If there is one building that can instantly conjure up the idea of ghosts, in my mind it would have to be the Tower of London. Why? Simply imagine being in a building made, from top to toe, of grey stone, stretching a massive 18 acres. Then imagine the walls of this building to be 15 feet thick and 12 feet high. This brick monster actually exist in the middle of London and it has been standing there for almost a 1,000 years. Imagine the sheer size, darkness and dampness in that building, with only an odd window here and there. Would you be spooked walking in there? Well, I for one was totally spooked. Not only is the building and its architectural style cold and grim, once you learn of the things that have happened within those walls, it is quite enough to give you the shakes. Countless innocent souls were killed within the confines of this building using a gleaming axe, burning logs, a taunt rope and even a glistening sword. No, I'm not exaggerating. And if that's not bad enough, most of them were tortured before they were killed. The history of the Tower is so horrific, I am told that even till today the mention of 'going to the Tower' makes many Londoners feel uneasy, nervous and apprehensive. No one can quite explain why, but many speculate it is because of a primitive instinct that has survived the centuries, as a reminder of the terror that once lurked within the walls of his formidable building.
But wait, let me start from the beginning. This rock solid tower was built almost a 1,000 years ago as a fortress to keep the Ruler of London safe within its walls. It served as a palace for him and his family to live in. It was said then the man who had the Tower, had the power. Infact the Royal Family lived there for over 600 years. But of course all rulers live in fear of their enemies, people within their ranks plotting to overthrow them. These suspects had to be imprisoned at the very least and killed off at best. Again, the Tower managed to serve that purpose too just as the height and thickness of its walls managed to keep the enemies of the Ruler out, it could also keep in the enemies of the State. The Tower doubled up as a prison, torture chamber and execution center. Yup, the Tower had the works. And many of the symbols associated with these events are still there on display for all tourists to see; the State Regalia, the executioner's axe, the platform where prisoners were beheaded and an assortment of instruments used to torture them. But it seems these are not the only things that have survived the Tower's bloody past. Many swear they have seen apparitions of people imprisoned and killed off long ago. Could these tortured souls still be lingering in the shadows of that massive cold, grey building, reappearing when least expected? The disturbing news is that most of those who swear they have seen or heard ghostly figures and shrieks are personnel of the British Army, sentries who patrol the Tower in the unearthly hours of the night.
We all know the night is the time for memories. And the Tower has one too many evil memories that cry out to be heard. Infact, many claim the Tower of London begins to take on an unearthly atmosphere once the sky turns grey and shadows begin to lengthen. True or false? Well, why not find out first hand by joining me on a journey to the Tower after sunset...
Flashback
Just outside the Tower of London stands the eerie Tower Hill. Why eerie, you ask? I'll tell you. Because it was on top of this lonely hill that most victims were marched to from their prison cells in the Tower, to be executed in front of scores of the public. If the prisoners were beheaded, their heads were spiked on London Bridge as a reminder to all of what would happen if they crossed the Ruler of London, much like the Japanese spiked the heads of local Singaporeans around town for committing offences during the Japanese Occupation. For the more important prisoners, their bodies were brought back from Tower Hill and buried within or near the Chapel of St. Peter in Chains, within the Tower of London. The late Queen Victoria took an interest in this aspect of the past. She ordered that the floor of the Chapel be taken up so the human remains there could be identified and given a proper burial. Would you believe over 200 bodies were found underneath those floors. Unfortunately, only a few could be properly identified.
But back to Tower Hill. You can imagine the fear and dread the prisoners must have felt as they made their way to the Hill to face their death. It is no wonder then that particular location is the site of some of the most horrific hauntings associated with the Tower of London. The guards that patrol the area in the dead of the night often speak of unexplained shrieks and screams coming from the direction of Tower Hill. But one particular sentry experienced something far worse. It was a late, cold winter's evening. The lone sentry made his rounds around the entrance to the Tower of London. The stillness of the night indicated nothing out of the ordinary. The only sound he heard was the steady clip clop of his own boots on the pavement. It was sometime before he became aware, through the night mist, of a group of figures trooping down Tower Hill, heading his way. Now this could not be, he thought. He knew for sure he was supposed to be the only person patrolling that huge, dark and gloomy area that night. He began to feel nervous. Who are they? Why were they heading this way? He squinted hard to make them out in the pale of the night. He simply couldn't. A knot of fear pulled at the pit of his stomach. This is not right, he kept thinking. The harder he strained to make them out, the more convinced he was that he saw the vague outline of human forms coming his way. His thoughts automatically strayed to the horror stories he had heard of the Tower of London and its ghostly inhabitants. Was he about to suffer the fate of many who had witnessed some ghostly form, he wondered. A cold shiver ran down his spine. His instincts were to run, but he knew his duty compelled him to stay and challenge the advancing group of people.
