49 Ancestors Beheaded at Tower Hill or Tower of London

Post author By Steven Wood Collins
Post date November 18, 2021
6 Comments on 49 Ancestors Beheaded at Tower Hill or Tower of London

Henry VIII Tudor (1491 – 1547), and Elizabeth I Tudor (1533 – 1603) were particularly vengeful toward the Howard nobles and their Boleyn cousins. They beheaded three Howards and three of their Boleyn cousins, mainly due to their steadfast recusancy. The noble House of Howard is still Catholic.

Scotsman Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat (1667 – 1747) was the last noble to perish from the cut of the executioner’s blade on Tower Hill.

From 1388 to 1780, ninety-three individuals, mainly from the ranks of British nobility, were beheaded on Tower Hill execution scaffolds. High treason was the typical cause of condemnation and summary capital punishment. There were only six beheadings within the Tower of London. Five were Royal ladies, the last of which was Lady Jane Grey in 1554.

The last public execution on Tower Hill occurred in 1780 during the reign of George III Hanover (1738 – 1820). Tower of London executions resumed in 1914, mainly from Tower rifle range, to dispatch spies by firing squad. Carl Hans Lody, a German Navy officer, was the first. Nine others met the same fate for spying in the U.K. during the First World War. In 1941, WWII German Josef Jacobs was the last spy executed by firing squad within the Tower of London confines.

William The Conqueror (1028 – 1087) 1st Norman King of England Founder of the Tower of London

Tower Hill/Tower of London Executions (1388 – 1780)

Tower Hill London Walk: Executions at the Tower of London YouTube video

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Tower of London Executions

Reign of Henry VIII Tudor (1509 – 1547)

Anne Boleyn, Queen Consort of England
Birth 1501 in – 1507; Blickling Hall, Norfolk/Hever Castle, Kent
Death 19 May 1536 in Tower of London

Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury agnatic descendant of Henry II Plantagenet (1133 – 1189) 1st Plantagenet King of England and Ireland
Birth 14 Aug 1473 in Farleigh Castle, Somersetshire
Death 27 May 1541

Catherine Howard, Queen Consort of England great-granddaughter of Duke John Howard, KG (1421 – 1485) Earl Marshal, Lord Admiral
Birth 1517 in Lambeth, Norfolk
Death 13 Feb 1542

Jane Boleyn (nee Parker), Vicountess Rochford sister-in-law of Anne Boleyn, Queen Consort
Birth abt 1510 Blickling, Norfolk
Death 13 Feb 1541

Reign of Mary I Tudor (1553 – 1558)

Jane Grey, Queen of England agnatic descendant of Anchetil de Greye (1052 – 1087), agnatic cousin of Charles II Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, KG, PC (1764 – 1845) British Prime Minister
Birth 12 Oct 1537 Bradgate, Leicestershire
Death 12 Feb 1554

Reign of Elizabeth I Tudor (1558 – 1603)

Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex agnatic cousin of William The Conqueror (1028 – 1087) 1st Norman King of England
Birth 19 Nov 1566
Death 25 Feb 1601

Tower Hill Executions

Reign of Richard II Plantagenet (1377 – 1399)

Sir Robert Hales
Birth 1325
Death 14 June 1381

Sir Simon Burley, KG

Birth 1336

Death 5 May 1388

Baron John de Beauchamp
Birth 1319 in Holt, Worcestershire
Death 12 May 1388

Richard Fitzalan, 11th Earl of Arundel
Birth Mar 1346 in Arundel, Sussex
Death 21 Sep 1397

Edward IV Plantagenet (1461 – 1483)

Sir Thomas de Tudenham
Birth 10 MAY 1401 in Eriswell, Suffolk
Death 23 FEB 1462

Sir William Tyrell agnatic descendant of Clovis I Meroving (466 – 511) 1st King of Franks, 1st Christian Ruler of Gaul and Walter Tyrrell III, the “Red Knight of Normandie (1065 – 1100)
Birth ABT. 1408 in Heron, East Hordon, Essex
Death 23 FEB 1462

John de Vere, 12th Earl of Oxford and his son Aubrey de Vere agnatic descendant of Aubrey II de Vere, Baron of Oxford (1062 – 1141) 1st Lord High Chamberlain, agnatic cousin of Edward VII de Vere, Earl of Oxford (1550 – 1604) “Shake-speare”
Birth 23 Apr 1408 in Hedingham Castle, Essex
Death 26 Feb 1462

