Saturday, June 19, 2021

Did you ever wonder where Anne Boleyn is buried?

 

Suddenly, for no apparent reason, I did.  Now, Catherine of Aragon, first wife of Henry VIII, has a very nice place of eternal repose, which Henry picked for her.  It's in Peterborough Cathedral (link goes to a video), which is about 70 miles north of London.

Mary Queen of Scots used to be there too (which you'll see in the video), but now she lies in Westminster Abbey in a very fancy tomb.

But... this isn't about them. It's about Anne Boleyn, who was the 2nd wife of Henry VIII, and known as Anne of a Thousand Days, because that's about how long she had the title of Queen.  She got enough done then, though, as she was the mother of Elizabeth I.

As you may well know, Anne was beheaded after Henry moved on, still seeking a male heir.  She was accused of things she probably didn't do, but still, the King made those decisions.  But after her execution, what happened?  Well, she was quietly and quickly interred at the Royal Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula, which is not very far from the Tower of London, where the execution took place.

More about that here:  Where is Anne Boleyn buried?

This article indicates that it isn't certain Anne is under the decorative plaque that supposedly marks her grave.  At least she's close to it.

There are other notables in this chapel, foremost among them Thomas More, and also Lady Jane Grey, who was queen for a much shorter time than Anne Boleyn.   Also, Anne's marker is next to one for Catherine Howard, Henry VIII's fifth wife, not quite as famous as Anne, and also with a shorter reign which ended the same way.

The plaques:








Here is the Royal Chapel.  In front of it is a recently-installed memorial fountain dedicated to all of those unfortunate souls who were executed at the Tower.











The memorial fountain:










 

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