by Norman A. Rubin

Created on: August 17, 2007   Last Updated: August 19, 2007

The word ghost came to my mind when my wife and I toured the Tower of London, which was helped by the tour guide as she described the famous personages in English history that were incarcerated and a few unfortunates that were executed there. Ghosts, she reiterated, are said to make the Tower their eternal home; troop of soldiers guarding exalted persons such as Sir Walter Raleigh or escorting Sir Thomas Beckett to the chopping block appear there, as well as the Lady in Mourning with No Face' and the headless ghost of Anne Boleyn. Lady Jane Grey, and the princes of the Tower - King Edwards V and the Duke of York compete in the haunting. Through its nine hundred year history of blood, death and intrigue, there is little wonder that the Tower has the reputation as one of the most haunted places in Britain.

Strange stories abound in the passages of the Tower of London that would put aside a skeptic's view of ghosts. In 1816, a palace guard who was on duty spied the phantom bear. Not realizing he was facing an apparition, the guard attempted to lunge at the creature with his bayonet, which embedded in a door, whereupon the ghostly bear promptly disappeared. The guard reportedly later died of shock.
In 1864, a soldier saw a ghost and again attempted to use his bayonet. The soldier fainted when he realized his antagonist was a ghost, and was later tried in a military court for neglect of duty. However, the charges against the soldier were dropped when two witnesses came forward to support the soldier's ghost story.

We had an interesting tour of the Tower of London through the good offices of the well-informed guide of the society of Historic Royal Palaces. We learned how monarchs and important personages have shaped English society, and of the ones who were incarcerated and some executed in the Tower. We were allowed to see the crown jewels under the watchful eyes of the Beefeaters, heard the call of the ravens and were on the lookout for ghosts.

Historic Royal Palaces is an independent charity that looks after the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, the Banqueting House , Kensington Palace and Kew Palace.

The Tower of London Visitors Services
London EC3N 4AB
England
Tel: 0870 756 6060
VisitorServices_TOL@hrp.org.uk

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The word ghost' conjures in one's mind of a pale wavering form seemingly made of mist that appears suddenly, mainly in the dark of night. Sometimes ghosts will make its presence known through moving object or by strange noises. Fear encroaches and one asks

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