Kate McCaffrey

Kate McCaffrey’s research for her MA thesis led to the discovery of groundbreaking new evidence about Anne Boleyn’s private prayer books. After graduation she was offered a job at Hever Castle – Anne Boleyn’s childhood home – where she continues to work as the Castle Historian and Assistant Curator. 

In the autumn she plans to begin her PhD at the University of Kent.

Tell us about your career path since graduation.

As part of my MA thesis I uncovered some groundbreaking new evidence about one of Anne Boleyn’s private prayerbooks (her Book of Hours) that received international press and scholarly attention. As a result, I was employed at Hever Castle, where that Book of Hours is held and who I had worked with previously, as their Assistant Curator. I have co-curated two exhibitions, one based on my personal research with the Books of Hours, organised Hever’s first international loans, co-authored three books, and made international press with another groundbreaking historical discovery in 2023 with the finding of Thomas Cromwell’s lost Book of Hours. I received a promotion in 2023 to Castle Historian of Hever, as well as keeping my curatorial duties.

In June 2024 I led and launched the greatest change Hever Castle has seen in well over a generation, ‘The Boleyn Apartment’, which is a permanent and full refurbishment of the Boleyn family rooms within the Castle. In 2023, I started a company with two of my historian friends, called The Tudor Trio, where we share monthly online content to subscribers about Tudor history and also plan and execute online and in-person history events and tours.

In 2024, I accepted CHASE funding to begin my PhD with MEMS at the University of Kent this autumn.

What does a typical work day look like for you?

Every day is different, which is part of the fun!

I will be organising whichever project is most current – recently that has been the refurbishment of the Boleyn Apartment, and currently that is planning our next exhibition for 2026. I might be writing the new audio guide tour of the Castle, or researching items within our collection, or meeting with curatorial colleagues at different heritage sites around the UK.

I also help with sourcing new acquisitions and conserving our collection, as well as filming documentaries or television programmes and promoting Hever Castle through social media.

Can you share a professional highlight from your career so far?

Our ‘Catherine and Anne: Queens, Rivals, Mothers’ exhibition from 2023, which was based on my personal research. I reunited Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn’s prayerbooks for the first time in 500 years.

How did your time at Kent help you achieve your current career?

It was invaluable – my MA thesis that I completed at Kent became the very basis for my current career. I would never have been able to work with Anne Boleyn’s prayerbook if I didn’t have the skills and expertise I acquired during my MA with MEMS.

What advice would you give to our current/prospective students who are looking to get into the same line of work?

Say yes to all the opportunities that come your way, get as much practical experience as possible, and gather as many new skills as you can: languages, palaeography, archive experience and codicology were all incredibly important for me.

Do you have a favourite memory from your time at Kent?

Probably having classes in the Canterbury Cathedral archives working with documents from hundreds of years ago!

Is there anything you would do differently if you could repeat your time at Kent?

The pandemic and lock-downs affected how much time I was able to physically spend on campus, so I wish I’d had more time in person, but that was unavoidable!

Are you still in touch with other Kent alumni or academics?

Yes, many. Mainly from MEMS, as I will be returning to join them for my PhD very soon.

What are your future ambitions?

Gain my doctorate, write some more books, and continue working in the heritage space and sharing my love and knowledge of history with the interested public!