Thursday, May 23, 2019

The Tower of London and it's Permanent Residents.

Photo by Haris Krikelis, CC
The Tower of London is one of England's most famous landmarks and one of London's most
imposing ones. Here people have been imprisoned, tortured, executed and murdered: it's history written in blood and horrors, which have seeped into the ancient stones that make up its walls and floors. The Tower was founded around 1066, so it's had a lot to time to accumulate quite a lot of ghosts, some of them innocent and some of them not. Some of them human and some of them not. My aim with this blog post is to provide a brief but info packed run down of all of the phantoms lurking within those old walls, so that any of you paranormal loving wanderers out there know exactly what you're looking for.

The Two Princes.
These two little heartbreakers are allegedly the spirits of Edward (12 years old) and Richard (9 years old), sons of King Edward IV and his wife, Elizabeth. After the death of their father in 1483, their care was entrusted to their Uncle Richard, who promptly sent the two to stay in the tower, since this was not a prison at the time but the traditional home of those members of the royal family who were awaiting coronation. Poor little Edward never reached his throne. While they were in the tower, Parliament declared the boys to be illegitimate and their Uncle Richard took the throne. Although they were initially seen playing in the Tower gardens, the children were seen less and less until they disappeared completely. Rumors spread, saying that the two boys had been murdered, and unfortunately it's highly likely, although there is no firm evidence. The blame fell on the boys Uncle, Richard III. It is one of the things he is remembered for the most, even though he had no need to harm the boys as the throne was his and most of the "evidence" seems to come from the play written about him by William Shakespeare's, during the reign of his successor, Henry Tudor. During this time there was a lot of anti-Richard III propaganda, this is no surprise as history is written by the victors.
Their cause of death unknown, there was no sign of the boys until 1674, when some workers found a large wooden box while doing some work on the tower. Opening it they found the skeletal remains of two children with the remains of velvet clothing around them. It's believed by many that these are the bodies of the two princes, but these weren't the only bodies of children found at the tower. Some time previously a bricked up room had been discovered and inside were the skeletons of two children. Either the remains in the room or the remains in the box could be the two princes, but the box is the most well known story.
Since then the two boys have made their presence known about the tower. Sometimes the only thing heard is the sound of laughter, but sometimes two little spirits in white night shirts have been spotted playing in the grounds around the tower, on the battlements or wandering down the stairs. Sometimes the poor things have even been spotted huddled and weeping in the rooms they lived in, only to fade away when approached. Keep an eye out and maybe you might see these tragic and harmless spirits for yourself.

Anne Boleyn
The second wife of Henry VIII, poor Anne only lasted three years as his Queen. While she gave birth to a daughter, she was unable to give the tyrant the son he desperately craved, suffering a miscarriage and then later giving birth to a stillborn baby boy. It was around this time that Henry had started to court Jane Seymour, who was to become his third wife and in 1536 Anne found herself banished to the Tower, and was executed under false charges of incest, adultery and treason. In death her ghost is quite active and has been seen walking the tower and it's gardens, sometimes intact, but other times carrying her head tucked under one arm. She has also been spotted walking around St Peter's Chapel, near the Tower, where her body was originally laid to rest under the altar. The most famous sighting of her occurred in 1864, when a guard mistook her for a living trespasser and, when she failed to stop walking towards him, attempted to run her through with his bayonet. This of course failed miserably and the poor man just ended up running straight through the ghostly queen. He promptly fainted upon realising what had happened and narrowly avoided a court marshall.

The White Lady
What old English building would be complete without a White Lady? With so many deaths having occured at the Tower of London, this soul has no identity. She's very active, having been sighted by guards and members of the public alike, as she wanders around the rooms and corridors of the White Tower. Once she was even sighted at a window, waving to a group of visiting school children outside. While her presence is mostly benign, her perfume is not. Smelt most often at the entrance to St John's Chapel, her perfume carries a noxious odor that has been known to turn stomachs.

