I am putting this out on  Anne Boleyn’s execution date  May 19th

First of all I will say that we weren’t able to go to this day, however I have been to the tower many times so——here goes.

 

The Lost London Docks (Wapping)  Guided Walking Tour with Paul Talling (author of London’s Lost Rivers & Derelict London)

 

Entrance opposite the Tower of London

First I recommend you take the subway to

Tower Hill–

-just across the street  (picture).   It can be accessed from the District, and Circle lines.   The view not to mention what’s on Tower Hill is worth it.

 

 

As you leave the subway exit you should be able to see the

London Wall

 

Roman London Tour: Thursdays & Sundays

From 200 AD this wall determined the shape of the

City of London

The wall stretches from here at Tower Hill in the East to Blackfriars  and in the west making a total of 2 miles

ancient city. 

Roman occupation

Estimates  are that total they used 85,000 tons of ragstone (Kentish) Total

This part of London contained most of the 20 bastions that were here in London, there was also a 12 acre fort in the NW—Home of the thousand man official guard as well as an administrative building.

The wall you see here is reportedly the highest fragment still in existence of the Roman wall.  But please note that the Roman portion is just the first 13 feet the rest is

medieval

When the wall was in use it would have had a deep ditch (i.e. moat) which functionlly made the wall higher,  and would have to be reached going thru that nasty,  wet and  cumbersome—not to mention that it put the person crossing it in a position of vunerability to person manning wall.

Tower Hill  Memorial

Next to Tower Hill station is

The Mercantile Marine Memorial The Merchant Seamen’s Memorial

For men and women of the Merchant Navy and fishing fleets who died in both World Wars and who have no known grave   Trinity House A brief introduction to Trinity House on Tower Hill A charity dedicated to safe guarding and seafarers–Building rebuilt after WWII       Trinity Square Created by an act of Parliament 1794.  Restored 2003.  War Memorials and Floral displays

Henry VIII
Portrait of Henry VIII after Hans Holbein the Younger, c. 1537–1562

 

Actually Edward IV —-whose brother Richard III lost the kingdom to Henry VII— had the first permanent gallows built here on Tower Hill on what at the time was a trash heap.  It was called the Land of Liberty because it was outside the Tower and  beyond the control of those that ruled the CIty of London.   It became and would continue to be an execution site  till the mid 18th century.

 

Tudor Tours:  Wars of the Roses

 

Types of execution:

Beheadings–considered less brutal and thus the reason so many of the rich and famous were dispatched this way.

 

Hanging:  Was for the poor often took long time to perish.

 

In 1381 burnings were added to the execution methods

 

Hanging/drawing and quartering:  If you ever saw the movie Brave Heart (with Mel Gibson)—that was how they executed Wallace (executed in London at

 Smithfield—)

only the rich and noble breathed their last on Tower Hill.   Usually they were imprisioned in the Tower–some in prison cells and some in fine apartments

.  The main crime this type of execution  was used for was treason—which was true in the case of Wallace—though he insisted he was born and raised in Scotland and never lived in England—nor had he ever pledged to honor that country or that king—Edward I (Longshanks)

 

a few more killed here during Henry VIII’s reign were:

Sir Thomas More

(above picture) who was a counselor to the King—he was loyal until Henry’s  break with the Catholic Church  and his assuming Leadership of the English Church—More refused to support Henry’s self appointed positiion and eventually was beheaded for his decision

Another killed for his faith

 Bishop Fisher

And this one I think is the worst:

 

Margaret Pole

This was a woman of 67 year (average life span was 35.)– her crime she was purer royal blood than his Tudor clan  Eventually she was thrown in jail (possibly the tower?) and eventually she met her fate with the executioner—she  knelt and placed her head on what she suppose was the last action she would do and waited.

But this axman was not good — he merely wounded her, hitting her on the shoulder with his ax– the poor woman rose up, in pain and terror,  I am sure and ran about with the headman close  behind hacking at her body inuring but not killing.  Eventually her aged body gave up the effort and fell dead and yep that was here on Tower Hill.

