Join a week-long online event with Dr Owen Emmerson, and explore the hidden history of Hever Castle, where the Boleyn family reshaped England’s future forever.

Overview

Join historian, author, and broadcaster Dr Owen Emmerson for a fascinating online event, “The Hidden History of Hever Castle,” where we’ll delve into the secrets and mysteries surrounding this magnificent Kentish castle. Discover the untold stories of its inhabitants, the scandals that took place within its walls, and the legends that have been passed down through generations.

Starting on Mon, Jan 22nd, 2024, this virtual event will transport you back in time as we explore the rich history of Hever Castle. Through seven daily 40-minute lectures and a Live online discussion, you’ll uncover the castle’s hidden chambers, explore its stunning architecture, and learn about the influential figures who shaped its past.

Whether you’re a history enthusiast or simply curious about the secrets of this iconic landmark, “The Hidden History of Hever Castle” is an online event you won’t want to miss. So, mark your calendars and prepare for a journey into the past from the comfort of your home!

What Is Included?

Seven pre-recorded, 40-minute lectures by Dr Owen Emmerson.
Access to all lectures for one month from upload date.
A live Zoom with Dr Owen Emmerson, who will answer your questions.
An illustrated, digital information pack with a visual tour of Hever Castle as the Boleyn family would have known it.
A recommended reading list with study questions.
Entry into an exclusive prize giveaway.

COST: £35.00 per person, plus booking fee.

Lecture Schedule

Monday, 22nd January 2024

Lecture 1: Building Hever Castle

In this lecture, you will discover how Hever Castle was built in the wake of the bloody Peasants Revolt of 1381. Built to protect a wealthy, local tax collector, Hever emerged on the Kentish landscape as an impressively fortified, moated manor house. Learn about Hever’s medieval owners, the Cobham, Scrope, Falstolf and Fiennes families, who called the castle ‘home’. Discover which of Hever’s owners inspired a beloved character in Shakespeare’s plays and which was the first to lose their head when rebellion swept through England again in 1450.

Tuesday, 23rd January 2024

Lecture 2: The Boleyns of Hever Castle

In a time of relative peace, Hever Castle would emerge as one of the critical properties of the ‘pivotal’ Boleyn, Geoffrey, whose impressive rise enabled him to purchase Hever Castle in 1462. Find out how the Norfolk-based Boleyn family rose from relative obscurity to owning a Kentish Castle. Discover how Geoffrey and his grandson, Thomas, modified Hever into a modern, comfortable Tudor home. Find out which Boleyn became the castle’s first female owner, and immerse yourself in the fascinating world of the childhood home of Anne Boleyn and her siblings – Mary, George, Thomas and Henry.

Wednesday, 24th January 2024

Lecture 3: Hever Castle and the Great Matter

Anne Boleyn’s glittering and increasingly scandalous career at the English court meant that Hever Castle was the ideal location to retreat when temperatures rose. Hever was where Anne Boleyn was sent when Cardinal Wolsey broke up her relationship with Henry Percy and where Anne chose to withdraw when King Henry VIII’s attentions turned to her. Hever became a safe sanctuary for Anne Boleyn, and it was in this quiet castle that she decided to accept the hand of the King of England. It was at Hever that Anne fought for her life in 1528 when she contracted the dreaded sweating sickness. With a court in flux because Henry VIII was determined to annul his first marriage, Anne Boleyn increasingly used Hever as a base to influence the direction of the King’s ‘Great Matter’. What happened between Hever’s walls during these years changed England forever.

Thursday, 25th January 2024

Lecture 4: Hever in the Shadow of The Crown

In the wake of the downfall of Anne Boleyn, Hever Castle became the property of the Crown. For much of its time in Crown ownership, the castle became home to the ‘other’ Anne of Hever: Queen Anne of Cleves. Following her disastrous six-month marriage to Henry, Anne was granted the right to lease Hever for her lifetime. Learn how Anne of Cleves made significant alterations and additions to Hever Castle as she struggled to negotiate the changing social and political landscape during the reigns of her former husband, King Henry VIII, and his heirs, King Edward VI and Queen Mary I. Anne of Cleves’ life would be imperilled as, once again, rebellion swept through Kent and threatened to destabilise the quiet life she had shaped for herself. Malleable to the shifting religious settlements established by the Tudor monarchs, Anne emerged as the true survivor of Henry’s queens. However, the recusant catholic Waldegrave family, who acquired Hever upon Anne’s death, would fall victim to the religious intolerance of Queen Elizabeth I’s reign.

