Ghosts of the Tower of London
The ghosts at the Tower of London are plentiful, which is no surprise given this building’s bloody past. It is home and host to many famous ghosts throughout history, like Anne Boleyn, the Two Prince, and Guy Fawkes. However, tonight I’d like to dig into some of the lesser known ghosts that haunt this infamous building, in particular: Lady Jane Grey, a Grizzly Bear, and something called The Smothering Presence...
The Tower of London was created in 1067, and in the centuries that have passed it has borne witness to some of the most horrific and strangest acts of humankind. Not just known for its beheadings, but other grisly punishments, deaths, and exhibitions, it is no surprise the tower is teaming with its fair share of after-life inhabitants.
Many visitors claim a wide array of strange stories and sensations when venturing into the tower. Many of them are commonly related to poltergeist-like activity: strange smells, cold spots, doors closing, disembodied voices, impossible footsteps, and an ever-present feeling of being watched
Some unlucky (or lucky, depending on how you look at it) visitors have also seen and/or experienced some full body apparitions and interactions with those long since in the grave. One of those ghosts is Lady Jane Grey, also known as the 9-Day-Queen. She was only 16 years old.
The ending began on July 10th, 1553 shortly after the death of King Edward VI. King Edward had named Lady Jane Grey his successor. Much to her distress, many of the nobles, including her own father, instead took the side of Queen Mary and demanded Lady Jane relinquish the crown. Which, she eventually did.
Despite Lady Jane giving the crown to Mary, Mary was not satisfied. She had both Lady Jane and her husband imprisoned in the tower. They were both tried in November 1553 for high treason. They were both subsequently sentenced to death. Months before her own execution, Jane was forced to witness the beheading of her husband and the sight of his body being brought back in a cart, as a final cruel punishment by Mary.
In February 1554, Jane was removed from the tower and beheaded. She was then buried beneath the altar of the Tower’s Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula.
In the tower, she has been sighted dozens of times and is also called ‘The Lady in White’, which was the color she wore on the day of her execution. Many describe encounters of her to be matched with extreme melancholy and a sense of hopelessness. Lady Jane doesn’t seem to interact much with visitors and instead wanders the halls of the tower, lost in her own loneliness.
Now, to the bear.
It may be odd to conceptualize now, but in Tudor Times part of the Tower of London housed exotic animals, which visitors could see. It was similar to a zoo, but with much fewer safety regulations.
In the 1800s, though, sightings of a bear began to run wild through the tower. According to writer E.L. Smith, “[One of the] sentries at the [Martin Tower] was… alarmed by a figure like a huge bear [emerging] from underneath the door.”
He attempted to bayonet the creature, but instead struck the door and just like that the bear was gone. He was found “senseless” a few moments later and was taken away to be treated.
A few days after seeing this grisly apparition, the soldier died. While some believe it was a remnant of the tudor zoo, others believed it was the devil himself who came to take a soul.
Today, many claim to hear growls and strange animal noises...despite the fact that it has been centuries since creatures called the tower home.
Finally, we reach The Smothering Presence, also known as the suffocating presence and other names. Unsurprisingly, over decades, many night guards of the tower have reported horrible sensations while on patrol. When they enter a particular chamber, they often experience chills, an overwhelming sense of dread, or, in some cases, the feeling of being smothered or suffocated. On rare occasions, some even claim that they feel as if they were being crushed alive by an unseen force.
What room in the tower causes these stories to emerge? The room in which King Henry VIII’s armor is stored. Either the vengeful spirit of King Henry, or something deeper and darker, seems attached to his armor.
Whether you see, feel, or hear something...be on guard whenever you enter the tower. You never know what you will find.
Thanks to Stacy C for the blogstonishing suggestion
The blog image is "The South View of the Tower of London" engraving, published in 1737. Courtesy of the British Museum. Licensed in the public domain.