The last execution was held here in 1747 when

Lord Lovat 

For you Outlander Fans his clan was Fraser

–a Scott, who was 80 years old when he was brought out before a large crowd but he did not die alone one of the scaffolds set up to allow the crowds to view the execution collapsed  with a thousand  people said to have fallen and 12 dying from their injuries.

 

PUNISHMENT EXECUTIONS AND MARTYRS

You can leave the area continuing to your right.

 

Henry’s oldest child Mary continued the tradition—having Sir Thomas Wyatt—who led  a Kentish revolution Protestants against the Catholic Church—-Mary was a staunch Catholic—

Cross over the road (Byward) continuing right

On the left you’ll come to

All-Hallows-by-the-Tower

There is a museum here in the Medieval Crypt

 

The crypt contains a Roman Floor and the small museum tracing the church’s history.  There’s even an arch from an earlier Saxon church

All Hallows greatest claim to fame?

But there is more to this church than Diarists who climb steeples—-it also claims to be the oldest church in London.  In fact the original church here was founded by the Abbey of Barking–in 675–there is still an arch from this church that remains to this day.  Beneath this arch (Saxon) are traces of Roman pavement which confirms habitation back a couple thousand years.

But this church was eventually enlisted in those blood activities on the hill and inside of the tower and it received many of those bodies of execution of all kind, including

Archbishop Laud (1645),

Bishop Fisher (1535)

and

Sir Thomas Moore (1534)

There’s even some USA Connections

In 1644

 

Wm. Penn,

founder of Pennsylvania, was christened here

John Quincy Adams

the sixth President of the USA

was married here when he was ambassador to the Court of St. James.

In the basement you can see the records for Penn’s baptism and Adam’s marriage as well as other records including the entry for Laud’s death.

The Undercroft Museum also has a model showing London at the time of the Romans, the Roman mosaic, still in place, Saxon crosses discovered on the site, church plate, a barrel used as a crows nest on his ship by

Sir Ernest Shackleton

on his last Artic voyage, and a huge metal hoist used to lift the Grinling Gibbons font cover off the font.

One of the vicars evidentally took a 1705 lead lined cistern and hid all the parish registers and vestry minutes in it and place it in the church’s tower for reasons that are still speculated on—it remained there for 200 years when it was found by chance in 1923…..and that is why all those records on Penn and Adams are readily available.

There are other items in the crypt including an altar which is said to have been carried in the

Second Crusade by King RIchard II. 

There is also a crypt with a barrel-vaulted chapel to St. Francis Assisi that was built in 1280 and was then a

Lady Chapel

in the 15th c—it was then walled up for 300 years or so—-and discovered in 1925 while the area was undergoing repairs.

 

Damaged in the

Blitz

during WWII with only the tower and walls surviving  and the Queen Mum laid a new foundation stone in 1948, signalling the rebuilding of the historic church.

 

World War Two Tour of London

This little walk around  that you just read about Tower Hill  isn’t gonna take you long—if you get here at 9 am you should be able to complete the hill and the church in 1 – 1 1/2 hrs—so get there at 9 and  you should be at Tower by 10:30 latest.

 

 

 

When you’re finished viewing the church you can go across the street to

the tower—

Double check but I don’t think you have to buy ticket in advance as has been the procedure since the Covid.

 

 

If you live in London  or visit there alot and/or make frequent trips to Royal Palaces—you might want to look into a Membership to cut your expenses:

hrp.org.uk/gift-membership

 

See the Crown Jewels | Tower of London

 

and

Tower of London official gift shop.

Time spent at tour I’d say

3 hrs ( click here—this is a virtual 3 hr tour)

is my minimum for the tower.

 

Tower of London Tickets & Tours (and other Things to Do in London)

 

Visiting the Tower of London 2023: Everything You Need to ...

Oh and about Henry’s wives executions

 

Anne Boleyn was executed within the precinct of the Tower of London on 19 May 1536 (today 487 years ago),  She was executed for treason—-which Henry had made the charge for Queens who had committed adultery—

Anne accomplices:

   Mark Smeaton who was a musician at the court of

Henry VIII of England,

in the household of

Queen Anne Boleyn., together with the Queen’s brother

 George Boleyn, Viscount Rochford, (which in addition to adulte    ry was incest),  Henry Norris,

Francis Weston

and

William Brereton

(for treason and

 adultery)

were executed– George was first—2 days before Anne on Tower Hill.

