There have been three main periods in the construction of this historic castle. The castle's oldest part dates to 1270 and consisted of the gatehouse and a walled
bailey. It was then owned by
James Fiennes, 1st Baron Saye and Sele. The second period was when the castle, then in need of repair, was converted into a
manor in 1462 by
Geoffrey Boleyn, younger brother of
Thomas Boleyn, Master of
Gonville Hall, Cambridge. He added a Tudor dwelling within the walls. The third period of repair and renovation was in the 20th century, when it was acquired by
William Waldorf Astor. Geoffrey Boleyn's grandson,
Thomas Boleyn, inherited the castle in 1505. He lived there with his wife
Lady Elizabeth Howard and their children
George,
Mary and
Anne (the future wife of
Henry VIII). Anne was born at
Blickling Hall (the year of her birth is not certain), but she lived at Hever until she was sent to the
Habsburg Netherlands in 1513 to receive an education at the court of the
Archduchess Margaret. Henry VIII often used the nearby
Bolebroke Castle to conduct his courtship with Anne. The property came into the possession of Henry VIII after the death of Anne's father,
Thomas Boleyn, in 1539. He bestowed it upon
Anne of Cleves in 1540 as part of the settlement following the annulment of their marriage. Hever Castle still has one of Henry VIII's private locks, taken with him on his various visits to noblemen's houses and fitted to every door for his security. The property subsequently passed through various owners, including the
Waldegrave family from 1557 to 1715, the
Humfreys family to 1749 and the
Meade-Waldo family from 1749 to 1903. During this latter period of ownership, the castle fell into a poor state of repair, during which time it was leased to various private tenants. In 1903, it was acquired and restored by the American millionaire
William Waldorf Astor, who used it as a family residence. He completed a restoration, added the Tudor village (also known as the Astor Wing) and also added the Italian Garden to display his collection of statuary and ornaments. The castle has been Grade I listed since 10 September 1954; that was after the addition of the Tudor village, "a picturesque cluster of guest cottages". In 1983, the Astor family sold the castle to John Guthrie (1906-1992), chairman of the family-run business, Broadland Properties Limited. ==Attractions for tourists==