Friday, 26th January 2024

Lecture 5: Hever: The Hidden Years

During Hever’s wilderness years, its many wealthy owners chose not to inhabit its antiquated chambers and instead let the castle out to a series of tenant farmers. These leases meant Hever barely changed from its Tudor form, becoming a ‘sleeping beauty’ castle untouched by modern fashions. Learn how Hever became an early historic property to open as a tourist attraction and discover what its illustrious visitors thought of Anne Boleyn’s former home. See the exquisite artwork set in Hever’s interiors, created by a group of resident artists. Find out which of Hever’s owners and tenants modified Hever’s ancient chambers. Discover which of Hever’s tenant farmers was brutally murdered; an act of violence which led to Hever being exorcised by the local clergy owing to reported paranormal activities.

Saturday, 27th January 2024

Lecture 6: The Astors of Hever

Discover how wealthy American William Waldorf Astor poured a vast fortune into restoring Hever Castle and landscaping its grounds. Determined to establish himself as an English gentleman, Astor’s ambition shaped Hever Castle into an Edwardian ideal of the past and created a specific narrative of its history. We will discover the artisans who embellished Hever’s chambers, meet the famous guests who came to dine with the Astors and explore the stories of the servants who made entertaining at Hever possible. Across the generations of Astor ownership, Hever was transformed by family aspirations and marked by devastating natural disasters.

Sunday, 28th January 2024

Lecture 7: Hever in the 20th Century

In this final lecture, you will discover how Hever Castle evolved in the 20th Century to become one of England’s most beloved heritage attractions. Discover the fascinating history of the many films and television dramas that used Hever as a film set, from the classic 1969 Anne of the Thousand Days to 1999’s Star Wars: The Phantom Menace and beyond. You will also gain insights into Hever’s celebrated art and artefact collection, learn about some of the exciting loan items displayed, and discover how the Astor Family’s gardens have been developed and added to.

Bonus: Live Zoom Chat with Dr Owen Emmerson

Your week-long experience will end with a live Zoom chat with Dr Owen Emmerson on Sunday, Jan 28th.

Two Zoom sessions will be held to ensure that all participants have an opportunity to attend this live component:

Session 1: Sunday 28th January at 09:00hrs GMT

Session 2: Sunday 28th January at 21:00hrs GMT

Please note that questions can be submitted in advance or asked during the session, and a recording of these live Zoom sessions will be shared with attendees.

About Dr Owen Emmerson

Hello! My name is Dr Owen Emmerson. I am a social and cultural historian, the author of four books, and an expert contributor to several television documentaries. I worked as Castle Historian and Assistant Curator for six years at the stunning Hever Castle in Kent. I have appeared in seventeen documentaries about the Tudor era, including “Blood, Sex, and Royalty: Anne Boleyn” (Netflix, 2022); “The Boleyns: A Scandalous Family” (BBC2, 2021); “Who Do You Think You Are? Josh Widdicombe” (BBC1, 2021); “Walking Tudor England” (C5, 2021); “Lady Rochford” (C5, 2021); “Henry VIII and the King’s Men” (Smithsonian, 2020).

My first book, co-authored with the historian Claire Ridgway, is entitled The Boleyns of Hever Castle. My second book, co-authored with the historian Kate McCaffrey, is entitled Becoming Anne: Connections, Culture, Court. My third book, co-authored with historian Kate McCaffrey and Curator Alison Palmer, is entitled Catherine and Anne: Queens, Rivals, Mothers. My most recent book, entitled Holbein’s Hidden Gem: Rediscovering Thomas Cromwell’s Lost Book, was published in 2023. It tells the story of the ground-breaking discovery made by myself, Kate McCaffrey and Alison Palmer of the Book of Hours depicted in Hans Holbein’s painting of Thomas Cromwell. Dr Tracy Borman has dubbed our efforts as ‘The most exciting Thomas Cromwell discovery in a generation – if not more’.