Hever Castle & Gardens — Attraction in Sevenoaks

An honest review of Hever Castle & The Anne Boleyn musical. ⭐️⭐️

It had been twenty years since I last visited Hever Castle, and perhaps I should have left it that way. That memory, of a place full of history, charm, and emotional resonance, has now been replaced with a feeling of disappointment.

From the moment I arrived, the tone was set. The two women who sold us tickets were condescending when I asked about entry times and the layout. Instead of offering help, they giggled between themselves and pointed at the map. It didn’t feel welcoming. And honestly, that initial impression never really lifted.

Inside the castle, the experience felt hollow. Twenty years ago, it was alive with character. This time, it felt like a staged reconstruction, one that missed the mark. A few years ago, Hever underwent a redesign to reflect what Anne Boleyn’s house may have looked like. Historians were consulted, I’m sure, but the end result is disappointing. It no longer feels like a lived-in Tudor home. It feels, artificial. The soul is gone.

There were barely any staff stationed in the rooms to bring the history to life. Most of them seemed disinterested, almost bored. The exception was one lovely gentleman speaking to a group of American students, he was animated, passionate, and a pleasure to overhear. More of that, please.

One redeeming area was a hall featuring men’s accessories and baby wear displayed behind glass, beautifully curated and striking. But beyond that, it was difficult to feel immersed or inspired. For the price of admission, I expected more. Much more.

The gardens, however, were the highlight: enchanting, and fairytale like. If you’re visiting Hever solely for the grounds, you’ll likely be pleased. But if you’re going because you love Anne Boleyn, because you’ve adored the Tudors for decades, and because you long to feel a piece of history? You might leave disheartened, as I did.

That brings me to the Anne Boleyn musical held on the grounds. The concept had promise, and the horses, lighting, and use of the grass behind the stage created a beautiful scene. But the experience was marred by technical flaws. Wearing silent disco headphones was uncomfortable, and the sound fluctuated constantly, the orchestral music would dip every time someone sang, which made the experience jarring and difficult to settle into. It wasn’t a full house either, and though it had some charming elements, I wouldn’t call it unforgettable. A solid 3/5, at best.

In all honesty, I won’t be going back. And that’s hard to say, because my love for Anne Boleyn and the women of Tudor history runs deep. But the feeling that once drew me there, the authenticity, the reverence, the atmosphere, has been lost. The castle is still standing, but the...

After a long journey from home & then a bumper to bumper journey on the notorious M25, we eventually arrived at Hever Castle.

There is ample parking opposite the estate, and over the road was the entrance to the castle grounds with many different types of trees to see.

After showing our booking, we continued forward, the road sloped down, and it was a bit of a walk to the retail shops and restaurant / coffee shop within the grounds. The walk towards the castle had a lovely view as we walked over a small bridge towards an area of animal shaped bushes had us guessing what some of them were, a reindeer and a tortoise, a peacock, and a turtle, one might have been a Robin, this was years of growing, shaping and patience, and was very entertaining.

The castle exterior with the moat surrounding it and the ivy turning a deep scarlet colour growing up the walls outside looked stunning. We had to wait a about 10 minutes as we arrived earlier than expected for the castle gates to be opened, so whilst waiting, looking around, we saw a tall maze with narrow channels, but it was being trimmed by gardeners, so it was closed.

The castle inside was amazing, and it felt special knowing we were possibly walking in the historic footsteps of the then young Anne Boleyn & her siblings, Mary, George, and their parents. Walking the rooms corridors & stairs with an array of unique furniture and oil paintings there's so much to see, and there was the occasional seat where people could sit & rest a while to take it all in.

There were people on hand to ask questions, and they knew their stuff, so they were quite helpful.

Leaving the castle to explore the grounds was just another beautiful experience & how it was set up with statues, walled arches, large vases, in groups across well managed criss - crossed patterned lawns and huge bronze urns, the floral displays with a mix of palm trees and marble freizes and containers with barley twist stonework columns supporting stone tubs of flowering bedding plants, & continuing this led down to a greek style building or villa or maybe my interpretation of one and behind lay a huge lake backdrop, it took my breath away, it is so beautiful.

There are garden shops dotted around the grounds where you can buy all kinds of flower bulbs and other items of interest, and I can definitely recommend a trip to see and walk through the history of...

What a stunning place! Very helpful staff on the whole special thanks to Lisa who helped us with memberships. After a rocky start trying to enter she more than made up for any issues. I am a wheelchair user who can walk a couple of steps for reference, my child is also disabled and autistic. We visited during what must be one of the castles busiest periods, August bank holiday during the jousts. But at no point did it feel overwhelming. There are plenty of nooks to take a moment if needed. Lots of fantastic picnic areas. The food was absolutely brilliant! From the onsite cafe to the food trucks by the fountain there was something for all tastes. We tried pizza, the Greek food, doughnut stall and a drinks stall. Along with the castles cafe. The cafe had a great kids bag with 5 items for £5. This could include a sandwich, drink, fruit, crisps, biscuits, etc. The joust was the best we have been to. Very enjoyable and funny. Do be aware that if its sunny there is little shade. You can grab a seat in the stands if you get there early enough. Its £2 each and you'll need cash. We loved it so much we are going again next week! I will advise that the field where its held is at the top of the grounds and although not steep you will feel it if you are self propelling or mobility restricted. The field itself is obviously not designed for wheelchairs but I spotted at least 10 others beside myself and even the smaller mobility scooters seemed able to access it. In the interests of honesty the disabled toilets are an absolute nightmare! Far too small and poorly laid out. I could not manoeuvre my wheelchair in it at all. I used the ones by the entrance so im not sure if the others are better? I will update. Then the castle. That is not accessible for wheelchairs. It has a few small steps on the ground floor if you are able to manage those. Upper floors have steep stairs. I would absolutely recommend this place for all ages. The adventure playground looked amazing! They have boats you can hire or their own boat is wheelchair accessible. You can do as much or as little as you choose. At any age. Costs when we went were just £19.35 per adult for the garden, £12.50 per child 5-17. Castle and gardens £24.65 & £13.65 . Family tickets and concessions are also available. I think thats fantastic value for a day out. I also believe you can use Tesco...