Hever Castle and Gardens, the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, is a must-visit for any history fan and you can even book to stay the night. The castle, which is located in the village of Hever in Kent, was purchased and restored in 1462 by Geoffrey Boleyn. His grandson Thomas then inherited the property in 1505, and lived there with his wife Lady Elizabeth Howard, and their children George, Mary and Anne.
Little is known about the early life of Anne Boleyn, with the year of her birth going unrecorded, but she did spend several years at Hever before she was sent to be educated in the Netherlands in 1513. READ MORE: I stopped at UK's 'Rolls Royce' of service stations loved by Gary Barlow with farm shop, café and soft play Following George Boleyn's execution in 1536, just two days before his sister's, Thomas Boleyn was left without an heir with Hever Castle falling into possession of the crown following his own death in 1539. A year later Henry VIII gave the castle to Anne of Cleves as part of their annulment settlement.
Hever Castle was later owned by a number of aristocratic families before being purchased by American millionaire William Waldorf Astor in 1903, who then sold the property to Broadland Properties Limited in 1983, who have since turned it into a tourist attraction. The castle is currently home to a number of historical artefacts, including Anne Boleyn's prayer books, instruments of torture, and a large collection of Tudor paintings. There are also numerous mazes i.