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33-634: Meade-Waldo was born in Hever Castle and educated at Eton College and Magdalene College , Cambridge University . He spent his life managing the family's country estate, Stonewall, in Kent . He conducted fieldwork and collected birds in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco , the Canary Islands and Spain , the presumably-extinct Canary Islands oystercatcher Haematopus meadewaldoi being foremost among them. He

66-486: A British ornithologist is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Hever Castle Hever Castle ( / ˈ h iː v ər / HEE -vər ) is located in the village of Hever, Kent , near Edenbridge , 30 miles (48 km) south-east of London , England. It began as a country house , built in the 13th century. From 1462 to 1539, it was the seat of the Boleyn (originally 'Bullen') family. Anne Boleyn ,

99-598: A LL.B. in 1875. He was called to the United States Bar in 1875. He worked for a short time in law practice and in the management of his father's estate of financial and real estate holdings. Astor married Mary Dahlgren Paul (born 1858, died 22 December 1894) on 6 June 1878. She is buried in Trinity Church Cemetery Manhattan. They had five children: After some time practising law, Astor thought he had found his true calling and an opportunity to make

132-429: A Tudor dwelling within the walls. The third period of repair and renovation was in the 20th century, when it was acquired by William Waldorf Astor . Geoffrey Boleyn's grandson, Thomas Boleyn , inherited the castle in 1505. He lived there with his wife Lady Elizabeth Howard and their children George , Mary and Anne (the future wife of Henry VIII ). It is not known if Anne was born at Hever (the year of her birth

165-488: A castle built in 1270 where Anne Boleyn lived as a child. Astor invested a great deal of time and money in restoring the castle, building what is known as the "Tudor Village", and creating a lake and lavish gardens. He also added the Italian Garden (including fernery ) to display his collection of statuary and ornaments. In 1906, he gave his eldest son Waldorf Astor and his new daughter-in-law, Nancy Witcher Langhorne ,

198-496: A country estate, Cliveden in Taplow , Buckinghamshire , from the Duke of Westminster . In 1899 , William Waldorf Astor picked up British citizenship, which drew him further away from American history. To disappear from public view, in the summer of 1892, Astor faked his own death by having his staff report to American reporters that he had died, apparently from pneumonia. However, the ruse

231-598: A name for himself outside of his family's fortune by entering the political realm. In 1877, with his eyes set on the United States Congress, Astor entered New York City politics as a Republican . He was elected as a member of the New York State Assembly (New York Co., 11th D.) in 1878 ; and of the New York State Senate (10th D.) in 1880 and 1881 . Astor was likely supported by the boss of

264-450: A wide range of features, including an Italianate garden (including Fernery ), rose gardens, herb garden, and topiary . The castle can provide accommodation for visitors who wish to stay overnight, including 28 rooms that can be rented in a B&B format. Dining rooms for breakfast are available in both the Astor wing and Anne Boleyn wing. The castle also operates three restaurants, located in

297-618: Is named after him. William Waldorf Astor was born in New York City . He was the only child of the financier and philanthropist John Jacob Astor III (1822–1890) and Charlotte Augusta Gibbes (1825–1887). He studied in Germany and in Italy under the care of private tutors and a governess. In his early adult years, Astor returned to the United States and went to Columbia Law School , graduating with

330-526: Is not certain), but she lived there until she was sent to the Netherlands in 1513 to receive an education at the court of the Archduchess Margaret . Henry VIII often used the nearby Bolebroke Castle to conduct his courtship with Anne. The property came into the possession of Henry VIII after the death of Anne's father, Thomas Boleyn , in 1539. He bestowed it upon Anne of Cleves in 1540 as part of

363-469: Is the only original part of the castle. It has the oldest working original portcullis in England. The grounds of the castle include a yew maze , planted in 1904. There is also a water maze, opened in 1999, the object of which is to reach the folly at the centre without getting wet. In the children's adventure playground, there is a tower maze (currently undergoing reconstruction). The castle gardens contain

