The Two Annes

What a difference a day makes! today we came south out of London to Kent and the weather has been fantastic, really hot for this time of year 22 C

We went in search of Anne of Cleves and Anne Boleyn at Penshurst Place and Hever Castle. Penshurst Place has been the venue for many period films as a stand-in for Hever and other places, I'm thinking particularly of Anne of a Thousand Days and the Other Boleyn Girl. Costumes from the latter film are on display here. Penshurst was given to Anne of Cleves as part of the divorce settlement and was hers until she died in 1557 where it reverted back to the young king Edward who gave it to Robert Sidney and in whose family it still remains to this day. Outside the gate is a church where a few of the Sidney family are buried but alonside them is a little marker to Thomas Boleyn, Anne Boleyn's brother. Anne's father was the superintendent here whilst the place was owned by Henry VIII and the boy died in infancy.

Penshurst today was just lovely with the sunshine and to wander in the gardens and soak up the peace and quiet after London was a real treat.

On to Hever Castle the childhood home of Anne Boleyn and which was also given to Anne of Cleves as part of the divorce settlement. The Castle itself is very much smaller than you think it is or should be and was largely rescued from deriliction by JJ Astor in the early 1900's.He laid out some incredible Italian gardens with an ornamental lake. Here we paused momentarily as one of our adult party went onto the childrens water maze and which was down for essential maintenance before being opened on Sunday and managed to set part of it off.

There is a notice in the parish churchyard just outside the gates of the castle estate, which reads "Thomas Boleyn K.G. Grandfather to Queen Elizabeth I lies here in this church"

Hever has jousting on some weekends in the summer and other events throughout the year, but today , bathed in sunshine with few tourist it was a delight to go to.