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The History of Hever Hotel & Country Club
The hotel sits on the former grounds of Hever Castle. The castle itself dates back to 1270 and was the ancestral home of Anne Boleyn, second wife to King Henry V111 and mother to Queen Elizabeth 1. In 1903 it was purchased by William Waldorf Astor at the time America's richest man who made it his home.
The hotel has been converted to what was originally the Dairy farm serving the castle with its associated building. The farm was surrounded on all sides by Lodge Wood and was approached by a driveway that would have come out at the end of the restaurant building. In latter days, this driveway was extended to include the current entrance.
The bar area was formally cow byres. The water tower behind the bar area, held the water supply not only for the farm itself but also for the local fire engine. The restaurant area contained the store where corn was dried and milled. Underneath the present day floor, a number of storage chambers and grinding wheel supports have recently been discovered.
Upon leaving the bar and turning right, you may notice about 40 yards in front of you, a metal plate on the ground next to the oak tree; this was the weighbridge for the milkman. Looking back again towards the water tower, notice the weathervane with the letter A for Astor.
Henry VIII Rooms 1-13: Rooms 1 to 6 were the Gamekeepers bungalows whilst the others were used as kennels for the hunting dogs.
The Courtyard 14-31: These rooms were the pig sties and calf pens except Room 31 which was, allegedly, the home of "Angus" the 100 stone Aberdeen Angus bull.
Windsor Rooms: Rooms 35-64: This building was formally the milking parlours and cow sheds. If you look at the back there is a raised concrete plinth, used for loading stock into vehicles.
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Hever
Hotel - Hever Road, Hever, Edenbridge, Kent, TN8 7NP.
reception@heverhotel.com +44 (0) 1 732 700 700 |
