| In this final instalment of The Ghosts of the Tower of | | | | successor in case of his death instead of his two |
| London, you will learn about the fate of Catherine | | | | half-sisters. When Edward VI died she was crowned |
| Howard and discover the treachery behind the death | | | | Queen of England, but the supporters of Mary |
| of Lady Jane Grey who was Queen of England for | | | | overthrew her. |
| only nine days. | | | | Her own father got scared and in hopes to save his |
| The most grisly execution and thus haunting is that of | | | | own skin, left the Tower of London and went to |
| the 70 year old Countess of Salisbury, the last of the | | | | Tower Hill to proclaim Mary I, as the Queen of England, |
| Plantagenets. King Henry VIII had her executed for | | | | Lady Jane never left the tower; she and her husband |
| political reasons. The feisty Countess refused to put | | | | were immediately imprisoned and sentenced to death. |
| her head on the block like a common traitor. When her | | | | Queen Mary carried out the execution of Lady Janes |
| executioner came after her she ran, but was pursued | | | | father-in-law but set both Jane and her husband free. |
| by him, with his axe in hand hacking at her until he had | | | | Her father was involved in a rebellion against Mary I, |
| hewn the Countess to death. | | | | Lady Jane and her husband were again placed in the |
| Her ghost has been seen reliving this truly gruesome | | | | tower. Lady Jane watched as her husband was taken |
| act. Also the shadow of a great axe has been seen | | | | to Tower Hill where he was beheaded. She saw his |
| falling across the scene of her murder. | | | | body being carried back to the chapel, after which she |
| At one time the Tower of London was home to the | | | | was taken to Tower Green where she was |
| Royal Menagerie. Lions, leopards, bears, birds, monkeys | | | | beheaded. She was only 17 years old. |
| and an elephant, that was a gift from the King of | | | | Lady Jane Greys ghost was last seen by two |
| France, were kept on exhibit. On the stroke of midnight | | | | Guardsmen on February 12, 1957, the 403rd |
| in January of 1815 a sentry saw a bear from this | | | | anniversary of her execution. She was described as a |
| menagerie emerge from a doorway. He lunged at it | | | | "white shape forming itself on the battlements". Her |
| with his bayonet, it passed right through the apparition. | | | | husband, Guildford Dudley, has been seen in |
| The Sentry was later found unconscious, it is said he | | | | Beauchamp Tower weeping. |
| died of fright within two months of this encounter. | | | | Catherine Howard escaped from her room in the |
| Something unseen and very frightening is in the Salt | | | | Tower of London. "She ran down the hallway |
| Tower. This is one of the most haunted areas of the | | | | screaming for help and mercy. She was caught and |
| Tower of London complex. This is a very old section, | | | | returned to her room." The next day she was |
| dogs will not enter this ancient building, and ever since | | | | beheaded. Her ghost has been seen sill running down |
| one of the Yeoman Warders was nearly throttled by | | | | the hallway screaming for help. |
| a force unseen, they will not go in the area after | | | | Other strange sightings at the Tower of London have |
| nightfall. | | | | been "Phantom funeral carriages" and A lovely veiled |
| In 1864, a soldier whose post was to guard the | | | | lady that, upon closer look proves to have a black void |
| Queens House at the Tower of London, saw a | | | | where her face should be." |
| apparition so real, that after ignoring the soldiers three | | | | This concludes the brief insight to the Ghosts of The |
| challenges, he charged with all his might at the intruder | | | | Tower of London. I hope this has fired your imagination |
| with his bayonet, only to go straight through the figure. | | | | enough so that you want to learn more about the |
| He was found unconscious at his post and was | | | | Towers most GRUESOME PAST. |
| court-martialled for neglecting his duty. Luckily there | | | | If you want to read about more haunting tales then |
| were two witnesses who corroborated his story. The | | | | visit my Haunted Castles page, where you can find out |
| soldier was eventually acquitted. | | | | about the strange happenings at Windsor Castle or |
| Lady Jane Grey is another tragic story of a young life | | | | read about the Heroic tale of the two Pomeroy |
| cut short at the Tower, due to the actions of others | | | | Brothers. |
| the most despicable of who was her own father. | | | | Best Wishes and Have a Great Day |
| She was the granddaughter of Mary (Henry VIII | | | | Stuart Bazga |
| younger sister) and Louis XII of France. The Duke of | | | | A Guide to Castles of Europe was born from |
| Northumberland would lose everything if Henry VIIIs | | | | childhood dreams and aspirations. It is my hope to |
| son was to die and Mary, who was Catholic, would | | | | educate and stimulate you into exploring these castles |
| become queen. | | | | for youselves. |
| He and her father arranged her marriage to his son | | | | You may copy or redistribute this article in its entirety |
| and persuaded her cousin Edward VI to name her his | | | | including all links. |