Historic Places: Tower of London

My readers are probably not surprised to hear that the Tower was my most anticipated stop while we were in London. So much history has been witnessed by these stone walls that I wish I could hear them whisper their story. The Tower is a significant setting in my most recent novel as the place where Elizabeth's brothers disappear and she dies after delivering her last child.

If you have not visited the Tower or other castles, you may not realize that the setting is much more like an enclosed village than a single tower. Our romanticized vision of a castle more closely resembles a standard castle keep than the entire complex.

As you can see from the first picture, some of the stone shows its age more than others. The famous White Tower, built by William the Conqueror from stone that he had transported from Normandy looks amazing for being almost a millennium old. The White Tower is the central stone keep of the fortress, built by the first of England's Norman kings to establish his dominance in the capital of his new kingdom. The rest of the castle grounds would grow up around this impressive, white-washed stronghold. Through the centuries since William's 1066 invasion, this tower has served primarily as a stronghold but also as a prison and storage facility.

The White Tower was an archaeological wonder of its day at a height of 90' with walls that are 25' thick at their base.

Plantagenet kings of medieval times continued to increase the sprawling fortress' size and uses. The 12th-14th centuries saw the Tower of London become much of the structure that is seen today surrounding the White Tower. During the reign of Edward I, the Tower was recognized as an ideally secure place to store jewels, records, and the royal mint.

During the 15th century Wars of the Roses, possession of the Tower was a strong indication of possession of the kingdom. A strange combination of a palace and a prison, the Tower was where monarchs spent the night before their coronation, but it was also where they housed their worst enemies - just not in the same tower.


Though the castle is known as the Tower of London, it is truly made up of several towers, which may lead to some confusion. We have already discussed the original White Tower which stands at the center of the castles concentric design. Smaller towers surround it, including the Beauchamp Tower, famous for housing Tudor era criminals. The Bloody Tower is a relatively small tower where the sons of Edward IV were staying when they famously disappeared...were murdered? That's a discussion for another day.

Inside any of these towers, you can feel the atmosphere of history prickling at your senses. I could not resist running my fingers along the stone walls within the narrow staircases, hoping that I just might find a spot that Elizabeth's hand touched over 500 years ago. Admittedly, the feeling is somewhat reduced by the rather modern radiators that give the structure warmth while the large fireplaces lie dormant, but I did not mind as much that there were wooden stairs outside to save me from climbing a ladder.

Strolling through the Tower Green, the architecture and beauty of the place can almost make one forget that the grass has been fed with much blood. It is a beautiful setting filled with smiling tourists and friendly Yeoman Warders.

Within the ring made up by these and several other towers, visitors could easily walk by the Execution Site without realizing what it is. Memorializing multiple political prisoners of the crown, the spot is now home to a frosted glass and granite monument in place of the bloody scaffold. At this site, three of England's queens were beheaded. Each has their name etched into the edge of the glass: Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, and Jane Grey. Others who had their last view of the Tower from this spot include Margaret Pole, William Lord Hastings, Jane Boleyn, and Robert Devereux. Each of these deaths demonstrate just how quickly fortune's wheel could turn in the 15th and 16th centuries.


Thankfully, Henry VIII did more than execute people at the Tower, though he did plenty of that. To walk through the Tower gift shop, one would think that he was the only king England had ever had, but I digress.

Henry enjoyed building projects almost as much as the hunt for a new wife. His contribution to the Tower grounds, besides noble blood, includes the timber structure - very recognizable as Tudor era - that was designed as a royal residence for Anne Boleyn.

One of the most popular exhibits at the Tower is the Crown Jewels. This includes an education on the English Civil War of the 17th century, a time when the crown jewels were melted down and torn apart. Sometimes for their value, sometimes out of spite. There is a vast amount of elaborate jewelry and accessories to be viewed, but they cannot be photographed.

The 19th century saw the Tower's evolution from a practical fortress to a historical monument. With the moat drained and the mint removed to another location, the Tower began to enjoy a peaceful retirement. It was not completely out of commission until after Britain's involvement in the World Wars. The last executions to take place on Tower ground were those of World War I & II spies.

One element remains constant as the Tower has become a tourist destination rather than a place to inspire the kind of fear that made Anne Boleyn collapse and cry out as she was escorted through Traitor's Gate. It is the ravens. According to legend, "If the ravens leave the Tower, the kingdom will fall." In the interest of the empire, the Tower is home to ravens with clipped wings and luxurious lodgings. The Yeomen Warders have little else to guard these days than their black feathered friends.

