The Tower of London
Illustration from Lieut.-Gen. Lord De Ros "Memorials of the Tower of London", 1866.
The Missing Princes
The Tower of London, in addition to housing the crown jewels and the royal mint, has been the location of many sordid episodes in England's past. Built atop Roman ruins by William the Conqueror, the tower is more accurately a compound of medieval buildings. Possibly the most famous scandal is the disappearance of the little princes. After the death of Edward IV in 1483, his sons, 12-year-old Edward V and his younger brother the 9-year-old Richard of Shrewsbury were taken to the Tower of London, on the orders of their uncle, Richard Duke of Gloucester, ostensibly to safely await the coronation of Edward V. It was not unusual for monarchs to await coronation in the tower. However, in this case, three months after the princes were taken to the tower, they were declared illegitimate, and their uncle was crowned King Richard III. The princes were never seen alive again.
Murder of the Princes in the Tower, by J. Northcote (1786, Petworth House).
Anne Boleyn
Henry VIII added to the Tower of London, building lavish quarters for his mistress, Anne Boleyn while attempting to annul his marriage from his first wife, Queen Katherine of Aragon. Ironically, the same lodgings would later become Anne’s prison once he tired of her, as well. Anne Boleyn was executed for adultery on The Tower Green. It is said that she roams the tower with her head tucked under her arm.
Artist unknown, National Portrait Gallery
Catherine Howard
Catherine Howard, Henry VIII’s fifth wife (and cousin to Anne Boleyn), was also executed on The Tower Green, also for adultery. Catherine Howard was between sixteen and twenty-one when she married the forty-nine year old King. They were married for a little over a year, when she was sentenced to death by her husband, also for adultery. Catherine was between sixteen and twenty-one when she was killed.
Lady Jane Grey
Lady Jane Grey was executed by Queen Mary I (daughter of Henry VIII) for treason on The Tower Green after a plot to put her on the throne by her parents and in-laws was thwarted. Countless others were tortured, imprisoned, and executed in Tower of London. A few instruments of torture are present in the basement of the Wakefield Tower. The graffiti of past prisoners can be seen in The Beauchamp Tower.
The Execution of Lady Jane Grey by Paul Delaroche hangs in the National Gallery of London
Photo by Katsuri Roy, obtained from Unsplash
Nevermore
Legend has it that if six ravens are not present at The Tower of London, the kingdom will fall. The ravens of the tower are protected and fed by a Ravenmaster, who looks after them very carefully; they are given 6oz of raw meat a day, bird biscuits soaked in blood, an egg once a week and an occasional rabbit (fur and all). There are seven ravens in all (one spare). Their wings are clipped, so they can’t desert The Tower, other than that, they roam free on the grounds, but disappointingly do not speak.
On a drizzly day, you can imagine entering The Tower through the traitors' gate or exiting onto The Tower Green where a French swordsman might await you. You can view the instruments of torture or see a raven hop up to you with a look of malevolent intelligence in its eye.
