Hever Castle with kids – Meeting Henry VIII in Kent

Childhood home of Anne Boleyn, one of the most fascinating figures in history, Hever Castle in Kent has long been on my wishlist – especially with so much to do at Hever Castle with kids.

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And having driven past umpteen times on the way to other family attractions in Kent (and visiting friends who live nearby), I finally managed to set foot inside this summer – and found far more than just Queen Anne… including the chance to be dismissed as a peasant by Henry VIII!

With jousting, archery lessons, a hedge maze and water maze, Tudor food in the medieval tented village, plus vast grounds, a lake, and kids’ trail in the castle, it quickly became clear that one day exploring Hever Castle, Kent, might not be enough.

Tips for visiting Hever Castle with kids (a Tudor etiquette guide)

1. Don’t mention Mary Boleyn…

If you’ve read The Other Boleyn Girl, you’ll know what I’m talking about – if not, off you go and check it out. Anne’s sister was Henry’s discarded mistress and a very immediate example of what happened if you played your cards wrong at the royal court.

Although unlike Anne and brother George, she did survive another seven years, so perhaps we shouldn’t be too fast to judge who was the real winner.

Keep your eyes open to see her portrait as you enter Hever Castle before heading upstairs.

For more of the best castles in Kent with kids, check out my top picks

2. Do send your children on a quest

With a castle trail to help spot some less obvious details and learn more about Tudor life, it’s an entertaining way to explore inside, especially if you’re visiting Hever Castle with kids who want more of a challenge.

It’s occasionally taxing enough that adults will be kept on their toes too, and certainly kept my daughter and her friends on their toes. Henry VIII would have approved.

For more great family days out, check out my pick of the best UK castles with kids

3. Don’t covet the furniture

The castle still has original furniture in the rooms, including part of Anne’s very own bed. And the idea of owning one of those huge wooden Tudor beds with their fur coverings and hangings is tempting, very tempting.

But remember that the only heating back then was a fire or warming pan. Brrrr. My daughter was not impressed when she spotted this medieval version of a hot water bottle.

For a luxury stay in Kent of your own, check out our review of glamping with kids not far from Hever

4. Don’t compare Henry VIII’s wives

Well, not too loudly – with portraits of all six Queens on display in one room, it’s hard not to contrast the women who found themselves wedded to Henry VIII.

And to feel faintly relieved that you’re not remembered purely as a Tudor artist saw you. I don’t think Catherine Howard came off too well…

As for Anne, I’m not convinced we’d have been bosom friends, were I transported back to Tudor times, but I’d love the chance to make up my own mind – from a safe distance.

Temptress? Witch? The woman for whom a king abandoned his religion and transformed his country? Whatever side of the Anne Boleyn debate you’re on, the second wife of Henry VIII was certainly not dull.

And the chance to tread where she trod, imagining her early years in her childhood home is the closest I’m likely to get unless a time machine is invented.

My daughter, meanwhile, was outraged at Henry’s habit of chopping heads off.

5. Do get to the joust early

We watched the king and queen process from the castle down through the grounds and gardens to the tournament field for the jousting, joining knights and ladies to make an entrance.

Check out my video for the chance to be called a peasant by Henry VIII!

While it’s very fun to get closer to the royal household, one word of warning: if you forget to send your servants (or spare family members) ahead, you’ll be sitting near the back once you get to the field.

The alternative is to skip the procession and head down to pick one of the prime seats well in advance.

Even from a distance, it was still pretty thrilling. Not least because Minnie was cheering loudly for the rebels as her small revenge against the king.

6. Keep your feet dry in the water maze

There is a way to avoid all the water obstacles, unexpected fountains and sudden jets in the Hever Castle water maze – if you take it slowly.

On a hot day, the trickiest bit is persuading small companions not to run giggling headlong into the spray to cool off…

Or there’s always the hedge maze – yes, if you’re trying to escape from all the mazes in Kent, there are two to try at Hever Castle with kids. Assuming you do make it out without getting lost…

7. Archery training starts young

You’re never too young to pick up a bow and arrow and take your turn at the butts. Well, five is certainly old enough to try archery at Hever Castle – with a little assistance from the castle archers.

The same goes for shield painting, although only the select few make it to knights and princess school.

The select few, that is, whose parents realised they needed to sign them up early and made sure they didn’t get distracted by all the other things to do.

8. Capture the (playground) castle

The playground is another highlight at Hever Castle with kids – the Tudor Towers Adventure playground, to give it its full name, is a nine metre tall wooden play castle, with its own moat, drawbridge and three turrets.

Bigger than a four-bedroom house, if it’s too overwhelming for younger kids, there’s also a natural play area called Acorn Dell.

9. Don’t pick the grapes

Green and luscious on their vines, the grapes at Hever Castle are the preserve of the aristocracy… Same goes for the roses in the formal gardens.

But you can wander happily in the sunshine – fortified by food from the kitchens (aka the cafe) nearby – around 125 acres of grounds.

There are over 4,000 rose bushes in the English Rose Garden, classical statues in the Italian garden, topiary chess pieces, a 38-acre lake (where you can go boating) with cascades and fountains, a rhododendron walk, Tudor Garden and woodland and Anne Boleyn’s walk to explore if you venture further from the gardens.

10. Visit the villagers

During our summer visit, the colourful tents of the medieval village were erected not far from the castle building itself, where you can be entertained by the storyteller’s tales, taste food made from the fruits of the grounds and pay your respects to the knight, his lady and their gigantic English mastiff.

You might even hear music floating through the air as you wander through the tents of the village at Hever Castle.

Which left just one question. Did we want to have our photo taken with the king?

Minnie, distinctly unimpressed with Henry VIII’s larger than life personality and string of wives, was very definite – not a chance. Anne Boleyn, it seems, had won another fan.

For more of the best castles in Kent with kids, check out my top picks

Need to know: Hever Castle with kids

Tickets to Hever Castle cost from £18.35 for adults for garden entry only if bought in advance, £23.35 including the castle, or from £11.50 for kids aged 5-17. Family tickets are also available and it will cost more to purchase on the day.

Annual membership, with access to castle and garden costs from £74.15 for adults if you buy online, and £197.20 for a family ticket. There is also a discount on food and drink, as well as advance notification of events for members.

Hever Castle is not a National Trust or English Heritage property, but you can exchange Tesco clubcard vouchers for tickets. Check the website for details of all offers and discounted tickets to Hever Castle with kids.

Watching the jousting is included in the ticket price but there is a small fee for other activities, from around £3-4 for archery and shield painting (payment by cash). There are also some fun activities for kids available online to try at home.

There’s also a fee for boat and pedalo hire. Picnics are allowed in the grounds, but you can’t bring bikes or scooters in.

The grounds open at 10.30, the castle at 12 noon, closing at 6pm during peak season and 4.30pm during the winter months, with last entry around 60-90 minutes before closing. There are different opening times for the Christmas season as well. Check details of opening times and directions here.

If you want to combine more than one Kent castle in a family holiday, it takes between 45 minutes and an hour to get from Hever Castle to Leeds Castle, and around 90 minutes from Hever Castle to Dover Castle.

For more things to do in Kent with kids, check out my top picks from across the county, as well as Scotney Castle, Dover Castle, Leeds Castle and National Trust property Ightham Mote.

PIN FOR LATER: HEVER CASTLE KENT, WITH KIDS

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