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396-804: The Pall Mall Gazette , and in 1893 established the Pall Mall Magazine . In 1911 he acquired The Observer , a national newspaper. In 1912 he sold the Magazine , and in 1914 made a present of the Gazette and The Observer , with the building in Newton Street and its contents, to his son Waldorf Astor . In 1903, he acquired the Hever Castle Estate near Edenbridge, Kent , about 30 miles south of London. The estate of over 3,500 acres had at its centre

429-805: The Soldiers and Sailors Families Association ; and the Women's Memorial to Queen Victoria. His gifts to war charities included $ 125,000 to the Prince of Wales's National Relief Fund; a similar amount to Princess Louise's Officers' Families Fund; $ 200,000 to the British Red Cross; $ 25,000 to Queen Mary's Employment Committee; and a similar sum to the Lord Mayor's National Bands Fund. He gave $ 5,000 to King Edward's Hospital Fund annually starting with its founding in 1897. In recognition of his work for charity, on 1 January 1916, he

462-736: The Cliveden estate as well as the Sancy diamond as wedding presents. Nancy Astor (as she became on her marriage) became Britain's first seated female Member of Parliament. In 1908, building on his success with the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York, Astor financed the Waldorf Hotel in London's West End . Astor became a British subject in 1899. He continued his philanthropic activities, like his father. Among

495-663: The New York State Republican machine, Roscoe Conkling , with whom his family was involved. In 1880, the Maryland General Assembly voted to rename Beantown in Charles County , Maryland "Waldorf" in honor of him. In 1881, Astor was defeated by Roswell P. Flower as a candidate for the United States Congress . A second attempt at the seat also resulted in defeat. His shy nature could not handle

528-626: The castle fell into a poor state of repair, during which time it was leased to various private tenants. In 1903, it was acquired and restored by the American millionaire William Waldorf Astor , who used it as a family residence. He completed a restoration, added the Tudor village (also known as the Astor Wing) and also added the Italian Garden to display his collection of statuary and ornaments. The castle has been Grade I listed since 10 September 1954; that

561-707: The charities he supported were the Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street (to which he gave $ 250,000 in 1903); University College London (including a gift of £20,000 in 1902 for professorships ); the Cancer Research Fund; Oxford University ; Cambridge University ; the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children ; the British Red Cross Society; Gordon Memorial College , Khartoum;

594-403: The construction of this historic castle. The castle's oldest part dates to 1270 and consisted of the gatehouse and a walled bailey . It was then owned by James Fiennes, 1st Baron Saye and Sele . The second period was when the castle, then in need of repair, was converted into a manor in 1462 by Geoffrey Boleyn , younger brother of Thomas Boleyn , Master of Gonville Hall, Cambridge . He added

627-500: The death of his father in February 1890, Astor inherited a personal fortune that made him the second richest man in America. Economists widely agree that John D. Rockefeller was the wealthiest American of that time. In 1890 Astor initiated the construction of the luxurious Waldorf Hotel on the site of his former residence. At 13 stories high, it overshadowed the adjacent mansion of his aunt,

660-507: The friction had blown up into a feud. Aunt Lina also insisted that she, not William's wife Mary, was the Mrs. Astor in New York society, just as she had when that title belonged to her husband's elder brother's wife, Charlotte Astor, when she was alive. As a result of the conflict, Astor moved with his wife and children to England. He rented Lansdowne House in London until 1893. That year, he purchased

693-516: The gardens. William Waldorf Astor William Waldorf Astor, 1st Viscount Astor (31 March 1848 – 18 October 1919) was an American-English attorney, politician, hotelier, publisher and philanthropist. Astor was a scion of the very wealthy Astor family of New York City . He moved to England in 1891, became a British subject in 1899, and was made a peer as Baron Astor in 1916 and Viscount Astor in 1917 for his contributions to war charities. The census-designated place of Waldorf, Maryland

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726-517: The nest. Sixty years later he was proved right. He accompanied James Lindsay, 26th Earl of Crawford and the naturalist Michael John Nicoll on their third voyage on the RYS Valhalla; on 7 December 1905 at about 10:15 am the yacht, was cruising off the Florida coast when a "large fin, or frill, sticking out of the water," was spotted. This frill was six feet in length and projected nearly two feet out of

