The Kemper herald. (Scooba, Miss.) 1875-1908, 1906-03-22
AsToR,s EEuDAL DOMAIN
Castle Hever, Once Home Of LII
Fated Anne BoIeyn, Restored to
its Early GIories.

- tAAO ~ VI 1AoAkAAAs W IL
designation the county Of Kent is
known, Mr. William Waldorf Astor has
purchased n of those picturesque and
beautiful medieval castles that abound
with historical interest and around
which SO many old traditions have
been woven.
Castle Hever, one of these old houses
has been practically transformed by
Mr.. Astor, and the London Daily Ex-
press gives a graphic description of
the work of improvement which Is be-
ing carried on. The general schemes
of this new Aston estate, for Mr.. As
tor has another estate at Cliveden.
comprises the following:
Restoration of the castle to its an
cient battlemented glories.
Building in ancient style a series Of
castle villages.
A model farm.
An Italian garden.
A lake of f~orty-five aces.
An artesian well, and capacious reser-
voir. Widening and changing of the
curse of the River Eden. New public
road three-quarters of a mile long. A
strong bridge over the river, with wide
spans, broad roadway and steel frame.
A large power house for electric
light, etc.
An extensive deer park.
The castle itself is of great historic
interest, owing to the fact that 1t was
at one time the home of the Inflated
Anne Boleyn, one of the wives Of
Henry VIII, and tradition says that
the unquiet spirit of the dead Queen
Consort crosses the bridge over the,
river during Christmas week. With the
destruction of the old bridge yer the
river the ghost of the Lady Anne has
been effectually laid. At least this is
the story of the credulous villagers.
Be that, however, as it may, certain 1t
is that the watchers at Hever this year
saw no spectre. to reward them for
their lonely vigil.
Some notion of the extent of this gi-
gantic task may be gathered from the
fact that nearly 200.0 900 tons of mater
l0l AdVO Poo0Cu OFOA LAX lO0uo AOddAAS
to and from the estate, while the num-
Der of workmen employed has varied
between 1900 and 5000, and to house all
this army Of laborers temporary huts
were erected in the grounds.
All the eve stonework has been
removed from the castle, and a quarry
has been reopened in the castle
grounds. The old oak panelling has
been cleaned, the second and outer
moatis to be reopened, while a draw
bridge In quite the olden style will
give admittance to the principal en-
trance.
One room called after Henry VIII,
in which that bluff British King is de-
clared to have slept, will be set apart
for Mr.. Aston, and the historic long
gallery will be the resting place Of the
masterpieces of many famous artists.
Anne Boleyn's room is to be untenant-
ed.
All the old barns, outhouses and 9TH
and in their stead there are now a
series of old-fashioned and semi-Tudor
cottages.
The grounds also will be embellished
in the old-fashioned style, and the anti
quaries of Kent are not altogether dis
satisfied that this historic old castle
has passed into the hands of In Amer
lean millionaire. They regret, of
course, that 1t is likely to be closed
to them at least for many years to
come, but they are assured that Mr..
Aston will regard its battle scared walls
and it's far flung traditions with veneer
alton.