Hever Castle

Hever Castle, in Kent, England, was the seat of the Boleyn family. Originally a farmhouse, it was built in the 13th century and converted into a manor in 1462 by Geoffrey Boleyn, who served as Lord Mayor of London. The remains of the timber dwelling can still be seen within the stone walls of the fortification. Some time after 1505, the Boleyn family moved in, and Anne Boleyn, though not born here, grew up here and lived here until her marriage to King Henry VIII of England. After Anne and her brother George were executed (1536) and her father Thomas Boleyn died (1539), the property came into the possession of King Henry VIII of England. He bestowed it on Anne of Cleves when he divorced her (1540), but she probably spent little time there.

The building subsequently lay almost derelict for hundreds of years, until restored by American millionaire, William Waldorf Astor, who restored it for use as a family residence. The estate is now run as a conference centre, but the castle is open to the public, and is particularly well known for its maze.