Ghost Stories and Jewels at the Tower of London

Hi! My name is Jesse Quickel. I am going to be a fifth-year senior and I am a psychology major with two additional minors in art and English. I wanted to come on this trip to broaden my worldview culturally and psychologically. This is my first time out of the country, and I am excited to meet new faces and see how this trip will change my lens through which I see the world!

Today we had a very exciting excursion planned. We visited the Tower of London located along the famous Tower Bridge and River Thames. We took the tube from our hotel which placed us right outside the Tower’s gates. From there we participated in a "Beefeater" Tour where we learned some history about the Tower. The Beefeater name comes from Henry VII's personal guards who were nicknamed so because they were allowed to eat infinite amounts of beef from the table of the King. Started in 1066, the Tower of London was built over a twenty-year period by William the Conqueror to be his fortress against rebellion in surrounding London. It has thirteen towers of defense that make up the exterior of the fortress and it has protected Kings and Queens of England for over five hundred years. In addition to being a protective barrier, the Tower was used to house valuable, royal jewels and supply money to the nation. Today, The Tower holds the Crown Jewels next to the Royal Chapel that is said to be haunted by Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s second wife.

Anne Boleyn was one of many victims that was executed at the Tower of London. Like the others, she passed through the famously named Traitor’s gate on her way to the chopping block. Henry VIII, one of the many monarchs that lived in the Tower of London during his rule had a total of six wives. Desperate for a son, he left his first wife for Anne Boleyn. In the process, he broke off from the Roman Catholic Church and created the Church of England of whom he placed himself as the head. By doing so he was able to divorce his first wife Catherine of Aragon and marry Anne. After some failed attempts he was still not able to gain a son and decided to have her executed, also accusing her of adultery and incest. Anne was beheaded in 1536 on Tower Green in the Tower of London. She is buried in the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula on the grounds and is said to haunt the area of her execution. Legends of ghost stories have attracted tourists since the 1700’s. This is partly because the Tower of London served as a prison for many centuries. The Bloody Tower is where victims were tortured and then held. Torture was only used as a last resort for England and commonly used to extract information.

After the tour, we got to break off into groups, or on our own to walk around the Tower and explore the ins and outs of the premises. I walked around with two other classmates, and we ate in a café that was situated in what was once an old dining hall. The food was cooked fresh and great for lunch or an afternoon snack! The weather was perfect for walking around and we even got to witness the legendary ravens that live at the Tower of London. It is said that if the ravens ever left the Tower that would mean that it would fall, and they have not left since. Once we tired from walking along the cobblestone roads, we all visited the giftshop that was located outside the gates. It was full of all kinds of neat Tower goodies, which we all took part in purchasing. This was our only activity planned for the day, and the weather was perfect for walking around, so we then parted ways for the day. Some of us went to walk along the river Thames or shop. I spent the rest of my evening at a wonderful local bookstore, Waterstones where I purchased seven too many books and ended the night with some authentic Chinese take away!

This excursion was my personal favorite so far on this trip. From a psychological and cultural standpoint, it was amazing to witness such a historical site and ponder over the centuries of history that took place here. It was interesting to see how each generation of royalty that lived at the Tower of London renovated and added to it to make it their home. Home is such an important part of culture and identity. Without a sense of belonging our psyche is lost. I left this site with a new perspective of my own identity and sense of home and ruminated on the differences and similarities I have to these historical figures.

Pictured are facts about the famous Ravens that live at the Tower of London.

Group Photo in front of the Tower of London! Pictured is Alyssa Karasek, Lorelai Buford, Quinn Smith, Sophie Strombom, Rayven Smart, Madeline Hazelwood, Lauren Helsel, and Jesse Quickel.