Heading off

After several wonderful hours in Ann Boleyn's home it was a case of heading off (and she knows more about that than most).

It was a wonderful spot and a terrific and historic place for a visit.

(If you are interested in seeing some further photos from Hever then do have a look at the Flickr set)

Rockin'

Back in the more formal areas we came back to the rockery - and Gorse Fox thought how nice it was in comparison to the monstrous specimen at Wisley. He had commented that very morning that he had concluded that the rockery at Wisley was "naff" and could do with some decent design... and here was an example of a well designed rockery.

Falls

At the east end of the lake was a small cascade the managed water level for the lake and allowed the excess water to flow down into the passing River Eden.

Lakeside

It was lovely and warm still, but overcast. The autumn colours were struggling to start their show - but unfortunately the greyness of the sky flattened the colours.

Having left the Castle we went for a stroll across the 16-acre island and onwards around the lake. Once we had walked past the water maze we had the place to ourselves and didn't see another soul until we had walked right round the lake.

Moat

Water always acts as a draw for the Gorse Fox and Hever Castle had a moat and a 36 acre lake (dug by 748 workmen in the early 1900s).

Drawbridge

The drawbridge still works, apparently and the portcullis is one of the oldest in the country. Virginia creeper bleeds down the front of the building and beckons the visitor to cross the moat and look at treasures within.

Needless to say (for a UK attraction) no photography was permitted inside. But despite this the house was fantastic and the route took you through almost every nook and cranny of the castle. It houses one of the best collections of Tudor artefacts in the country and the whole buidling is quite beguiling. It has a scale that seems domestic... you can imagine living in it (unlike most castles).

Neo-Tudor Village

In the Astor's development they realised that extending or changing the castle to house the staff and guests was a non-starter. As a result they got together with an architect and built a mock Tudor village at the back of the castle large enough to house 100 staff and lucky guests.

Reflections

The Gorse Fox and Silver Vixen had a day out. We gathered our passports (as we had to cross into Kent) and set out in a north easterly direction through Findon, Cowfold, Crawley, Edenbridge and on to Hever.

Hever was the home of Ann Boleyn before her marriage to Henry VIII. Over the centuries the house has passed through several families - but perhaps most significant was the Astors who had the money and imagination to restore and protect the castle, the estate and its environs.