Lady Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury
Lady Margaret was yet another victim if Henry VIII's infamous bad temper. Her son had somehow offended the King, but was out of the country at the time and well out of Henry's reach. So Henry tuned his spite on the other mans mother instead, having the dignified older lady falsely charged with Treason (I'm beginning to see a pattern her, Henry.) and sent to the executioners block with not trial. In 1541, the Countess approached the scaffold. She was 70 years old, quite an accomplishment in Tudor times, and she was about to prove to the King, the executioner and the audience of over 100 spectators that she had plenty of life left in her, even if it was to be cruelly cut short. Facing the executioner she refused to lower her head for him, if he was to kill her then he would have to do so where she stood. Eventually guards forced her to kneel, but the executioner was rattled by the encounter and his aim was off. Instead of her neck, his axe met with her shoulder. Lady Margaret let out a blood curdling scream and, tearing herself from the block and the grasp of the guards, RAN. The poor woman fled around the execution site, trailing blood behind her, while the executioner chased after her trying to cut her down. When he caught up with her, probably due to her being slowed by blood loss and shock, it took him 11 blows to end the Countesses suffering.
Now on the anniversary of her death the whole horrid spectacle plays itself out again. It is said that the blood soaked spirit of Lady Margaret Pole can be seen re-enacting her desperate flight from the block, being pursued by a spectral executioner, franticly swinging his axe to bring the Lady down. Whether this is a residual spirit or a case of Stone Tape Theory is unknown, but if you are able to visit the Tower on the evening of the 27th of May, maybe you'll see this saddening sight for yourself.

King Henry VIII's Armour
King Henry was bad tempered, a cruel man and a couple of scones short of a cream tea. While he doesn't haunt the Tower himself, it would seem like some of his bad vibes have seeped into his armour and stayed there. Guards patrolling the gallery where it is kept have reported a horrific crushing sensation descending upon them when they get near it. One even felt as if a heavy blanket had been thrown over his head before it was pulled tight around his neck. He managed to escape but was left with marks on his neck to prove his story to the other guards. This nightmarish feeling is said to lift when the sufferer escapes the room and seems to be a nocturnal phenomenon, as I could find no reports of it effecting people during the day.
Henry VIII wasn't the healthiest of people. Knocked unconscious at a jousting tournament, when he awoke his personality had done a complete 360 from being a relatively pleasant man to being the foul, bad tempered, spiteful despot he is known as today. A recent theory has been put forward that the blow that knocked him unconscious may have resulted in brain damaged, which would explain the personality change. Whatever the reason, from that moment on his health spiraled out of control, as Henry began to rapidly gain weight and developed leg ulcers, which could not be healed and were instead kept open. On top of this, wearing heavy armour would have felt unbearable. I believe it's possible that the vibes given off by the armour are a type of stone tape effect, likely to be how Henry felt when he squeezed himself into it.

King Henry VI
Henry VI was not the strongest of monarchs, but he neither expected or deserved to be killed. He was imprisoned by the House of York, with Edward IV taking the throne the very day after his untimely death. While the first reports of his death state that he died of a broken heart, he was actually stabbed to death while praying at a small window altar in his prison cell in the Wakefield Tower. He died not long before midnight and on the anniversary of his death, on the 21st of May, he has been sighted pacing his room until he fades away to nothing at the strike of midnight.

Lady Jane Grey
King Edward VI had declared Jane his successor upon his death, much to the annoyance of his own sister, Mary. Abandoned by her Father, who chose to side with Mary to save his own hide, Jane found herself left to the mercy of the woman who would become known as Bloody Mary. Jane lasted only 9 days before Queen Mary seized the throne and started as she meant to go on, with Lady Jane and her husband being her first victims. Jane's father was pardoned, but Jane and her husband were charged with Treason. Jane was forced to watch the execution of the man she loved from the window of her cell, before being lead to her own death. She was only 16 years old.
In death she is seen as a floating, shimmering figure that walks the green and the battlements, eventually fading into nothing.
Jane is not alone. Her husband, Lord Guildford Dudley, has been sited around the Beauchamp Tower with tears running down his face.

Thomas Beckett
First seen 1241, Thomas Beckett is one of the first recorded ghosts at the Tower and one of the few to have been put to rest. Henry III was responsible for the Inner Circle of the Tower having been built, but his Grandfather, Henry II, was responsible for Beckett's murder and it seems the former Archbishop of Canterbury had neither forgotten nor forgiven. So when builders tried to build the wall, Thomas Beckett manifested himself and reduced it to rubble with one strike of his cross. This, allegedly, happened twice before Henry III had a tower named after Beckett. This seemed to please the spirit and he wasn't seen again.
Interestingly, in more recent times the spirit of a monk has been sighted in the same areas that the ghost of Thomas Beckett was. But is this really just a random monk? Or has Thomas Beckett returned to haunt the Tower once more?

