer weekends. Summer evenings see professional theatre and concert productions at the Lakeside Theatre. There is also a restaurant and shop.

For those truly enamored with each other and the castle it is possible to hire it for the wedding, but be prepared to pay a king's ransom for the privilege. To get to Hever Castle take the train to Edenbridge Town station and pre-arrange a taxi from there. There is a station at Hever, but it's nowhere near the castle and not as convenient for taxis. Alternatively, you can drive to Edenbridge and follow the signs to Hever, taking care when driving along the narrow twisting country roads. Organized bus tours can also be arranged through a travel agent.