Water Entrance into the Tower of London
Location of be-headings
The White Tower - oldest building
Walking across the Tower Bridge
Location of the 4th Jack the Ripper murder - Mitre SquareThursday, June 24th
Today had a Friday the 13th kind of feel to it. I took the afternoon and toured the Tower of London. I didn't realize it was considered London's most haunted place. Filled with stories of torture and death - I guess it's easy to see why. This place would make an excellent haunted house on Halloween.
The Tower of London was built in the 11th century by William the Conquerer. It was built as a kingdom and a fortress. It had several layers of protection built in. From the moat, the guards, the 2 interior walls - it would not have been an easy place to penetrate by any intruder.
I took the audio guided tour. There were 5 different sections that you could experience at your leisure. I started with "Imprisonment and Execution". Creepy. They would say things like: "You are now standing in the exact area that 3 princesses were beheaded". The voice on the audio was classic. A little dramatic music in the background - it would have been perfect. I went into the Beauchamp Tower and saw some of the areas where the prisoners were held. The Tower held many famous prisoners in its thousand-year history - some in astonishing comfort, and others less so. We got to see the graffiti placed on the walls by the prisoners. Then I visited the "Bloody Tower". We were able to see instruments of torture at this location.
I took the other audio tours which described more of the history and life at the Tower. There were ravens in cages on site. Legend has it that Charles II was told that if the ravens left the Tower, the kingdom and fortress would fall. The White Tower - the oldest building on the complex - completed in 1100 by William the Conquerer - marks the start of the Tower of London's history. Today, it houses displays from the Royal Armouries collection, which includes the armour of Henry VIII.
The Tower has also been a luxurious royal home as well as a forbidding fortress - shown in the medieval palace. There are rich colors and comfortable furnishings including a replica of Edward I's bed. The Crown Jewel is also a highlight of the tour. This collection of priceless Coronation Regalia has been on public display at the Tower since the 17th century. The Yeoman Warders - popularly known at 'Beefeaters' - help guard the tower on a daily basis. These men come with heavy qualifications. They must have 20 years as a guardsmen and be 40 years of age to hold the position.
After visiting the Tower - I then walked across the Tower Bridge which spans the River Thames. Very cool. I got some great photos while making the journey to/from each side of the river.
Next, I walked over to the 'meet-up spot' for the 6pm Jack the Ripper walking tour. I had seen this advertised in one of the travel brochures. It was free with my pass purchased for Friday's tour. Why not - let's walk the streets of the Whitechapel murders.
First off, our tour guide was exceptional. He should have been given an academy award for his character acting. He totally played this dark, gloomy personality throughout the tour. In August 1888, the gruesome discovery of a murdered East End prostitute started one of the most famous manhunts in the world. 4 murders later, the identity of the killer was still unknown.
We walked the streets and saw the locations of the murders. Jack the Ripper was known for the horrible way he attacked his victims. First, he would slice their throats - probably killing them instantly. Next, he woud rip the abdomen open. Often times, he would remove pieces of the intestine and his calling card - the uterus. Because of this in depth knowledge of anatomy, it was thought the killer may have been a doctor or some kind of medically-trained person.
The tour lasted 1-1/2 hours. We ended with the guide's thoughts on the killer's identity. Supposedly, there was an Irish American doctor who had lived in the East End during the time of the killings. He had left his apartment in November 1888 after the 5 killings returning to New York state. Blood-stained clothing was found in his abandoned apartment, as well as some jars containing uterus from different females. The fifth and final murder was thought to be a different person. Perhaps a jealous husband to Mary Kelley - the fifth victim. No one was ever conviced of the crimes. As the guide stated, they didn't have the technology back then that exists today. If so, things would have been much different. One things for sure, it has resulted in some serious mystery and intrigue over the years. There's actually Ripperologist - who research every aspect of the crimes.
Over to an internet cafe where I struggled to complete my blog as the Wi-Fi service was sketchy. A couple hours there and back to my pad for the night.
I hope I can sleep tonight - "Haunted London".
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