Guest Author - Kim DeLeary

The Tower of London has the reputation of being the most haunted building in all of Britain. It is also called the Bloody Tower because of all the executions that were performed there. With such a bloody history, it is no wonder the place is haunted and has many ghosts. Built during the reign of William the Conqueror, this tower was completed in 1097.

William the Conqueror's reign marked the end of the times of the Anglo-Saxons and the start of the Norman rule. Buildings were now being built in the Norman fashion. Built on former Roman walls, the first building was a motte and bailey castle. These impermanent wooden motte and bailey castles were a part of William's successful strategy in becoming ruler. The White Tower was the first stone building at the site and stands over ninety feet tall. Though other buildings and towers from different eras were built around the White Tower, the White Tower itself has mostly remained the same.

There are now twenty towers and many buildings near the White Tower. Many of these towers had prison cells. The White Tower had torture chambers and had prison cells. The Green Tower, which stands near the White Tower, was used for royal executions while the rest of the executions were public and done on Tower Hill. There have been hundreds of executions done at the site. One particularly sensational execution is now sometimes replayed as a haunting on its anniversary.

The executed people included political enemies, royals making a claim to the throne and common criminals. Throughout the ages, many prisoners spent their lives in misery in the tower. All this misery and death adds up to one very haunted place.

The Tower of London and its surrounding buildings and towers are both haunted and have ghosts. Some of the ghosts are of royal lineage while others are commoners. Among the more tragic entities are young people who have met their death at the tower including the two royal sons of Edward the IV and the Lady Jane Grey, who was queen for nine days.

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