 

 

The BLOODY Boleyn Executions – The Men Accused Of Sleeping With The Queen

Because they were commoners, all the condemed lovers exept her brother were buried in the churchyard of the

Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula.

George Boleyn’s head and body were taken inside the Chapel, however, and interred in the chancel area before the high altar. Just two days later, his sister’s head and body would be joining him.

Before her execution She was housed in the tower—the same apartments she stayed in when she was the queen.  When  Anne was executed she is said to have noted her innocence  but then protested no more —Henry had gotten her a French Executioner and the event seemed to go as well as these things can—but there was no other preparation and no container  provided for the body…..her ladies found a arrow box and managed to get her body and head into it…She was buried in the chapel.

 

 

 

Lady Jane Grey
The Streatham portrait, discovered at the beginning of the 21st century and believed to be based on a lost contemporary woodcut

 

 

 

 

 The large boat in the picture which  across tower:

H.M.S. Belfast

 

Tower Bridge

was purposely built in Gothic style to match up with the Tower.  But beneath it all stands a major steel frame.

It’s a great and interest visit

Inside Tower Bridge

 

 

Cradle Tower

Another part of the Tower on the outside of the wall.  Built by Edward III.  It is east of Henry III’s Gate.  It is said to be much larger than it looks and has a rectangular block, a passage crossing the rampart as well as beautifu apartments.  There is still evidence of the drawbirdge and a beautiful stone vault.

The arch of Queen Elizabeth II is in front of the tower, leading to the courtyard

 

Cross over the road prior (to the left of) Tower Bridge  

 I’d recommend you come back after lunch to enjoy this wonder visit inside tower bridge 

 

 

Take the road on the other side of the bridge that heads to the river.

The Girl and the Dolphin Fountain is Situated on the north bank of the Thames near the bridge and created by David Wynne in 1973

As the road makes a turn to the left look to the right

 

The SunDail Time Piece

Turn Left on St. Katherine’s

 

St Katharine Docks
St Katharine Docks, London

 

 St. Ktherine Docks is a  bunch of old warehouses and boat mooring, etc. which is now a tourist complex with a marina, and shops.

Cross St. Katherine Docks and Drawbridge.  When you get off the bridge you’re on St. Katherine’s way—-the complex of shops and restaurants are to your right.

Continue right on St. Katherine’s Way

 

This is the only marina in Central London and is a thriving waterside community with office space as well as luxury dwellings and water side dining.  This area celerated it’s 190th annivesarry in 2018.  The Thomas Telford-designed dock (1828) was once one of the busiest ports in the UK.

This area went thru a period of decline and demolishion that was further excellerated during the Blitz attacks of WWII.  But this was all turned around in the 1980s when the London Docklands Development corp started the conversion to luxury flats.

The Street makes a gradual turn left.  We’re now in Wapping whose name is thought to come from the Anglo-Saxon word for marsh which is what it was once.

The Street takes a gradual turn to the left

On the right between the street and the river is

 

 

Hermitage River Side Park and Memorial Garden   

 

Go up the stairs just east of Smith’s 

Hermitage Moorings Wapping Pier Head

 

 Return to Wapping High Street

Past Sampson Street on the left as well as Vaughn Way also on the left side.

Past Pier’s Head

Possible choice for Lunch

 

 

Continue down Wapping High St.

Past Dundee Street On the right

 

Continue down Wapping High St.

On the Right

Waterside Garden

Past Rearden

Captain William was executed here on May 23, 1701–the rope snapped the firat time, the second was sucessful—it is said his body remained here for 2 years.  Last hanging here was two men charged with piracy on 12/16/1830.

Past the

Police Museum

Next on the right another possibility for lunch

                           Captain Kidd Pub

 

Continue on Wapping HS

Pass Brewhouse Lane

Past Wapping Lane

Past Wapping Dock Street

Past Clave Street

Past Hillard Ct

Wapping High Street turns left and becomes Garnet Street

Past Prospect Place to the left

Another choice for Lunch