During our visit, the White Tower was home to a special 600th anniversary exhibit for the Battle of Agincourt. A large battle map was set up in the center of one room. As we approached it, my husband said, "So, tell me what is going on here." Ah, to have someone request to be regaled with medieval knowledge! It was great fun, and we enjoyed each of the informative displays that are located throughout the various buildings and towers.

Have you visited the Tower of London? There is so much to see within this single stop! What did you enjoy the most?

Historic Places: St. Paul's Cathedral

The next stop in the Historical Places blog series is St. Paul's Cathedral. A pleasant walk along the Thames from our previous stop, Big Ben and Westminster, will take us to Christopher Wren's most famous creation. St. Paul's is a rather modern design compared to other cathedrals in England. This is due to the fact that, like much of London, it was rebuilt after the Great Fire of London in 1666.

The history of St. Paul's Cathedral goes back much further, finding its roots in the Christian movements of the early middle ages. The highest point in the city was chosen as the location for the center of Christianity in London in 604. A substantial structure was not built until somewhat later, after the fear of destruction from invading Danes had abated.

The ascendancy of William the Conqueror saw an explosion of new stone construction in England. A cathedral for St. Paul's was part of the Norman's building plan. Developed over the course of decades, a stunning medieval church rose to tower over the central city of the land. This structure defined the London skyline for centuries.

Medieval St. Paul's by Francis Bond

During the religious turmoil of the Tudor era, St. Paul's remained an important part of Londoner's worship, adjusting to the required services of the time as required. In 1561, the church's spire was struck by lightening and collapsed. Those alive at the time may have wondered if this was God's judgement upon the English wavering over reform versus tradition in religion. Whichever was their preference, the spire was never repaired.

Just over a century later, the entire cathedral was destroyed in the 1666 fire that destroyed much of medieval London. To avoid another disaster like this from occurring again, building restrictions were developed. Thatched roofs had been banned within London city limits since an earlier fire in 1212, but the Rebuilding of London Act of 1666 was more comprehensive. Everything from width of streets, height of buildings, and materials used for construction was considered in the creation of this act. Construction needed to be safe and sanitary but also had to occur quickly for the city to be up and running once again.

Famous architect Christopher Wren presented his plan for a new London which was designed to create a beautiful, classical city modeled on the Garden of Versailles. Although his city plan was too elaborate and expensive to be chosen by city leaders, Wren was given the vital task of rebuilding St. Paul's Cathedral. It is his design that we see when we visit St. Paul's today.

The cathedral stands out due to its baroque style architecture which involves curves and columns replacing the straight lines of medieval structures. The most recognizable of these features is the prominent dome that enables visitors to easily identify St. Paul's. It is one of the largest cathedrals in the UK, second only to the Liverpool Cathedral completed in 1978.

Since we visited St. Paul's during worship service, I did not take photos of the interior. It was wonderful to hear the choir voices resonating throughout this beautiful church, and one could spend hours appreciating the intricate details of design throughout each functional area of the cathedral. In the lower level, visitors can enjoy tea at the cafe or select a souvenir from the gift shop. It is up to you to decide what you think of these amenities being located in the crypt. Apparently enough Londoners appreciate the venue because it is even available to be rented out for parties and receptions.

Historic Places: Big Ben

This is the first a planned series on historic locations that I visited during a recent trip. I look forward to sharing each stop with you and hearing about your impressions and experiences of these amazing places.

My trip began with the long flight to London Heathrow. London being too rich and diverse to cover in one post, I've selected the familiar Big Ben to be the first of the historical places we will look at.

Of course, Big Ben isn't really the name of this highly recognized landmark at all. It is more properly known as Elizabeth Tower and is the defining feature of the Palace of Westminster where the British Parliament meets. The large bell named Big Ben has universally become the accepted nick-name for the clock tower in which it is housed. Big Ben, which resonates a rich E-note, deserves its name with a 9 foot diameter and weight of 13.5 tons.

