Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-31
HAS ANOTHER HOME
Astor Now Owns Hever Cas-
tie, Anne BoIeyn's Old One.
Is NOT VERY ATTRACTIVE
Has Spent Half Million Dollars in
improvements.
HIS INTEREST IN IT HISTORIC
Brief Sketch of Anne Boleyn, for
Whom Henry VIII Changed
England's Religion.
HIS INTEREST IN IT HIsTORI
EY WILLIAM +. CURTIS.

try seats in England. William Waldorf
Aston has recently purchased another
within an hours ride by automobile from
London. 1t is not nearly SO attractive
as any of his other estates. either in the
buildings. the park or the landscape
which surrounds 1t. Indeed. It has very
few natural beauties. and Is not con-
sidered Of architectural value. but Hever
Castle. as 1t IS known. possesses SUI
preme historic interest because It was
the home OF Anne BoleyE. or Bullen, the
second wife of King Henry VIII of Eng
land ard the mother of queen Eliza beth.
Half Million Spent improving.
Hever Cas- le is situated thirty miles
south CT London IN the center CT the hop
district Of Kent county and the least
beautiful part Of that section of Eng
land. Mi. .Astor purchased it from a
Capt Sea bright of The British army for
100000. it is said. although the place was
very much run down and has not been
occupied for several generations. A
soon as the property came under his con-
troll. NJ. Astor employed a corps of archi-
tects. engineers and landscape gardeners,
and has ever since had from one to
three thousand men at work putting the
park in order. restoring the ugly old
castle, building stables. barns. dairy and
a small village of cottages after the
Tudor style for the use of his employees
He has erected an electric plant and a
establishment to supply the
place with water. and has also provided
a large lake. which is to be stocked with
have cost him more than half a million
dollars. but nobody begrudges the money
because it has furnished employment to
so many working people.
The castle has been so completely re-
stored inside and out that it is row as
nearly as possible as it was when the
unfortunate queen lived there, except
that running water. bathrooms, French
ranges. hot-water heaters, electric lights
and other modern conveniences, which
no doubt Anne Boleyn would have ap-
preciated. have been introduced. The fur
nlture and decorations have been designed
by the best authorities concerning the
Tudor period. and everything is consci-
entlouSly accurate to the minuteSt detail
Whatever may be said of other traits of
Mr.. Astors character. he never does
anything by halves. and all of his places
in England have been restored in the
most perfect ard accurate manner pos
Sible.
Everything Kept Secret.
Ever since the property came into his
hands the castle has been filed with the
most sk!llfuI craftsmen, who have been
paid exceptional wages. They have been
boarded on the place. and the only OBJ
lection the people of the neighborhood
have found is that every workman has
been sworn to secrecy. 4 high stone
wall around the park has baff1ed their
curiosity as to what is going on within;
have patrolled the grounds day
and night; everybody who attempts to
enter the premises without permission
has hppH rl1PtV nj
who have intruded more than once have
been arrested and fined for trespass.
These proceedings have made Mr.. Astor
very unpopular in the neighborhood, as
the people do not understand why his
should be shrouded in such
secrecy
He has built pretty Tudoresque
schoolhouse for the village and contrib
uted literally toward the restoration of
the old'church but even that generosity
does not compensate for his unneighborly
conduct in refusing to crafty the Curl
osity of the farmers wives and daugh-
teTs in the vicinity.
Extravaganza Shown Throughout.
There has never been such extrava-
gance displayed in that part Of the world
before. The farm has been refanced with
steel: the cow sheds have been rooted
and lined with expensive tiles, and the
woodwork is oak; the pig stys are as
sumptuous as the bathroom Of IA pluto
GRAFT and the floors and walls are OF
chocolate and white porcelain. The dairy
is like the pavilion o. the princess: the
floors are white tiles. the walls are lined
with mosaic made by Italian artists, and
i'll the central court is a fountain of rum
ming water. The hothouses cover acres
and are lofty as the castle. The sta
bles for the horses are on the same scale
and are large enough to accommodate
forty animals, with coachhouses, quar-
tiers for the cCachmen and hostlerS, and
a garage big enough to hold dozen mo-
to. cars, with an electric plant for charg-
ing motor batteries 1t is said that the
farm buildings and equipment are the
finest and most expensive in England. if
not in the world.
Perfect Human Habitation.
One thousand men and two hundred
wagons were employed for more than a
year in digging the lake. which is fed
by river Tie outlet OF the water is
regulated by siuce gates, which are
operated by electricity from the power
house, half a mile away, and the neigh
bors are greatly puzzled over that ar
They declare the engineer
in charge of the water supply can open
and close gates with pleasure without
leaving his room. merely by pressing a
UuttoIl, anu tlIdt tlidlleiSeS the lndplnd-
ton. The lake is stocked with fish and
the park with deer. which have been
brought from Germany. There are about
two thousand acres connected with the
place. more than half OF which is I'm
forests. The remainder is pasture and
gardens. Altogether Hever Castle is
probably complete and perfect as any
human habitation has ever been although
Mr.. Astor has never occupied it and no
one has lived there since its splendor was
restored. That. also. puzzles the neigh
borS. who do not think il quite right for
the American millionaire TO spend to much
money upon place that he does not
need and does not take more interest in.
That, however. seems to be one of Mr..
AstorS eccentricities. He built and
owns the Waldorf Hotel in New York
city. but has never crossed the threshold
but once. The last time he was in this
country he promised to drop in and look
over the building, but neglected to do so.
Story Of Anne Boleyn.
Anne Eoleyn was daughter of Sir
Thomas Boleyn, atterward Earl of Or
mond and Wiltshire. She was born at
CaHick Castle on the banks of the River
SUR, not far from the city of Waterford,
Ireland. which was built in 1909 by the
great Earl of Ormonde The Carricks
were originally Buffers, and traced their
descent from Rollo. Duke of Normandy.
and grandfather of William the Con-
queror. Edmund Butler was created
Earl OF Carrick In 1915. and his descend
ants have owned and occupied Carrick
Castle ever since his time. Anne Boleyn
was born there some time before the year
100 the exact date is not known. and
sine lived there until she was about fif-
teen years old. wien she went to London
nd Iar hrnf