Free Republic

A breakthrough in one of the most intriguing, historic who-dunnit cases by Professor Tim Thornton, discovered buried deep in a Register of Wills held at The National Archives.It's Summer 1483, and one of the most infamous and shocking crimes in English history is about to take place. Two young princes are brought to the Tower of London under the protection of their uncle, Richard, Duke of Gloucester. A few weeks later they vanish without a trace. The mystery of what happened to the Princes in the Tower has obsessed us for centuries. Why did these boys, aged just nine and...

Merlina the raven is missing. Legend says that unless six ravens are kept at the Tower of London at all times, the kingdom of Britain will fall The Tower of London’s famous 'Queen' raven has been missing for several weeks and is now feared dead. In a statement on Twitter, Tower of London staff said Merlina's continued absence indicated she may have sadly passed away. Merlina, who joined the tower’s flock in 2007, was the "ruler of the roost" and will be missed, the statement said. Legend says that unless six ravens are kept at the Tower of London at...

In its day, the Tower of London has seen off with many an illustrious head.* Its last use as an execution grounds occurred, all but invisibly, on this date in 1941, with the shooting of German spy Josef Jakobs. It’s safe to say that Jakobs won’t be competing with Anne Boleyn in the book sales department any time soon. He was, truth be told, barely a spy at all: parachuted into Huntingdonshire on January 31, 1941 with intent to reconnoiter, the guy was observed in his descent by (undoubtedly excited) local defense volunteers. They raced to the landing point but...

The 13th June marks the anniversary of the day Wat Tyler led the Peasant’s Revolt of 1381 into London. The English capital descended into chaos as the peasants burnt and looted the city, cementing the revolt as the most significant peasant uprising in the feudal period of English history. Originating in the South-East of England, it was when the revolt reached London that its significance became apparent. The peasants went on to capture the Tower of London, a feat which had never been done before. Two powerful figures, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the King’s Treasurer, were killed by the...

It’s rare that any piece of art – let alone modern art – captures the imagination, and the hearts, of the entire nation. In my near 50 years on the planet I can’t think of anything that has come close to the impact of the sea of poppies at the Tower of london. Earlier this week I saw for myself the astonishing spectacle of another sea – the sea of men, women, boys and girls who have queued up in vast numbers to see the poppies with their own eyes. But even the majority of us who have seen the...

Last Updated: Thursday, 11 January 2007, 13:10 GMT Female beefeater goes on parade The face of the Tower's first female beefeater revealed Ms Cameron will give guided tours The Tower of London's first female beefeater has joined her new colleagues publicly for the first time. Moira Cameron, 42, from Argyll in Scotland, said she was "immensely proud" to have secured the role which she will take up in July. She appeared in her present warrant officer 2 uniform, but will be measured up for her £1,000 beefeater uniform when she starts the post. Her job will involve giving guided tours...

LONDON: The guardians of the historic Tower of London are enlisting girl power for the first time in their 522-year history. The Tower's Yeoman Warders, commonly known as Beefeaters – whose ceremonial dress is a distinctive scarlet and gold tunic, white ruff, red stockings and black patent shoes – have appointed the first female member to their ranks. "There were six candidates – five were male and she was the only female," spokeswoman Natasha Woollard said. "She was the best candidate for the job." Woollard said the woman, whose name has not yet been made public, was serving in the...

LONDON (AFP) - A woman is to overturn over 500 years of tradition by becoming the first-ever female Beefeater at the Tower of London, a newspaper reported. Beefeaters, a familiar sight to tourists in their red and gold uniforms, guard the tower, where the British crown jewels are kept, but also act as tour guides. Up to now, the 35-strong group, also known as yeoman warders, has been all-male but now the authorities have broken with tradition. "The Tower of London is in the process of appointing its first female yeoman warder," a spokeswoman for Historic Royal Palaces, which runs...