Drawbridge
Castle entrance.
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Hever Castle is a small moated castle in the village of Hever in Kent, south-east England, near the town of Edenbridge, about 40 km in a straight line south-east of central London. It began as a fortified country house in the 13th century, and from 1462 to 1539 it was the seat of the Boleyn family. Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII, spent her early youth here, and the castle later passed to Anne of Cleves, his fourth wife. In the early 20th century the American millionaire William Waldorf Astor bought it, restored it, built a Tudor-style village beside it and laid out extensive gardens. Visitors cross the drawbridge into the castle to see its furnished rooms and Tudor portraits, then explore the gardens, including an Italian garden, a rose garden, a yew maze and a large lake. Boats can be hired on the lake in summer. An entry fee is charged, and a visit takes half a day. The castle is an easy day trip from London, and it is at its finest in spring and summer when the gardens are in bloom.
Castle entrance.
And fountains.
Clipped yew.
Hever, Edenbridge, Kent, United Kingdom
About half a day.
About 40 km in a straight line.