759-448: The political attacks on his character. This was the end of his political career. The press used his political failures as fodder for harsh criticisms. In 1882, President Chester A. Arthur appointed Astor Minister to Italy , a post he held until 1885. He told Astor, "Go and enjoy yourself, my dear boy." While living in Rome , Astor developed a lifelong passion for art and sculpture. Upon

792-459: The property include The Princess Bride and Inkheart . Hever Castle is now a tourist attraction, drawing on its links to Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII, its mazes, gardens and lakes. There is an annual event programme with assorted events, including jousting tournaments and archery displays in the summer months and an annual patchwork and quilting exhibition in September. The castle has also become

825-484: The second queen consort of King Henry VIII of England , spent her early youth there after her father, Thomas Boleyn , inherited it in 1505. The castle passed to him upon the death of his father, Sir William Boleyn . It later came into the possession of King Henry VIII's fourth wife, Anne of Cleves . The Grade I listed castle is now owned by the Guthrie family's Broadland Properties. There have been three main periods in

858-602: The settlement following the annulment of their marriage. Hever Castle still has one of Henry VIII's private locks, taken with him on his various visits to noblemen's houses and fitted to every door for his security. The property subsequently passed through various owners, including the Waldegrave family from 1557 to 1715, the Humfreys family to 1749 and the Meade-Waldo family from 1749 to 1903. During this latter period of ownership,

891-516: The socialite Caroline "Lina" Schermerhorn Astor . Lina complained bitterly about the commercial establishment next door. However, in 1897, her son John Jacob Astor IV persuaded her to move away and replaced their mansion with the slightly larger in height and width, Astoria Hotel, which was operated as an extension of the Waldorf; the complex became the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel . In the meantime,

924-412: The venue for a triathlon and open water swimming. The castle offers three floors containing antique furniture, Anne Boleyn's prayer books, instruments of torture, and a large collection of Tudor paintings. There is also a museum of the Kent and Sharpshooters Yeomanry . The remains of the original country house timbers can still be seen within the stone walls of the fortification, while the gatehouse

957-497: The water. "A great neck rose out of the water in front of the frill," noted Meade-Waldo; its neck appeared to be about the thickness of a man's body. This creature moved its head and neck from side to side in a peculiar manner. This sea serpent incident became famous and caused much interest back home in Britain. This article about a biologist from England is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about

990-433: Was after the addition of the Tudor village, "a picturesque cluster of guest cottages". In 1983, the Astor family sold the castle to John Guthrie (1906-1992), chairman of the family-run business, Broadland Properties Limited. The castle was used as the location for music videos . The Loggia on the lake was used as the location for a peace conference in the comedy-drama The Great . Other productions that have filmed on

1023-659: Was offered and accepted a peerage of the United Kingdom under the title of Baron Astor . On 3 June 1917, he was elevated to the rank of viscount as the Viscount Astor . The elevation was controversial, as some felt that a rich American had bought his way into the English aristocracy. On 18 October 1919, he unexpectedly died of heart failure in the lavatory of his seaside house at Brighton in Sussex . His ashes were buried under

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1056-519: Was soon discovered, and Astor was mocked in the press. In 1895, he built a gothic mansion on London's Victoria Embankment at Two Temple Place overlooking the River Thames . He commissioned architect John Loughborough Pearson to design a $ 1.5 million building, a "crenellated Tudor stronghold" which he used as an office for managing his extensive holdings. Astor made several business acquisitions while he lived in London. In 1892, he purchased

1089-1029: Was vice-president of the BOU in 1923 and was an active member of the Zoological Society of London , the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds , the Society for the Protection of the Fauna of the Empire and the Society for the Establishment of Nature Reserves. He was also Justice of the Peace for Kent. Meade-Waldo's discovery of sandgrouse chick rearing behaviour in 1896 was for a long time discredited as fantasy. His acute observations noted male sandgrouse, by deliberately soaking their breast feathers in water, bringing water to its chicks at

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