Surrounded by the sprawling city of London, some visitors are likely surprised that the tower is not taller. While it soars by the standards of the mid-19th century, even the limited modernity of London is beginning to dwarf the iconic tower. It's total height is 316 feet, or the equivalent of a 29 story building. One of the great characteristics of London and many other English cities is that new building is restricted in order to coordinate with and not overwhelm the history of the setting. Even with these rules in place, Big Ben is starting to look somewhat overwhelmed. Just across the Thames, the London Eye tops out at 443 feet.

Not to say that the tower is small. The four clocks measure an impressive 23 feet across with hour hands that stretch 9 feet for the time to be clearly visible to anyone with a sight-line to a clock face. The longer minute hands extend 14 feet, and you will climb 340 steps if you wish to reach the belfry.

What the London Eye and other modern structures cannot compete with is the detail and beauty of the Palace of Westminster. What it lacks in height it more than makes up for in a view that takes your breath away. The Gothic Revival style that was utilized in the design makes the structure appear even older than it is. It would be easy for one to spend hours strolling around this sprawling palace and noting the details in the stonework that were expertly formed by the best craftsmen of their day.

A structure has existed on Westminster's strategic location on the Thames since the 8th century. While Edward the Confessor built the cathedral during the 11th century, the palace has undergone more gradual evolution. The Palace of Westminster as we know it, with Big Ben in the clock tower, was not developed until after a fire in 1834 destroyed the previous structure. That is when the palace that people around the globe recognize as London came into being, with over 1,100 rooms, including the chambers designed for the House of Lords and House of Commons.

For locals, some of the romanticism of Westminster may be overshadowed by politics, but visitors can simply lose themselves in the rich history and architectural wonder that is not found on the other side of the pond.

It is clear that I was quite happy to reach this symbol of Britishness. You will see as this blog series progresses, my enthusiasm continues through Bath, Liverpool, Edinburgh, York, and many places in between.

Have you visited Big Ben? What were your impressions?

Being Compared to Greatness: Guest Post by Matthew Harffy

I am excited to welcome author Matthew Harffy to my blog today. His novel, The Serpent Sword, is one of the greatest stories that I have read this year and it has been deservedly named an Editors' Choice by the Historical Novel Society. (Read my review or the HNS review.) 

One common element in Harffy's many positive reviews is a comparison to historical fiction master, Bernard Cornwell. Matthew shares what it feels like to be held to such a high standard and how his Bernicia Chronicles differs from Cornwell's Saxon Stories. I, for one, am thankful that we have both Beobrand and Uhtred adventures to enjoy! 

You can also take advantage of a fantastic Kindle sale today to decide for yourself if Beobrand can take on Uhtred. ~ Samantha

Being Compared to Greatness: How the Bernicia Chronicles differ from Bernard Cornwell’s Saxon Stories

My novel, The Serpent Sword, gets compared to Bernard Cornwell’s Saxon Chronicles a lot. I get it, I really do. The first literary agent I contacted turned me down because, and I can quote this verbatim, as I kept the rejection letter in a frame (that’s not weird, is it?): “It’s a tough ask to set a novel here and in this period, when one of the big beasts (the Biggest Beast some would say) of the genre has written such a successful series in the Uhtred novels (albeit a few centuries later).”

It is all true, apart from the bit about Bernard Cornwell being a “big beast”. I’ve never met the man, but he comes across as a pleasant guy in interviews and videos!

I knew my writing would be compared to Cornwell's and that many would even believe I had copied him in an attempt to pick up some of the crumbs left from his Dark Ages banquet. In fact, I was so worried that this would happen, despite it not being the truth, that I very nearly didn’t publish, or even complete writing The Serpent Sword.

In many ways, my writing is inspired by Cornwell, just not by his tales of Uhtred. You see, I began writing The Serpent Sword in 2001 after seeing a BBC programme on television about archaeological digs taking place in and around Bamburgh Castle. I had read Cornwell’s retelling of the Arthurian myths and loved the way he tackled the period. I had also lived in Northumberland as a child and always loved the area and I was alone at home that evening and something sparked inside me. The muse whispered and I answered and started to write a scene of a young man arriving on the beach at Bebbanburg. I had never written anything of novel length before and I had a full-time job, a young family and I was halfway studying for a degree, so progress was slow. But a couple of years later, I had read a lot of research, planned the plot and written about a quarter of the book. I was about to finish my degree and so was hopeful I would be able to buckle down to finish the novel. Then Bernard Cornwell brought out The Last Kingdom, the first of his books featuring one Uhtred of Bebbanburg. His book was set a couple of centuries later, but the similarities were evident. Apparently, Cornwell had liked the Dark Ages too, and it seems the muse does not only speak to me!

