Hever Castle

Over het museum

Hever Castle began in the 13th century as a walled bailey with a gatehouse, which is the oldest surviving part of the site. In 1462 the Boleyn family turned the fortified house into a more comfortable manor. Thomas Boleyn inherited it in 1505, and his daughter Anne, later the second wife of Henry VIII, spent part of her childhood here. After Thomas Boleyn died in 1539 the castle passed to the Crown, and Henry VIII gave it to Anne of Cleves in 1540 as part of their divorce settlement.

Over the following centuries the castle changed hands several times and gradually fell into disrepair, and for a long period it was let to tenants. In 1903 the American businessman William Waldorf Astor bought it and carried out a thorough restoration of the castle. He also built the Tudor-style Astor Wing, a group of guest buildings behind the castle, dug the lake and created the Italian Garden to show his collection of classical statues and ornaments.

The Astor family sold the estate in 1983 to the Guthrie family, who run it today through Hever Castle Ltd. Inside, visitors see panelled rooms, paintings, furniture and objects from the Tudor period, including items linked to Anne Boleyn, as well as displays about the Astor family. The grounds include formal gardens, yew and water mazes, a lake walk, play areas and a small military museum.

Hoogtepunten

• Gatehouse with a working portcullis
• Rooms linked to Anne Boleyn and the Tudor court
• Italian Garden with classical statuary
• Yew maze and water maze
• Tudor Towers adventure playground and lake walk
• KSY Military Museum in the grounds

Vaste collectie

• Long Gallery exhibition on Anne Boleyn and the Tudors – A permanent display in the Long Gallery that follows the story of the Tudor dynasty from the Wars of the Roses to Anne Boleyn's fall.
• Astor Suite – Pictures and objects about the Astor family, who restored the castle in the early 20th century, and about life in the Edwardian period.

Opgericht

1271

Beheerder

Hever Castle Ltd

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

Prices shown are the online prices for the period 2 September to 19 November 2026; tickets bought on entry cost more (adult Castle and Gardens £28.40, Gardens only £22.20). Christmas event tickets (20 November 2026 to 2 January 2027) have separate prices. Annual membership gives free daytime entry. Partner offers are available for RHS members, Historic Houses members, Gardeners' World 2-for-1, Armed Forces and Tesco Clubcard holders, with event days excluded. Hever Castle is privately owned and is not part of the National Trust or English Heritage.

Toegankelijkheid

• Deels rolstoeltoegankelijk
• Lift: niet aanwezig
• Aangepast toilet
• Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats
• Hulphonden welkom
• Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten
• Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
• Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
• Audiodescriptie: geen informatie

Only the castle's ground floor is suitable for wheelchairs; the upper floors are reached by spiral stairs and there are steps at the gatehouse and into the courtyard, with no lift. Motorised wheelchairs, mobility scooters and pushchairs cannot enter the courtyard or castle. In the gardens, wheelchair users should keep to the hard-surfaced and shingle paths. Four manual wheelchairs can be hired for a refundable deposit of £25 and must be booked in advance by phone. Blue Badge parking is near the Moat Restaurant. Accessible toilets are near the ticket office, in the Moat Restaurant and in the Pavilion Restaurant. Audio guides work with hearing loops, and magnifying glasses and a short castle history in Braille can be borrowed at the castle entrance. Registered assistance dogs are welcome everywhere, including the castle. A Gardens only ticket lets visitors look at the gatehouse before deciding on the castle.

Kinderen & gezin

Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen

• Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
• Speurtocht, doeboekje of kinderaudiotour
• Doe- en voelstations
• Kinderwagenvriendelijk: niet aanwezig
• Verschoonruimte
• Speeltuin / speelhoek

Children can use a children's audio guide, the Tudor Towers adventure playground (for ages from young children to teenagers), the Acorn Dell natural play area for under-7s, mazes and an obstacle course on Woodland Walk. Pushchairs cannot be taken into the castle and are left in the courtyard. Baby changing rooms are near the ticket office and in the Pavilion Restaurant toilets.

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

The castle is about 30 miles from central London, off the B2026 between Sevenoaks and East Grinstead, and 3 miles south-east of Edenbridge. Use junction 10 of the M23; it is signposted from junctions 5 and 6 of the M25. Coach drivers should check the route because of low bridges. Local taxi firms for Edenbridge: Country Hire and Go Taxis and Relyon Taxis.

Service & horeca

• Café
• Restaurant
• Museumwinkel

Moat Restaurant (open daily) and Guthrie Pavilion Restaurant (open seasonally), plus kiosks and picnic areas; the Hever Shop is in the grounds. Visitors may bring their own picnic.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

• Ruimtes te huur
• Privéfeesten
• Zakelijke evenementen
• Bruiloften / trouwceremonies

The Astor Wing, the Guthrie Pavilion in the Italian Garden and parts of the castle can be hired for corporate and private events, weddings and film or photography.

Je bezoek plannen