Hever Castle: the Court-yard.
Over the external gate, directly under the battlements, a series of machicolations project boldly forward: from these molten lead and other deadly appliances and missiles could be poured and discharged on the heads of assailants with terrible effect. Passing through these gates and beneath the portcullises, the visitor enters a spacious court-yard, surrounded on all its sides by the building. From this court-yard or quadrangle he enters the old Dining-hall, where the racks for hunting-spears are still visible, and where grotesque decorations will not fail to be noticed. In the stained-glass windows are the arms of the Boleyns and the Howards. Near this is the Chapel, and continuing along the passages are two rooms bearing the names of Anne Boleyn’s Bed-room and Anne of Cleves’ Room. Anne Boleyn’s Room “is really an interesting apartment, beautifully panelled, and contains the original family chairs, tables, muniment box, and what is called Anne’s bed.”[46] To this apartment several ante-rooms succeed, and the suite terminates in a grand Gallery occupying the whole length of the building, in which the judicial meetings and the social gatherings of the ancient family were held. It is about 150 feet in length, by 20 feet in width, with a vaulted roof, and panelled throughout with carved oak. On one side, placed at equal distances apart, are three recesses: the first, having a flight of three steps, is fitted up with elbowed benches, where the lord of the castle in old times held his courts, and where Henry VIII. is said, on the occasions of his visits, to have received the congratulations of the gentry; a second was occupied by the fire; and the third was used as a quiet corner for the old folks, while the younger ones frolicked throughout the mazes of the dance. At one end of the Gallery a trap-door leads to a dark chamber, called the Dungeon, in which the family are believed to have sheltered themselves in time of trouble, although it is manifest that the height of the room, compared with that of the building, must have betrayed its existence to even a careless observer.
In the Long Gallery.
The interior of that part properly called “the castle”—e.g. the entrance—is approached by a winding staircase in one of the towers. “About midway the staircase opens into the narrow vestibule of the great state-room. The Gothic tracery over the fire-place is extremely beautiful both in design and in execution. It consists of two angels, each bearing two shields, showing the arms and alliances of the Cary and Boleyn families, of Cary and Waldo, Boleyn and Howard, and Henry VIII. and Boleyn.”
WESTWOOD PARK.