John Tiptoft, 1st Earl of Worcester
Birth 08 May 1427 in Great Eversden, Cambridgeshire
Death 18 Oct 1470

Reign of Richard III Plantagenet (1483 – 1485)

William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings KG
Birth 1430 Burton Hastings, Warwick
Death 13 Jun 1483

Sir Roger Clifford agnatic cousin of William The Conqueror (1028 – 1087) 1st Norman King of England
Birth 1437
Death 2 May 1485

Reign of Henry VII Tudor (1485 – 1509)

Sir William Stanley
Birth 1437 in Lytham, Lancashire
Death 10 Feb 1495

Edward Plantagenet, 17th Earl of Warwick agnatic descendant of Henry II Plantagenet (1133 – 1189) 1st Plantagenet King of England and Ireland
Birth 21 Feb 1474/1475 in Warwick Castle, Warwick
Death 28 Nov 1499

Sir James Tyrell father Sir William Tyrell in 1462 – agnatic descendant of Clovis I Meroving (466 – 511) 1st King of Franks, 1st Christian Ruler of Gaul and Walter Tyrrell III, the “Red Knight of Normandie” (1065 – 1100)

Birth 1455

Death 1502

Reign of Henry VIII Tudor (1509 – 1547)

Sir Edmund Dudley
Birth 1462 in Cumberland
Death 28 Aug 1510

Sir Richard Empson
Birth 1434 in Easton, Huntingdonshire
Death 17 August 1510

Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham
Birth 3 Feb 1478 Brecknockshire, Wales
Death 17 May 1521

Sir Thomas More
Birth 1478 City of London
Death 6 Jul 1535

George Boleyn, brother of Anne Boleyn, Queen Consort (executed at Tower Green in 1536)

Birth 1504 Blickling Hall, Norfolk
Death 17 May 1536

Sir Henry Norreys
Birth 1491 in Wytham, Berkshire
Death 14 May 1536

Henry Courtenay, Earl of Devon agnatic descendant of Clovis I Meroving (466 – 511) 1st King of Franks, 1st Christian Ruler of Gaul
Birth 1498 in Colcombe, Devon
Death 6 Jan 1538

Henry Pole, 1st Baron of Montagu
Birth 1492 in Ellesborough, Buckinghamshire
Death 9 Jan 1539

Sir Adrian “Blessed Catholic Martyr” Fortescue, KB
Birth 1494 Buckinghamshire
Death 10 Jul 1539

Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex
Birth 1485 in Putney, Surrey
Death 28 Jul 1540

Leonard de Grey, 1st Viscount of Grane agnatic descendant of Anchetil de Greye (1052 – 1087), agnatic cousin of Charles II Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, KG, PC (1764 – 1845) British Prime Minister
Birth 1492 in Groby Castle, Leicestershire
Death 23 Jul 1541

Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey grandson of John Howard, KG Duke of Norfolk (1421 – 1485) Earl Marshal, Lord Admiral
Birth 1517
Death 19 Jan 1547

Reign of Edward VI Tudor (1547 – 1553)

Thomas Seymour, 1st Baron Seymour of Sudeley
Birth 1508 in Wolf Hall, Wiltshire
Death 20 Mar 1549

Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, Lord Protector brother of Thomas Seymour, 1st Baron Seymour of Sudeley
Birth Apr 1506 in Wolf Hall, Wiltshire
Death 22 Jan 1552 beheaded on Tower Hill, London

Ralph Vane
Birth 1506
Death 26 Feb 1552 in Tower Hill Hanged

Sir Thomas Arundell
Birth 1515 in Wardour, Wiltshire
Death 26 Feb 1552

Reign of Mary I Tudor (1553 – 1558)

Sir Thomas Wyatt
Birth 1521 in Allington Castle, Kent
Death 11 Apr 1554

Lord Guildford Dudley husband of Jane Grey, Queen of England (executed in Tower of London in 1554)
Birth 1535
Death 12 February 1554

Reign of Elizabeth I Tudor (1558 – 1603)

Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk agnatic descendant of John Howard, KG 1st Duke of Norfolk (1421 – 1485) Earl Marshal, Lord Admiral
Birth 10 Mar 1537 in Kenninghall, Norfolk
Death 2 Jun 1572

