Discussion: Anne's Ghost?

"So I have often heard that hte ghost of Anne Boleyn haunts the Tower of London and the question that has always been on my mind is how the heck do they know its her? It's not like the face from the portrait is the one walking around there. Plus was she really the only dark haired woman who was executed there? Then Ive heard stories of a ghost walking around without a head; so if it doesnt have a head how eactly can you be sure its Anne Boleyn? These are just questions that have always dogged me. "

"It's more exciting for people to think it's Anne. Just as they think it's Katherine Howard they hear screaming down the hall in (I don't remember which palace). "

"Good question - yes, there have been stories of a headless woman haunting the Tower: in 1864, a Tower guard saw a woman in white approach him one night; she did not respond when he challenged her, but a sudden ray of moonlight revealed she had no head. He fainted, and was nearly court-marshalled - until two witnesses stepped forward, stating they, too, had seen the apparition. Anne Boleyn? A supposition. Sadly, many other candidates can be named.

The most famous legend concerning Anne Boleyn haunting the Tower: an officer, one night, noticed lights in St. Peter ad Vincula. Climbing a ladder, he peered through the windows. Apparently, he witnessed a procession of men and women, pacing up and down the nave, until arriving at the altar. Slowly the figures vanished - at the exact spot under which the remains lay. The lights flickered, and extinguished. After, the officer claimed the woman heading the procession was slender, of elegant carriage, and resembled portraits he'd seen of Anne Boleyn.

She's also been reported at Hever, Blickling (although the building she knew no longer exists), Hampton Court (wearing a blue robe), Salle Church in Norfolk, and other locations."

"Great link - I was thinking specifically of Agnes Strickland's "Lives", in which she mentions the body being removed. The only connection is through her father's Norfolk ancestors. A black marble slab marks her supposed resting spot in Salle Church, but it was found to be empty. Norah Lofts, the romance writer (so beware!) stated the sexton swore AB walked every May 19, at night; he kept vigil once, and a "great hare" came out of nowhere, leaping over the pews, leading him on a merry dance until vanishing into thin air. He swore witches could take the shape of a hare.

Love these stories; the folklore. Just very strange tales - without merit, but fun.

There's no doubt AB is buried in St. Peter ad Vincula. In 1876, when Queen Victoria authorized the restorations of the chapel, all the bodies were accounted for, including AB, whose skeletal remains were carefully examined (there's a full report by a Dr. Mouat) and reburied in an oak chest with an identifying escutcheon. Her bones had been disturbed by subsequent burials - but traces of elm wood remained.

George Boleyn (definite signs of an interment) lay next to his sister, but could not be excavated due to a large tomb sculpture overtop - which would have collapsed should they have tried. Only Katherine Howard's remains, next to Lady Rochford's, had dissolved - ostensibly due to youth and the highly alkaline medium of quicklime.

At this time, the current tourist "site of the scaffold" was established on Tower Green. AB's scaffold was actually some distance away, on the north side of the White Tower, in front of what is now the Waterloo Barracks. We do not know where the other scaffolds were located.

When at the Tower, I had the privilege of going into St. Peter's crypt and standing next to where the bodies are buried; profound. "

"Great link - I was thinking specifically of Agnes Strickland's "Lives", in which she mentions the body being removed. The only connection is through her father's Norfolk ancestors. A black marble slab marks her supposed resting spot in Salle Church, but it was found to be empty. Norah Lofts, the romance writer (so beware!) stated the sexton swore AB walked every May 19, at night; he kept vigil once, and a "great hare" came out of nowhere, leaping over the pews, leading him on a merry dance until vanishing into thin air. He swore witches could take the shape of a hare.

Love these stories; the folklore. Just very strange tales - without merit, but fun.

There's no doubt AB is buried in St. Peter ad Vincula. In 1876, when Queen Victoria authorized the restorations of the chapel, all the bodies were accounted for, including AB, whose skeletal remains were carefully examined (there's a full report by a Dr. Mouat) and reburied in an oak chest with an identifying escutcheon. Her bones had been disturbed by subsequent burials - but traces of elm wood remained.

George Boleyn (definite signs of an interment) lay next to his sister, but could not be excavated due to a large tomb sculpture overtop - which would have collapsed should they have tried. Only Katherine Howard's remains, next to Lady Rochford's, had dissolved - ostensibly due to youth and the highly alkaline medium of quicklime.

At this time, the current tourist "site of the scaffold" was established on Tower Green. AB's scaffold was actually some distance away, on the north side of the White Tower, in front of what is now the Waterloo Barracks. We do not know where the other scaffolds were located.

When at the Tower, I had the privilege of going into St. Peter's crypt and standing next to where the bodies are buried; profound. "

"well,I have heard stories too about the ghost of Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard...They say that someone becomes ghost when his/her soul can't rest in peace because he/she died under wrong circumstances like Anne Boleyn did..she was wrongly accussed.The truth is that I found it amazing and I'd like to see her ghost,but still can't be sure if these stories are true..."