Hever Castle was built in 1270. It's an original medieval defensive castle with gatehouse and walled bailey. During the 15th and 16th centuries it was the home to the Boleyns, who aded a Tudor dwelling inside the walls. Hever Castle was called home by 13 different families but most notably Anne Boleyn, one of the six wives of King Henry VIII.
Kent is a fantastic place to visit for those who enjoy slow travel with their companions. Having miles of coastline and countryside yet only being a short distance away from London; it's the ideal location for a short break, weekend away, or a longer stay. Learn more in my dog-friendly guide to Kent.
Hever Castle and Gardens is in Edenbridge, Kent. If you want to explore everywhere at a leisurely pace, allow plenty of time for your visit and use the interactive online map. Despite spanning 125-acres, the grounds are manageable and easy to explore. Hever Castle often puts on a range of seasonal events. Although mostly for children, there are exhibitions and performances.
Enthusiastic to experience more dog-friendly attractions, we visited Hever Castle and Gardens during a recent visit to Kent in summer. The weather was glorious, requiring lots of rests in shady spots and a shorter than expected visit. Regardless, I highly recommend visiting this well-preserved privately-owned castle.
Hever is a dog-friendly attraction albeit it with restricted access. Dogs are not permitted in the castle, nor the cafés, restaurants, shops, mazes, or play areas. They are allowed to roam the extensive 125-acre gardens as long as they're kept on a short lead. They can also join you on the boats and pedalos available to hire at the lake.
It's disappointing dogs aren't allowed inside any of the cafés or restaurants. The sun took us by surprise on the day we visited. So we mostly hovered in the shade admiring the grounds around the castle. It would have been nice if we were able to get a little respite from the sun by sitting inside.
Hever Castle Gardens
The grounds of Hever Castle are impressive. award-winning gardens spanning 125-acres feature a classical statuary, a giant topiary chess set, and 5,000 rose bushes. You'll find cascades, grottoes, and fountains at every turn as you stroll through the Tudor Garden, Blue Corner, and Rhododendron Walk. The current owners, the Guthrie family, added a water maze.
Hever Castle has been a Silver Award from the Kent Wildlife Trust for the work they've done to maintain low input grassland and create and manage meadows using traditional techniques. As a result, there is an abundance of wildlife in the gardens.
You can spot a number of birds including mandarin ducks, moorhens, and mute swans. The moat and half moon pond hides a number of fish including koi carp, eels, fresh water bream, roach, and rudd. Frogs, toads, and newts have also made their home here.
The gardening teamlook after a number of hives, encouraging bees to visit their flowers.
The gardens are home to elephant hawk moths, hummingbird hawk-moths, hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. In the moat and half moon pond, a number of fish including koi carp, fresh water bream, roach, rudd, and eels can be spotted. Frogs, toads, and newts have also made their home here. As do mandarin ducks, moorhens, and mute swans. Even bats and otters visit Hever Castle.
As dogs aren't allowed in the castle, we purchased one ticket for the castle and gardens and another for just the gardens. We then took it in turns to explore the castle while the other waited outside with our companion. There's a wonderfully shady spot with a wonderful view of the castle and moat. Head across the bridge and turn left. You'll see a tree with a bench underneath it. We sat here to admire the view and pass the time.
Inside Hever Castle
Surrounding the castle is a double moat with a restored working drawbridge crossing in the inner one. The portcullis of latticed wood and iron that you pass under on your visit is original, and may be one of the oldest working examples in Britain. The rooms of the house are spread across three floors accessed via wide staircases.
Highlights from the castle include 'The Tudor rooms' including Anne Boleyn’s bedroom as well as Henry VIII’s bedchamber. The Long Gallery is where guests were entertained and collections were put on display. The collection of Tudor portraits in this room is considered to be the best outside of Britain’s National Portrait Gallery. If you head upstairs, you can see Anne Boleyn's prayer books on display. She annotated one with a message in her own hand asking readers to pray for her.
If you visit Hever Castle around Christmas, look out into the gardens towards the bridge that crosses the River Eden. Anne Boleyn's ghost is said to visit and you might catch sight of her...
