Located in Kent, England, Hever Castle is a spectacular 13th-century country mansion renowned as the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s ill-fated second wife. Originally constructed as a moated farmhouse in 1270, the estate was transformed into a fortified castle by the de Hever family and later expanded into a Tudor residence by the Boleyns.

The castle’s rich interior features magnificent Tudor panelling, rare historic portraits, and personal prayer books belonging to Anne Boleyn herself. Following the fall of the Boleyn family, the estate eventually passed to Henry’s fourth wife, Anne of Cleves.

By the 19th century, the castle had fallen into disrepair. However, it was saved in 1903 by American millionaire William Waldorf Astor, who poured his immense wealth into a meticulous restoration. Astor expanded the estate by building the charming “Tudor Village” guest wing and designing the spectacular 125-acre grounds. Today, visitors can explore these award-winning gardens, which include an Italian garden filled with Roman antiquities, a giant yew maze, a water maze, and a pristine 38-acre lake.