The Ghosts of the Tower of London

The Tower of London, nearly a thousand years old, has served as royal residence, prison, and execution site. Countless people met violent ends within its walls. Today, it is considered one of the most haunted buildings in Britain, with ghosts ranging from executed queens to murdered princes.

Anne Boleyn

The most famous ghost is Anne Boleyn, second wife of Henry VIII, executed in 1536. Her headless apparition has been seen walking near the Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula, where she is buried. Guards have reported seeing a procession of ghostly figures entering the chapel, led by a headless woman in period dress.

The Princes in the Tower

In 1483, the young princes Edward V and Richard of Shrewsbury were imprisoned in the Tower and never seen again. Their ghosts, two boys in white nightgowns, have been reported holding hands and wandering the Bloody Tower, appearing sad and lost.

Other Ghosts

Lady Jane Grey, the nine-days queen executed in 1554, is seen on the anniversary of her death. Sir Walter Raleigh haunts the areas where he was imprisoned. The ghost of the Countess of Salisbury, who struggled against her executioner, reenacts her botched execution.

A bear has been seen by guards, possibly the ghost of one of the animals once kept in the Tower menagerie. A white lady waves from a window. Phantom soldiers patrol the battlements.

Modern Experiences

Yeoman Warders (Beefeaters) who live at the Tower report frequent experiences. Guards have challenged figures who then vanished. Visitors report feeling watched and experiencing sudden cold.

Assessment

The Tower of London combines nearly a millennium of documented violence with persistent modern ghost reports. Its ghosts represent a who’s who of English history’s most tragic figures.