Saxon England - The building on the original site of Hever castle was occupied by a farmhouse
1066 - Following the Norman Conquest by William the Conqueror the land was given to a Norman noble called Walter de Hevere (d’evere)
1270 - The farmhouse was converted into a Manor House and was fortified as a stone quadrangular moated castle by William De Hevere c1270 during the reigns of the great English castle builders King Henry III 1216-1272 and Edward I 1272-1307
1459 - Sir Geoffrey Bullen of Norfolk, Lord Mayor of London in 1459, was the first of the Bullen ( Boleyn ) family to own Hever Castle
Sir Geoffrey Bullen had made a good marriage to Anne, heiress of Lord Hoo and Hastings, and - through her - acquired Hever Castle in Kent and Blickling Hall in Norfolk
Used as a hunting lodge at this point in history
Sir Geoffrey Boleyn transformed and rebuilt the castle into a comfortable family residence
The estate was later inherited by his son William
1505 William Bullen bequeathed Hever Castle to one of his sons, Thomas Bullen - the father of Anne
1498 Thomas Bullen married the daughter of the Duke of Norfolk, Elizabeth Howard
They had three children:
Mary Bullen
George Bullen
Anne Bullen
Henry visits Hever Castle during his courtship of Anne Boleyn
During this period the Bullen family changed the family name to Boleyn
1533 - Henry VIII marries Anne Boleyn
1536 - Queen Anne Boleyn is executed together with her brother George
1538 - Thomas Boleyn dies and the castle is passed to his brother, James
1539 - King Henry VIII seizes ownership of the castle
1540 - King Henry VIII divorces Anne of Cleves and grants her the property of Hever Castle
1540 - 1557 - Anne of Cleves owns Hever during this period
1547 - King Henry VIII dies
1547-1553 The reign of King Edward Vl
1553-1558 Reign of Queen Mary Tudor (Bloody Mary)
1557 - Sir Edward Waldegrave (1517-61) a fervent Catholic was granted the castle by the daughter of Henry VIII - the Catholic Bloody Mary
1558 - 1603 - Queen Elizabeth I, the Protestant daughter of Anne Boleyn reigns over England
1561 - Sir Edward Waldegrave was imprisoned, and died, in the Tower of London accused of plotting against the Protestant Queen Elizabeth. He was also imprisoned for his strong Catholic beliefs and celebrating secret mass
A Secret room had been added as an Oratory Chapel and is well concealed behind panels - this allowed for the concealment of Catholic Priests
The Waldegrave famly continued to hold Hever Castle
1607 - another Edward Waldegrave, a loyal Royalist and supporter of King Charles I (1625-1649) was knighted
1643 - Sir Edward Waldegrave was made a baronet
Hever Castle was a Royalist stronghold - possibly hiding prominent Royalists in the secret chapel
1649 King Charles I was beheaded
1649 - 1659 - The Commonwealth ruled England under the Cromwells
1660 - the Royal House of Stuart was Restored
1660 - King Charles II reigned 1660-1685
1684 - Henry Waldegrave 1st Baron inherited Hever. He was accountant to the household of King James II and married the Kings illegitimate daughter Henrietta Fitz James.
1749 - 1903 Hever was owned by the Meade-Waldos
1903 - William Waldorf (1879 - 1952), 1st Viscount of Astor, purchased the castle and commenced an extensive restoration of the castle, the creation of the lake and gardens and the construction of a Tudor style village to providing more accommodation for his many guests
Mr F.L.Peason was the architect employed by William Wardorf
1983 - Broadland Properties Ltd acquired Hever Castle which is now open to the public