To cut a long story short, over the next few years Cornwell continued to do what Cornwell does so well – writing great historical fiction. As each new Uhtred novel was released, I devoured it and gritted my teeth.

The books were great.

My book could have been great.

But not if I never wrote it! So I finally decided that having one successful series that mentions Bebbanburg and Saxons does not preclude another series becoming successful. Otherwise, after James Bond there would be no more spy novels in any of the locations he has visited. And how many Westerns had gunslingers and Marshalls visiting Dodge City?

So I finished the book and guess what – it was successful. Those who have read it enjoyed it and most reviews have been great. But the inevitable comparisons continued. Some reviewers said they preferred my writing to Cornwell’s (really?!), others said my writing was no match for the master of historical fiction. But whatever the opinion, many readers made the link between Beobrand and Uhtred.

The similarities are obvious – swords, kings, shieldwalls and Bebbanburg, but I thought it would be a good idea to lay out some of the main differences.

No Vikings

First, and this is an important distinction, there are no Vikings in my books. The Bernicia Chronicles take place over a hundred and fifty years before the first recorded Viking raid on the British Isles. Almost all of Uhtred’s energies go into fighting the Danes. He is an adopted Dane who then goes on to become the Saxons’ greatest warlord, defending the Christians and defeating the pagan Vikings at every turn, despite his better judgement.

Beobrand is an Angle from Cantware (Kent) who becomes a warrior and thegn of the Angle kings of Bernicia and Northumbria. He too stands in many battles, but these are against the native Britons and Picts and other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of Britain, rather than invaders from elsewhere.

Religion

Uhtred is notoriously pagan. All of the Saxons he sides with are Christians and he is much-maligned by them for worshiping the older, tougher gods of the Norsemen.

Beobrand is also a pagan, but in the early seventh century, when the Bernicia Chronicles are set, Christianity was making a slow rise to prominence following centuries of decline in Britain after the Romans left. The Angles, Saxons and Jutes all traditionally worshipped the old gods of Woden (Odin) and Thunor (Thor) and the rest, and it is during Beobrand’s lifetime that the kingdoms of Britain are converting to the new religion of the Christ that promises no more sacrifices and everlasting life. What’s not to like?

Whilst Beobrand favours the old gods, he sees both religions side by side and questions the worth of each as the novels progress.

No England

In the Uhtred books, King Alfred is constantly striving to create one kingdom of Christian English to confront the Danes.

In Beobrand’s world, the kings of Britain such as Edwin and Oswald seek to become Bretwalda, over-king of all other sub-kings. They want the power of having the fealty of other kingdoms. Religious conversion in this context is used as another political weapon.

Sensitivity

Uhtred doesn’t really go in for deep philosophical thinking. Get in his way and he kills you with never a second thought.

Beobrand is also an implacable killer, who does not shy away from dispatching his enemies with sword and spear. But there is a vulnerability to him that we never see in Uhtred. Beobrand fears he will become violent towards women and children as his father was, and he often questions his own decisions after events he’s involved in. He is not maudlin (well not all the time!), but I do think he has a certain sensitivity to his character that Uhtred does not have.

***

There are many more differences between Cornwell’s novels and mine, but I think you get the idea. In the end I am flattered to be compared to Bernard Cornwell. He is one of my all-time favourite authors. And I’m pleased I made the decision to tell Beobrand’s story, despite the similarities with Cornwell’s books. Just as there is enough room in the world for both James Bond and Jason Bourne, so there can be both Uhtred and Beobrand.

Have you read any of Cornwell’s Uhtred novels and The Serpent Sword? What do you think of the comparisons? Can you see any other differences I haven’t mentioned?

Connect with the Author

Connect with Matthew Harffy on his website, on Twitter, and on Facebook. 

Can't wait to learn more about Beobrand? Get your copy of The Serpent Sword today! As a special bonus, it is on sale right now for 99c/99p (depending upon your side of the pond). What a fantastic deal, just in time to be ready for the release of The Cross and the Curse on January 22nd (available now for pre-order)! 

Author Interview

Thank you to Christoph Fischer for having me as a guest on his blog today. You can read the interview here.