Sir Walter Raleigh
In 1618 this great explorer lost his head to the Executioner after upsetting James I, being charged with treason and being imprisoned at the Tower. It wasn't the first time he'd been locked up there and had a relatively good life there, living in luxury with his family being allowed to visit. He was known to grow exotic plants in his rooms and his second son was even conceived there. 
His spirit has been seen and heard walking the battlements and one of the homes on Tower Green.

Henry Walpole
Henry had a rather dangerous occupation. He was a Jesuit Priest during the 16th century. When he was captured and imprisoned in the Tower he suffered many tortures, including the rack. Between torture and sentencing, he managed to carve his own name and that of Saints into the walls of his prison. Eventually this poor man was executed. His carvings remain, but it would seem that some trace of Henry does too. Lone visitors in this room have heard the low murmurs of a man praying and a golden yellow glow which grows to fill the room before it vanishes.

Guy Fawkes
This poor soul is heard rather than seen. In 1605, Guy was involved in a failed plot to assassinate King James I and his government. As you may already know, this assassination attempt involved rather a lot of gunpowder. After his capture, Guy Fawkes was horrifically tortured to get his to reveal the names of his co-conspirators and their plan. He resisted at first but couldn't hold out forever. Put on trial and sentenced to be executed by being hung, drawn and quartered, Guy Fawkes was so weak from the tortures he had undergone that he never got past the hanging part. His neck broke, killing him instantly. Despite being dead, he was still drawn and quartered.
These days we remember him with Guy Fawkes night and by his terrifying, pain filled screams that have been heard echoing around the rooms where he was held captive and tortured.

The Mysterious and the Inhuman
In 1977, two workmen in the Middle Tower heard heavy footsteps walking around on the floor above them. With some help they searched for the source of the sounds, but nothing was found. There was nobody there, nobody visible anyway.
In the 1960's a guard was found in shock after having witnessed a cloaked and headless figure which approached him.
In the Tudor Times the Tower was used as a zoo and it's said that even now the roars of Lions can sometimes still be heard. But when it comes to animal spirits, the Towers Bear is the first thing most people think of. In the 1800's a guard at the Martin Tower was alarmed to see the figure of a bear emerging from a doorway. In a panic he attempted to run the beast through with his bayonet, but this had no effect as it just passed clean through the spirit and got stuck in a door. The poor guard fainted from the shock and is said to have died three days later.
In the 1800's, the Keeper of the Crown Jewels had a ghostly encounter in the Martin Tower, where he lived with his family. Edmund Swifte reported that a liquid-like column floated through the room where he was sitting with his family. It eventually floated behind his wife and the distressed lady swore that it had tried to grab her. Edmund jumped to her defence, throwing a chair at the thing, but the chair went straight through it and the thing floated to the window and vanished.
In the 1980's a Yeoman Warder was astonished to come across two Beefeaters chatting to each other as they sat by a fireplace. This wouldn't have been unusual, but their uniforms were older one, very much out of date. When the two spirits spotted him, they faded into thin air.

Photo by Thorsten Hansen, CC
So, those are the ghosties and ghoulies that can be found stalking the ancient halls and rooms of the Tower of London. Have you seen or heard any of these ghosts yourself? Have I missed anyone out? Don't be shy, let me know. Drop me a message in the comments below or find me on Twitter. I would love to hear any stories you might have.
And if you intend to visit the Tower and are not 100% sure where to go, I've included a map to get you on the right path.



Sunday, May 5, 2019

New Growth: the Flowers of Spring

Photo by myself, Wildflowers in Highgate Cemetery.
Spring is here. Though I don't live in the countryside, I do live near the edge of town and, as a result, have had the pleasure of seeing the countryside coming back to life. Bare branches are now lush with bright green leaves and delicate blossom. Crops are growing in the fields. Wild flowers grow wherever they please, turning barren and muddy ground into a stunning bouquet. After the cold beauty of winter, it's a refreshing change and one of my favourite seasons. But it's not just rich with new growth, it's rich with folklore. Some of that folklore is as light and pretty as the Spring itself, but some of it is very dark indeed. Which of your favourite flowers are more dangerous than you think? Which ones will bring you luck, which ones will bring you sorrow? Read on to find out, with my Top Five favourite Spring flowers.

A word of warning: While I do mention which plants are edible in this post, I also go over which ones are not. NEVER, EVER eat any foraged plants unless you are 100% sure that what you have picked is the correct and edible plant! Be careful.