As the band of people came down the hill and moved closer towards him, he slowly began to make out in the darkness of the night, what was before him. He could not believe his eyes. The men were clad in what looked like uniforms worn centuries ago, uniforms he had never seen before. They were carefully carrying something between them. He squinted hard to make it out, but he simply couldn't. What are they carrying, his mind screamed? His thoughts were a blur and his heart pounded in dreaded anticipation. As they came closer to him, he finally made out the blood chilling sight. A headless body was sprawled on the stretcher. But the head was on the stretcher, it sat eerily between the arms and the body. The gruesome sight filled him with such horror, his mind went blank. He opened his mouth to scream in fear and revulsion at the hideous sight, now barely 500 yards away from him, but not a sound came from his mouth. The horror of it all had left him speechless. Yet the uniformed men continued to inch closer. Close enough for him to make out their faces. They were grim and stone cold. No emotion showed on their faces. the sentry just stood there paralyzed with fear until he finally found himself on the ground, his legs having buckled from fear. But the men still continued towards him in a steady trot. Nearer and nearer they came. Although the sight so revolted the sentry, his eyes were transfixed on the severed head, bobbing up and down eerily on the stretcher. They had got so close to him now, they were near enough for him to reach out and touch. the fallen sentry shook with fear, the scream in his throat was soundless.
But then suddenly there was just darkness before him. The grim looking men were gone. The dismembered corpse was gone. the whole gory scene that had been just yards from him had disappeared in the blink of an eye. Only the dark, grey mist that had surrounded them remained, dancing eerily in the still, moonless night. The sentry remembered nothing after that, except collapsing at an outpost some half a mile away. He had no recollection of fleeing from the ghostly scene, although his flight must have been record breaking. His detailed report was later investigated by the relevant London authorities. And what they found left them staggered. His description of the uniforms the men wore, matched exactly with the gear worn hundreds of years ago by the men who brought executed prisoners from Tower Hill back for burial at the chapel within the Tower of London. Even the way he had seen the body tallied with historical fact. Everything the sentry said he saw matched the historical details of the past. So what exactly did he see? A reenactment of an event that happened hundreds of years ago? I leave you to draw the necessary conclusions.
As the band of people came down the hill and moved closer towards him, he slowly began to make out in the darkness of the night, what was before him. He could not believe his eyes. The men were clad in what looked like uniforms worn centuries ago, uniforms he had never seen before. They were carefully carrying something between them. He squinted hard to make it out, but he simply couldn't. What are they carrying, his mind screamed? His thoughts were a blur and his heart pounded in dreaded anticipation. As they came closer to him, he finally made out the blood chilling sight. A headless body was sprawled on the stretcher. But the head was on the stretcher, it sat eerily between the arms and the body. The gruesome sight filled him with such horror, his mind went blank. He opened his mouth to scream in fear and revulsion at the hideous sight, now barely 500 yards away from him, but not a sound came from his mouth. The horror of it all had left him speechless. Yet the uniformed men continued to inch closer. Close enough for him to make out their faces. They were grim and stone cold. No emotion showed on their faces. the sentry just stood there paralyzed with fear until he finally found himself on the ground, his legs having buckled from fear. But the men still continued towards him in a steady trot. Nearer and nearer they came. Although the sight so revolted the sentry, his eyes were transfixed on the severed head, bobbing up and down eerily on the stretcher. They had got so close to him now, they were near enough for him to reach out and touch. the fallen sentry shook with fear, the scream in his throat was soundless.
But then suddenly there was just darkness before him. The grim looking men were gone. The dismembered corpse was gone. the whole gory scene that had been just yards from him had disappeared in the blink of an eye. Only the dark, grey mist that had surrounded them remained, dancing eerily in the still, moonless night. The sentry remembered nothing after that, except collapsing at an outpost some half a mile away. He had no recollection of fleeing from the ghostly scene, although his flight must have been record breaking. His detailed report was later investigated by the relevant London authorities. And what they found left them staggered. His description of the uniforms the men wore, matched exactly with the gear worn hundreds of years ago by the men who brought executed prisoners from Tower Hill back for burial at the chapel within the Tower of London. Even the way he had seen the body tallied with historical fact. Everything the sentry said he saw matched the historical details of the past. So what exactly did he see? A reenactment of an event that happened hundreds of years ago? I leave you to draw the necessary conclusions.
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