Abby Connolly
For instance, one of the most renowned torture tactics was placing prisoners in a confinement cell called “Little Ease,” a cell where no one would be able to fully stand up or lie down, making it impossible to rest or sleep.
Torture was primarily used at the Tower of London for prisoners withholding valuable political information and used as a way to get them to confess. Many historians have stated that executions were more prevalent at the Tower of London.
History’s favorite bad husband, King Henry VIII, notoriously had two of his six wives executed at the Tower of London. First was Anne Boleyn in 1536, who he had executed for adultery and conspiracy against the king. Then, in 1542, he had Catherine Howard, his fifth wife, executed for adultery in 1542.
The last person to be executed by beheading, the most notorious execution technique at the Tower of London, was Simon Fraser for his role in the Scottish Jacobite Rebellion in 1745. It continued to be used as a prison and execution site into the 20th century, including during World War II.
There are a few permanent residents at the Tower of London – ravens! At least six ravens live at the Tower of London at all times, as an old superstition that if there are no more than six ravens on site, the tower will fall is still believed.
There are seven ravens properly cared for by a ‘Ravenmaster’ at the Tower of London to this day, and you may be able to catch a glimpse of them during a tour.
The Tower of London eventually became a site solely for tourism and the home of the Crown Jewels. It’s been maintained and cared for through charities, and tourists can enjoy all kinds of fun tours, from themed tours with actors dressed in medieval costumes to self-guided tours.
If you’ve ever been to London, did you take the time to visit this incredible historical structure?
