The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-10-26
MIR. ASToR IN HIS CASTLE.
How He has Undertaken to Move
Back The Centuries.

A"iiNoli 1AlJicSS.
The strangest "move" in history
is now in active progress at Hever, in
Kent.
In his ancient village, to which
King Henry VIII. so often travelled
to WOO his ill-fated Anne Boleyn, the
spectacle may be witnessed of tho
multi-millionaire, Mr.. William VALID
orr Astor experimenting the installa-
ton of his twentieth century belong
ings in historic Hever castle, and the
brand new Tudor village he has built
III his private grounds about it,
1t is only millionaire who can
thus turn back the pages of history
at will, and Mr.. Astor has succeeded
III accomplishing design that has,
so far as effect goes, defied time.
For three years more than thous-
and workmen have toiled to push
back the centuries, and now that the
castle and the Tudor village are ready
for modern use, Mr.. Astor is moving
in.
Van loads of furniture, supplied by
the most up-to-date firms, are being
unloaded by the drawbridGe, and the
latest resources of civilization,
straight from Regent street and Bond
street, are being borne through the
ancient. portcullis into the echoing
halls of the old castle.
Mr.. Astor, who is keenly interested
i'll every detail Of the renovation and
removed, has visited this Tudor vii
liage every week, and has personally
supervised INC nv.n. vs.. y. ~, ,..'-
turc is all in he will make it his per-
manent home.
Although Mr.. Astor and his work
men have been so successful in trans
forming the Hever district so that vii
Tigers who have lived there all their
lives hardly recognize it, he does not
desire praise-or publicity. All the
work has been carried out with the
utmost secrecy and permission to
view the "historic estate' is sternly
refused to ALL.
At present glimpses of the famous
castle and the quantity gabled village
may be caught from the road, but it
is believed that high wall, similar
to that at Cliveden-Mr. Astor's late
home on the Thamcs-will soon shut
off even that view. Noticeboards
proclaiming "No admissions and
"Trespassers will be prosecuted"
may be seen everywhere, while at
Hever railway station a picture OF
the castle open to the public
is hidden under printed paper an
nouncing: "This castle is no longer
OPEN"
can Express representative was al
lowed yesterday, however, to see some
Of the marvels that have been worked
by Mr.. Astor's millions. The full
scheme is not yet complete, and the
magnificent pleasure grounds plan
ned by the millionaire are not fully
laid out.
So vast are the landscape improve
ments, suggested, including, as they
do, the divergence of river, the lay
ing out of forests and deer park,
and the planting of old-world gard
ems, that few more months will still
be necessary before the Hever cal
endar is finally put back four hund-
red years.
The castle which Mr.. Astor has
bought for his new home stands in a
hollow, and all round are Tudor build
ings, to construct which the stock Of
sixteenth century relies has been
greatly depleted. These buildings are
not for the villagers, who are casting
envious eyes Oh them, but are con-
nccted with the renovated castle, and
are intended as reception rooms, bill
lard rooms, show places and homes
for the household servants, twenty Of
whom arc expected to arrive soon to
prepare for the "castle warming"
reception.
An entirely new cold bridge' has
been built over the river that winds
past the castle to fill the moat ana
the large lake which las just been
made. Tt is not on Mr.. Astor's
ground, as the public road runs there,
but Mr.. Astor had it included in the
general scheme at his own expense to
complete the realism. The stone
work and sides have been so construc-
ted as to appear centuries old, and
artificial rocks have been introduced