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Video: What does the secret love nest of the French king, built almost 400 years ago, look like today?
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
A cozy medieval mansion in the British county of Surrey is the Addington's only surviving estate. This house is interesting because in the 16th century King Henry VIII, nicknamed "Bluebeard" and Anne Boleyn arranged secret dates here. The secret royal love nest did not become a famous tourist attraction, so it managed to preserve the spirit of the era. This is a very secluded and romantic place on the territory of the reserve, which reliably keeps all its secrets.
What is this house
The house was built in 1450. To this day, there are fireplaces and staircases from that time, as well as a bread oven from the Tudor era. This estate was owned by the Lee family during the reign of Henry VIII and was part of the royal hunting grounds. Many historians believe that Henry, making his way through secret underground passages, visited his beloved Anne Boleyn. She and her family lived nearby in Wickham Court. Later, when they got married, the need for secret dates disappeared and the mansion was no longer needed.
The Addington Estate subsequently served as a summer home to several of the archbishops of Canterbury. In 1809, the estate passed into private ownership. The last owners renovated it, adding a swimming pool and cinema. Despite all these modern conveniences, they managed to keep the spirit of the home. The former "love nest" of the king is surrounded by 500-year-old oaks. The house is currently up for sale. They don't ask for that much (by the standards of the price of a royal residence) - about $ 4 million (or £ 2.95 million).
The history of the Addington mansion
This place has not become one of the famous tourist attractions. The house is located on the territory of the reserve with an area of half a hectare. There was a farm here until the 1960s. The mansion has now been elegantly renovated. It has developed into a splendid family residence for those seeking solitude and wanting to live in beautiful natural surroundings.
But what connects the mansion with King Henry? The monarch was a passionate hunter. The Addington Estate was a favorite place for him and his friends. But the king loved not only to hunt animals. Beautiful ladies were his second passion. Legend has it that there are underground tunnels under the mansion connecting Addington House to Wickham Court. It may sound strange today, but it was pretty practical in those days.
As a true hunter, Heinrich, having driven the game, immediately lost interest in it. Anna charmed the king with her subtle mind, charm and strong character. She was educated and witty. In addition, the time spent in France gave it a certain polish and, as they would say now, "cosmopolitan glamor." Boleyn was not at all a beauty, but the monarch was simply obsessed with her. He wanted her more than anything. This can be seen from his love letters to Anna, which have survived. In 2014, a documentary was filmed on this topic.
For the sake of Anna, Henry created the Anglican Church in order to circumvent the Catholic canons and divorce his wife Catherine of Aragon. Unfortunately, the hunter very quickly began to lose all interest in his prey. This happened the faster the king realized that he would not receive an heir from his beloved. The magic vanished. Disgraced Anna was accused of immoral behavior and thrown into the Tower. The Queen was sentenced to death. The union lasted only 1000 days. Boleyn met death proud and unbroken.
Modern mansion
Regardless of who becomes the new owner, it certainly adds intrigue for those looking to get a feel for the true history of the Tudors. The house is listed on the 2nd level. The oldest feature of this place is the fireplace in the living room of the house. The mansion also has six bedrooms, a wine cellar and an attic with medieval beams.
Far from all the trappings of the modern era, it is pleasant to contemplate the delights of civilization in the form of a cinema and a swimming pool. An ideal place to relax with a glass in hand and plunge into the serene contemplation of being, feeling if not a king, then an English squire for sure.
Buyers will need a king's piece to purchase this quiet corner, which may have played an important role in one of the most heartbreaking dramas in English history during the Tudor era …
If you are interested in this period of English history, read our article on for which the daughter of Henry VIII, Mary I of England, received the nickname "Bloody Mary".
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