Many murders were committed in the Tower of London but where were the bodies disposed of?

griffinj

There are the sons of Edward IV, who were almost certainly murdered, the question being by whom. In 1647 workmen found the bones of two children buried at the foot of a stair turret that led to the chapel of St. John the Evangelist in the White Tower. Apr 20 04, 9:33 AM

JaneofGaunt

Lots of torture but I can only find one intentional murder - that of Sir Thomas Overbury by Lady Frances Howard - he was poisoned with arsenic-laced tarts! Silly man kept eating them for three months before he succumbed. And he was buried in the Chapel of St. Peter Ad Vincula in the Tower, as were most of the other political "executees." This is in one of my books but here's a reference: http://www.portfolio.mvm.ed.ac.uk/studentwebs/session2/group12/murderto.htm Apr 20 04, 1:30 PM

Senior Moments

The story relating to one of the victims is quite interesting. James II had the Duke of Monmouth's head chopped off for leading a rebellion. Being a famous man it was customary to have a portrait painted so future people could see what they looked like. Unfortunately, after the execution, it was discovered that there was no portrait of Monmouth. So they had his head sewn back on his body, and his portrait was painted! The picture was finished and Monmouth was finally buried. The finished portrait can be seen in London's National Portrait Gallery. Apr 20 04, 2:54 PM

bloomsby

Wasn't Henry VI also murdered in the Tower? I'd be surprised if the total number of murder victims and political executees combined exceeded twenty. I've always assumed that the notion the countless people perished there was a Victorian fiction. Apr 20 04, 3:20 PM

mochyn

Many of the executions took place on Tower Hill but the more famous ones took place inside the tower on the Green and the remains were buried under the floor at St. Peter's Chapel, discovered when they did repairs. http://tudorhistory.org/castles/tower/ Apr 20 04, 3:34 PM

JaneofGaunt

Hmm, yes Henry VI was made away with at the Tower, buried first at Chertsey Abbey but then transferred by Richard III to Windsor. Apr 20 04, 7:13 PM