Daffodils
One of the most famous Spring blooms, a bunch of these beautiful, yellow flowers could brighten anyone's mood. Bought to England by the Romans, they're quite hardy and can grow almost anywhere. If you spot the first Daffodil of Spring, before anyone else in your household, you'll have good luck for the rest of the year. A bunch of them as a gift brings good luck to the person who receives them, while a single flower given brings bad luck. 
Eating them brings bad luck too, as all parts of this pretty flower are poisonous. Symptoms include nausea, stomach pain, sickness and diarrhea, so keep them away from young children and pets.

Hyacinths
These beauties came to Europe from Turkey, and it wouldn't be spring without them or their heavy scent. Despite this, the story behind them is a gruesome one. In Greek myth, Hyacinthus was a young and beautiful mortal. The problem is that being young and beautiful in Greek mythology usually ends up with you being harrassed by some God or Goddess, and poor Hyacinthus found himself adored by not one God but two; Apollo the Sun God and Zephyrus, God of the Western Wind. Hyacinthus seemed to favour Apollo and Zephyrus was not happy. Normally the gentlest out of the winds, Zephyrus decided if he couldn't have the young man then nobody could. He waited til the two lovers were playing discus and, as the Sun God made his throw, used the Western Wind to blow the heavy disc off course. The discus hit Zephyrus in the head, a fatal blow. Heartbroken, Apollo immortalized the boy by causing Hyacinth flowers to bloom from his blood, the marks on the flowers petals are caused by his tears of grief.
Hyacinths are toxic and not edible.

Primroses
As Fairy flowers go, these little flowers are quite useful. Primroses are said to mark the hidden doorways to the Fae Lands and can even be used as the key to enter, if you are brave enough. This might be handy if some elf has spirited away a loved one and you need to go on an epic quest to save them. Upon discovering a fairy door, you can open it by touching it with a primrose. Also, since Fairies are said to be so fond of the flowers, a posey of them on your doorstep will encourage them to bless your home and eating the flowers will allow you to see them. 
Yes, primroses are edible and make a tasty and visually appealing addition to a spring salad. They are meant to taste quite fresh, like lettuce. 

Bluebells
Covering forrest floors in a delicate carpet of blue, these are fairy flowers and, pretty as they are, tend to be on the darker side of Folklore. Because of their links to the other worldly, it's considered unlucky to walk through patches of them, or pick them and bring them inside your home, as this will anger the Fairy Folk. If you wander into a ring of them or hear their dainty bells ringing, it's even worse; you will end up bewitched by the Fae, and either be taken to the Fairy Realm or die shortly after. Children left in a Bluebell wood are likely to be lured away to the Fairy world, never to be seen again. If you are extra unlucky then you might find a vile changeling left in place of the child.
These beauties spread everywhere they can, and are an indicator of ancient woodland or hedgerows. A relation to the Hyacinth, they are also not edible and are quite toxic if ingested. So don't.

Hawthorn
The Hawthorn will always be my favourite spring bloom. I have fond memories of night time car rides, on the way home from my Aunt and Uncle's as a child, the window down to let in the bewitching scent as the blossoms virtually glowed in the moonlight. Flowering in May, these tough trees can grow in the harshest, most barren and occasionally unexpected places. It's no wonder that in folklore they are considered to be fairy forts or meeting places, resulting in old roads changing course to avoid bothering them or lone trees growing untouched in farmers fields. Nobody wants to risk angering the fae folk. Their branches and blossom was traditionally used as part of May Day celebrations, as wreaths or garlands outside of the house. Inside of the house was a completely different story, since it was considered incredibly bad luck to bring the blossoms inside, as death would soon follow and who knows whom it would come for. This is probably linked to the medieval belief that the blossom smelt like death and the plague.
 It's younger leaves are edible, referred to by the old name as Bread and Cheese, these can be eaten (traditionally) straight from the branches or as part of a salad. It's blossom can be used for tonics or teas to treat heart issues and poor circulation. The berries (or Haws) can be used in jams or wines, they can be eaten raw but could cause cause stomach ache.

Photo by myself, Hawthorn and Blossom.

I hope you've enjoyed this short introduction to England's Spring flowers. My apologies if you haven't seen your favourite one included in this list, it's a personal Top Five rather than a general one. Have any interesting Folklore that's been left out of this post? I always love to hear new Folklore! Post it on Twitter and link me into your Tweet, or comment on this Blog's announcement post on my Instagram.