The Tower Of London Witnessed The Executions Of 125 People Over The Course Of Nearly 400 Years, And Now Stories Of Ghosts Haunt The Castle
The iconic Tower of London is a historic castle that served as a royal residence. Thousands of visitors flock to the fortress on any given day to experience history for themselves.
From the Crown Jewels and infamous ravens to the well-preserved architecture and execution sites, there is much to explore at the grand monument.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, public executions occurred outside the walls of the castle in an open, grassy area near Tower Hill Underground Station.
A total of 125 people met their ends this way, and it is estimated that less than two dozen individuals of high status were beheaded at Tower Hill.
Executions were performed at the site for nearly 400 years. A list of names of the people who died, starting in 1381 and ending in the mid-1700s, can be found next to the Grade I-listed Merchant Navy Memorial, First World War Section.
The most notable executions were of the three former queens of England, two of whom were the wives of King Henry VIII.
Anne Boleyn was the king’s second wife and was in her early thirties. An expert swordsman had traveled from France for the occasion. He sliced her neck with a clean stroke of his sword.
Catherine Howard was Henry’s fifth wife, and she was in her early twenties. They were both accused of adultery. The third queen to lose her life was 16-year-old Lady Jane Grey.
She had been queen for just nine days before she died. She had hastily ascended to the throne as part of a failed military coup staged by her father-in-law, the Duke of Northumberland.
sborisov – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
Other individuals with high status who were found guilty of treason or any offenses against the Crown were executed at the western edge of Trinity Square Gardens.
These included participants in rebellions, such as the Peasants’ Revolt, War of the Roses, English Reformation, and the Jacobite Uprising. Crowds would gather to watch the gory public displays.
One of the most brutal beheadings happened in 1685 at the hands of Jack Ketch, history’s bloodiest executioner.
He was notorious for his violence and inefficiency. James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, went under the axe for leading a rebellion against his uncle, King James II. He suffered through a horrific botched execution. It took seven blows and a knife to separate his head from his body.
The last public execution to take place in the country was of Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat, in 1747. He was found guilty of high treason for his role in the 1745 Jacobite Uprising.
Today, memorial plaques and a sculpture dedicated to those who were condemned to death are located at the site of the executions.
Sign up for Chip Chick’s newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox.
More About:Freaky