Claire | May 19, 2020
It’s the 19th May and we’ve come to the day Queen Anne Boleyn’s life ended at the hands of the Swordsman of Calais, but really at the hands of her husband, King Henry VIII. ‘Anne of the Thousand Days’ was executed by beheading on a newly built scaffold within the confines of the Tower of […]
Claire | May 19, 2018
On this day in history, Friday 19th May 1536, Queen Anne Boleyn, second wife of King Henry VIII and mother of Queen Elizabeth I, was beheaded by a swordsman within the confines of the Tower of London. Anne had been queen for just over three years when she was arrested on 2nd May 1536 at […]
Claire | May 19, 2017
On this day in history, 19th May 1536, the feast day of St Dunstan, Queen Anne Boleyn was executed at the Tower of London. Here at the Anne Boleyn Files and on our Facebook page, we are commemorating the 481st anniversary of Anne Boleyn’s execution with a special Anne Boleyn Day of events in association […]
Claire | May 19, 2016
On this day in history, 19th May 1536, Queen Anne Boleyn was executed within the confines of the Tower of London. Afterwards, her remains were laid to rest in the chancel of the Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula at the Tower of London. I thought I’d share with you some contemporary accounts of Anne’s […]
Claire | May 19, 2014
“Queen Anne Boleyn, 19th of May 1536” is the wording on the card that accompanies the basket of red roses delivered to the Tower of London each year on 19th May and placed on Anne Boleyn’s memorial tile in the chancel of the Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula. Whenever I go to the Tower […]
Claire | May 19, 2014
Today I will be raising a glass to Queen Anne Boleyn, a woman whose life was cut short by an awful miscarriage of justice on this day in 1536 when she was beheaded by “the Sword of Calais” at the Tower of London. She had been condemned to death for high treason on 15th May […]
Claire | May 19, 2012
At dawn on 19th May 1536, Queen Anne Boleyn celebrated the Mass for the last time, receiving the Sacrament from her almoner, John Skip. She then ate breakfast and waited to hear Sir William Kingston’s footsteps outside her door. At 8am, the Constable appeared, informing Anne that the hour of her death was near and […]
Claire | March 24, 2010
407 years ago today, on the 24th March 1603, Queen Elizabeth I died, leaving a shocked and grief-stricken country. Many of the English people had only ever known Elizabeth I as their queen, for she had reigned over England for over 44 years. I have written about Elizabeth I’s death and funeral over at the […]
