Tour of Hever Castle England {Part 1}

England, my England.

I am an Anglophile through and through.

There are two places on this Earth where my soul is at peace.

The mountains of North Carolina, and England.

From the second the wheels of the plane touch the ground at

Heathrow, I feel as if I am at “home.”

It’s a feeling that comes over me which I cannot put into words.

It’s a feeling of “belonging.”

Last September, my equally-loving-England hubby and I spent two

glorious weeks driving the back roads and hopping from

small town to small town.

Here is Day One – the childhood home of Anne Boleyn.

 Hever Castle (Part 1)

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This  visit was mine and The Hubbs second visit to

Hever Castle and I seriously doubt it will be my last.

This place is simply magical.

We are huge Tudor fans, particularly Anne Boleyn and Henry.

We visited Hever Castle several years ago when we

traveled to England during Christmas.  It was a whole new

experience seeing everything green and still in bloom.

We did not go inside this time, but we were so

lucky to be able to stay ON the grounds at the

Hever Castle Inn.  (I will share that in a later post.)

I warn you. This post is picture heavy.  I took over

1200 pictures during our two-week tour.  I did my best

to give you some of the prettiest shots.  So, sit back –

grab a scone and a cuppa tea…and enjoy.

Welcome to Hever Castle…

Hever Castle is a mixture of centuries-old

and decades-old architecture.

The castle dates back to the 13th Century,

and not only was it the childhood home of Anne Boleyn,

it was also where Henry VIII courted and proposed to his

second wife and future mother of Elizabeth 1.

Once you enter thru the Castle Gates, you meander along a

charming walkway, where you come to the ticket stand.

You are greeted by an interesting welcoming committee.

You pass over a very old bridge, and the beauty of England

comes to life before you.  The castle teases you with each step.

You keep looking for a glimpse of it as you walk along the path.

You pass pretty, apple espalier….

And whimsical animal topiary.

You get a glimpse of the Hever Castle Inn in the distance…

{The arrow you see above was the room that The Hubbs and

I stayed in.}

Although this section looks amazingly old, it only dates back to

the early 20th Century when American William Astor bought and

restored a sadly, crumbling castle that was in much-needed repair.

But, the fact he paid so much attention to detail in

making sure the “new” blended so well with the old

amazed me.  Finally…. you round a corner, and you see

a glimpse of Hever Castle…

I had the same feeling upon seeing this Castle for the second time

as I did the first time.  My heart beat a little quicker, and I

experienced a profound feeling of walking back in time.

And then you see her…

A beautiful stone building rising up from a moat surround.

We were in England mid-September, so the vines were in the very

early stages of Fall.  It could not have been more beautiful.

I couldn’t help but think that Anne had, many times

before me, stood in this same spot and looked up at

her home with the same adoration I did.

Standing at the end of the moat bridge, you could see a

glimpse into the castle courtyard.

If you know me, I am a “toucher” and a “feeler.”

I have this innate desire to touch surfaces of history.

As if by osmosis, I can withdraw feelings and emotions

through my fingertips.

If you also know me, you know I have a fascination with

doors.  This was no exception.

I love the little door within the door above.

The wood was smooth and worn, and to think that so many

souls had passed before me, through these same doors.

I sat in that very chair in the stone courtyard.

Visiting England, for me, is an emotional experience.

I have no idea why.  It’s as if my soul has come home.

I am connected to England as much as I am connected

to America, which I could not love more.

One of my favorite parts of the courtyard are the leaded

windows, above.  This area is very close to Anne’s bedroom,

which has her original bed with her initials carved into the headboard.

(photo courtesy of Hever Castle)

On the far side of these windows are these stone stairs…

Can’t you imagine Anne running down these same steps

to meet a waiting Henry?

I left the courtyard.  There was so much to explore outside

the Castle walls.  Gardens that were never-ending.

I will do this tour in Three Parts, because there was so

much to see and share.

There are actually two sections of the garden.  A smaller,

formal English garden near the side of the castle.

I will share a few images of that garden here.  The formal

Italian garden is a post of its own.

The English Garden featured smaller gardens within

 gardens, with tucked-away areas where old fountains

flowed and boxwoods were clipped to perfection.

Decades old vines created beautiful arbors and little

hidden “rooms” to sit and take in the beauty.

Two beautiful statues and an iron garden gate welcomed

you to visit the Yew Maze.  I didn’t go in this time,

because it was early in the morning and the

“dew was heavy on the yew.”  😀

By the way, by being an overnight visitor to the Inn,

you were given full after hours access to the gardens and

the grounds.  This was about 7am in the morning, before

breakfast.  Did I say how magical it was?  I think I saw maybe

two-three other people on the grounds while I was there.

I walked to the back of the English garden as if I were

meeting an old friend whom I knew would be

waiting for me there.  A huge, Topiary Chess Set in Boxwood.

Pretty amazing, huh?

It was time for breakfast, and there was more gardens

to explore, plus the Church grounds where I had discovered,

a “Humphrey” was buried. (my maiden name)

Come to find out, a Humphrey was given the castle after

the demise of Anne.  Was this an ancestor?

Does that explain this strange connection to Hever?

Here’s a little sneak peak of the Church grounds I

will be sharing…

I made my way back towards the Inn, pausing to

take a quick picture of this graceful creature.

And a quick stop to the shop for a few goodies to take home.

I wish I could have smuggled home some plants from Hever.  Sigh.

Before walking back across the old wooden bridge,

I took one last look back at my beautiful Lady.

Hever Castle.

Join me next week where I will share the amazing Italian Gardens.

Here’s a little sneak peak…

I hope you have enjoyed this tour.  You can see more

posts from our travels HERE, to include our first trip

to Hever Castle.  You can also see some of

the real-time videos I made below…

 xxoo, Barb 

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Thank you for spending a few

minutes of your day here with me. 

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