Sir Christopher Blount agnatic descendant of Ragnarr “Loðbrók” Halfdansson (c. 765 – 845) King of Denmark & Sweden
Birth 1540
Death 1601

Reign of Charles I Stuart (1625 – 1649)

Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford
Birth 13 Apr 1593 in Nettlestead, Suffolk
Death 12 May 1641

Sir Alexander Carew agnatic descendant of Other Geraldinum (Gherardini of Tuscany) Baron of Windsor (died after 1078)
Birth 30 Aug 1608 in Antony, Cornwall
Death 23 Dec 1644

Reign of Charles II Stuart (1660 – 1685)

Sir Henry Vane, Governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony
Birth May 1613 in Raby Castle, Durham
Death 14 Jun 1662

James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth agnatic nephew of James II & VII Stuart, KG (1633 – 1701) Duke of York, King of England, Ireland and Scotland
Birth 9 Apr 1649 in Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
Death 15 Jul 1685

Reign of George I Hanover (1714 – 1727)

James Radclyffe, Earl of Derwentwater agnatic cousin of William The Conqueror (1028 – 1087) 1st Norman King of England
Birth 26 Jun 1689 in Arlington Street, London
Death 24 Feb 1716

Reign of George II Hanover (1727 – 1760)

William Boyd, 4th Earl of Kilmarnock possibly an agnatic descendant of Conan Meriadoc ap Gereint (305 – 367) King of Dumnonia, 1st Duke of Brittany
Birth 1704 in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland
Death 1746

Charles Radclyffe, 5th Earl of Derwentwater brother of James Radclyffe, Earl of Derwentwater (executed 1716)
Birth 1693 in , Essex
Death 1746

Lord Arthur Elphinstone agnatic descendant of St Aethelberht I (552 – 615) King of Kent, 1st English Christian King
Birth 1688
Death 18 Aug 1746

Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat
Birth 1667 in Tomich, Ross & Cromarty, Scotland
Death 9 Apr 1747

SOURCES

Tower of London

Tower Of London including William The Conqueror Tower Bridge Royal Armouries Tower Hill Tube Station Tower Gateway Dlr Station Common Raven Crown Jewels Of The United Kingdom Ceremony Of The Keys Tower Hill Tower Millennium Pier Jewel House

The Patricians, A Genealogical Study – Ebook Editions US$5.95

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Steven Wood Collins (1952 – ) Antiquarian, Genealogist, Novelist

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By Steven Wood Collins

I spent most of my life unaware of my ancestral heritage. Sure, I knew of the personal history of my more immediate relatives; but beyond that, I never had any inkling as to my ancestral heritage. Then one day many years ago my sister said to me, “I sometimes wonder about our family background.” And so my quest to discover our genealogical roots commenced.

I started building my family tree with the very basic relationships, going back in time from my grandparents, one ancestor at a time. That initial effort proved to be the hardest part of the pursuit, mainly due to my lack of expertise as a novice genealogical researcher. As I gained familiarity with the databases and how to efficiently mine them, my progress gained ever-increasing momentum. Today, The Patricians! tree (Ancestry.com) contains nearly 120,000 individuals, stretching over 135 generations, 5,800 of which are my direct ancestors in a genealogical sense.

During this trek back in time, I encountered fascinating figures in both history and obscurity. This blog contains many stories about their genealogical relationship to me (and many of you). By far and away, as a student of history, the historically obscure individuals are of particular interest to me. I cite Baron “Blue Beard” Montmorency-Laval de Rais (1405 – 1440) as an example of a historically maligned personage whose real contribution to history, as both a playwright and hero of France, has yet to be properly recognized. Another example is Earl Edward de Vere (1550 – 1604), who’s yet to gain widespread recognition as the actual author of the body of literary work wrongly ascribed to William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616).

My life-long interest in international economics and finance continues unabated. I primarily demonstrate this professional involvement as a contributor to the Long Room, the members-only international finance professionals' forum hosted by the Financial Times of London.

I'm an avid recreational scuba diver who enjoys traveling to exotic dive sites. My love of the sea and marine life gives me an unbounded appreciation and support of “green” issues, especially those devoted to the conservation of endangered species and coral reefs.

He continually posts results of his personal genealogical research to his Goodreads Authors Blog. Entitled The Patricians - The Ancestral Heritage of Steven Wood Collins, the work represents thousand of hours of his research efforts and related commentary.

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