The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1916-03-30
BARON ASTOR OF HEVER CASTLE
American Owns Medieval English
Estate of Boleyns.

In choosing the title by which Will
liam Waldorf Astor is to forever pass
into the pages of "Burke's Peerage,'
the new peer has given a complete
demonstration of the snObbishness
which has actuated him since he dis
dainfully cut himself off from every
thing American-except his Ameri-
can dollars. The new baron is to be
known as Baron Astor, of Hever
Castle 1t is customary for English
men raised to the peerage to take
their titles from some piece of the
land which they own. Baron Astor
Of Hever, would apparently not have
been sufficiently gaudy, so it is to be
Baron Astor, of Hever Castle,' and
by inference it's moat and draw
bridge.
Hever castle is one of the few re-
naming medieval structures in Eng
land that has working moat and
drawbridge. The latter is raised
against the world save by special per-
mission of the owner. 1t is an IN
teresting relic, which, when Baron
Astor, of Hever castle bought it, was
restored with fidelity and magnifi-
cence. On one of the stones of the
great gate is carved:
"Jesus Christ he came to Hever
And they pitched him in the Reever.'
Mr. Astor bought Hever castle in
1903 for $185,000. 1t is situated in
a most picturesque part of Kent, not
far from Penhurst and Tunbridge
Wells. 1t is not large, but architec-
turally and historically it is one of
the famous among the stately homes
of England. The castle is very curl
Gus specimen of the domestic fortress
and was erected by William de Hever,
a Norman baron, who, under Edward
III (1327-1369) obtained royal per-
mission to fortify his manor house.
His two daughters and coheiresses
conveyed it in marriage to the fami-
lies of Gotham and Brocas. The for
mer acquired the whole by purchase
and afterward sold the estate to Sir
Geoffrey Boleyn, wealthy merchant
of London, lord mayor of that city in
the time of Henry vi, and great
grandfather of the ill-fated Anne
Boleyn, who lived at Hever until the
time of her marriage to that merry,
marrying monarch, Bluff King Hal.
Henry VIII, on the death of Sir
Thomas Boleyn, knight Of the Garter,
Earl of Wiltshire and Ormond and
father of Anne Boleyn, seized the es-
tate in right of his own wife, and af-
terward enlarged it by purchases
from others of the Boleyn family.
The next possessor Of the estate was
Lady Anne, of Cleves, and in the
reign of Queen Mary the castle was
sold to Sir Edward Waldegrave;
chamberlain to the queens house
hold. From his family the estate
passed to the Humphreys and finally
to the Malleys, Sussex family.
The castle, as it exists now, is a
mass of buildings with buttresses,
square towers, embrasures and
square-headed windows. The great
dining room, now used as kitchen,
contains some of the furniture which
was there in the time of the Boleyns,
but the room which is most popular
is that known as Anne Boleyn's bed
chamber. 1t is beautifully paneled
and contains the original furniture,
including Anne Boleyn's bed. In it is
a splendid pair of andirons bearing
the royal initials III. A. and sur
mounted by royal crowns-andirons
whose royal initials III: A. must be
especially dear to the present baron.
Another room is said to have been
used as a council chamber by Henry
VIII, and has curious stucco cell
ing. There are many ancient stained
glass windows in the castle, and the
building contains dungeons, secret
staircases and the other romantic at
tributes of a historic residence. Just
what use is made of the dungeons is
not known-probably the Lord OF
Hever would like to use them for
some of his former countrymen.-
Boston Transcript.