Haunting of Tower of London
I recently went on a day trip to the Tower of London as I’ve been meaning to go back, as it’s been 30+ years since my first visit.
Soon as you step inside the walls of the Tower it’s so calming and peaceful, which surprised me as there was a lot of people visiting. It’s so clean and you can start imagining of how it would have been all of those years ago.
Here is some history I found online about the hauntings at Tower of London.
Anne Boleyn: Executed in 1536, she is frequently seen walking the grounds or near the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula, sometimes carrying her head.
The Princes in the Tower: Edward V and his brother Richard, who disappeared in 1483, are often seen in the White Tower, holding hands and wearing white nightgowns.
Lady Jane Grey: The "Nine Days Queen" was reportedly seen by a guard in 1954, described as a headless white figure near the Salt Tower.
Henry VI: Murdered in 1471, he is said to appear in the Wakefield Tower, pacing until he fades away on the anniversary of his death.
Margaret Pole: The Countess of Salisbury, executed in a botched 1541 beheading, is heard screaming on Tower Green.
Whilst walking around here I felt a women’s presence in the Jewel house building, especially after you have passed all of the Crown Jewels and move into the next room, where the coronation dress worn by Queen Elizabeth the second. I had the feeling I was being watched.
When I went to the memorial place for Anne Boleyn (by the prison) which is not the actual spot this happened. Her actual execution was in front of the jewel house. I felt a sorrow feeling and felt sad for the way she had been treated.
Historians believe she was executed because she didn’t give Henry VIII a son , which ended his hopes for a heir. Elizabeth I was born in 1533, Anne had a miscarriage in 1534 and a stillborn (a boy) in 1536. It was not right how she was treated by him, but then again he was not a very nice person.
We then went to the beauchamp tower. This is where the prisoners would end up and out in cells. Built in around 1281 during the reign of Edward I, this was part of the Tower's inner defensive wall.
I expected to pick up different emotions here, but it felt weirdly calm. Like the calm before the storm.
The Tower takes its name from Thomas Beauchamp (Earl of Warwick) who was imprisoned here at the end of the 14th century for rebelling against Richard II. The building has been used to house prisoners throughout its history. As you walk around you can see graffiti in the walls. Many of these carvings are also known as 'graffito'.
It is believed you can hear Guy Fawkes screams and cries from the white tower, where he was prepared for his execution.
Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula serves as final resting place for
Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, and Lady Jane Grey. Other figures buried there include saints Thomas More and John Fisher, as well as Thomas Cromwell. Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex and George Boleyn (Lord Rochford).
