Ravens leaflet

The guardians
of the Tower
It is not known when the ravens first came to the Tower of London
but their presence is protected by legend. Traditionally, with birds
of ill omen, it is their absence rather than their presence that is
feared at the Tower of London - legend has it that if the ravens
leave, the Tower would fall and the Kingdom would fall, so Charles
II decreed that there must always be at least six here.
The fortunes of the Tower ravens reached their lowest point soon
after World War II. With the disturbances of the bombing and the
unresolved kidnapping of Mabel, only raven Grip was left holding
the fort!
Since 1987, the Tower has undertaken an ambitious and successful
breeding programme for the ravens. Two ravens called Charlie
and Rhys paired up and produced a total of 17 chicks.
The
The Guardians of
The
The Guardians of
The The Tower
Guardians of
The Tower
Tower
Guardians of
The Tower
In common with many other members of the Crow
In common with many other members of the Crow
In family, common
family, common ravens with
ravens with are many
are many eaters other
eaters other of carrion members
of carrion members and live of
and live of the mostly Crow
mostly Crow on
family, In family,
dead
common
flesh. ravens with are many eaters other of carrion members and live of the mostly Crowon
family, dead flesh. ravens are eaters of carrion and live mostly on
dead family, dead flesh.
ravens are eaters of carrion and live mostly on
dead For many flesh.
dead For centuries, ravens have guarded the Tower of
For many
flesh. centuries, ravens have guarded the Tower of
For centuries, ravens have guarded the Tower of
For London. many
London. many Legend centuries,
Legend centuries, has ravens
has ravens it that have
that have should guarded
should guarded the ravens the
ravens the Tower ever leave, of
leave, of
London. For London.
the White
many Legend centuries,
White Tower has Tower would
ravens it that would crumble
have should guarded
crumble and the and a ravens a great
the Tower
great disaster ever leave,
of
London. Legend has it that should the ravens disaster ever leave,
the London. the
would White would befall
Legend Tower befall England.
has would it
England. Fortunately,
that crumble should and Fortunately, these
the a ravens great these respected disaster
ever leave,
the White Tower would crumble and a great respected disaster
would the would
residents,
White befall residents, since
Tower England. since the
would
the reign Fortunately, crumble
reign of King Charles
and these a great respected
Charles II, have
disaster
would befall England. Fortunately, these respected have been
residents, since the reign of King Charles II, have been
residents, would been
protected
befall since
protected by
England.
by a the
a royal reign
royal decree.
Fortunately, of King Charles these respected
residents, since the reign
protected by a royal decree. of King Charles II, have been
protected residents, since by a the royal reign decree.
of King Charles II, have been
protected The fortunes by a
fortunes of royal
of the Tower decree.
protected Tower ravens reached their lowest
The fortunes
by a
of
royal
the Tower
decree.
ravens reached their lowest
The lowest
The point fortunes
point fortunes soon after of
after of the World Tower
World Tower War ravens
War ravens II. With reached
With reached the disturbances their
disturbances their lowest of
point soon after World War II. With the disturbances of
point The of
the bombing
fortunes soon after
bombing and
of the World
and the
Tower
the unresolved War ravens II. With
unresolved kidnapping
reached the disturbances their
kidnapping of Mabel,
lowest
point soon after World War II. With the disturbances of
the bombing and the unresolved kidnapping of Mabel, of
the point Mabel,
only bombing
only Raven
soon after
Raven Grip and World
Grip was the
was left unresolved War
left holding
II. With
holding the kidnapping the
the fort!
disturbances of Mabel, of
the bombing and the unresolved kidnapping
only Raven Grip was left holding the fort! of Mabel,
only the bombing Raven Grip and was the left unresolved holding the kidnapping fort!
of Mabel,
only New Raven
New recruits Grip
recruits were was
were soon left holding
soon on their the
their way fort!
only way and the Tower had
New
Raven
recruits
Grip
were
was
soon
left holding
on their
the
way
fort!
and the Tower had
New had
New its full recruits
full recruits complement were soon
complement were soon of birds. on
birds. on In their
In their recent way
recent way years, and the
years, and the we Tower
we Tower have had
its full complement of birds. In recent years, we have had
its New have
its proudly full recruits complement
proudly full complement witnessed
were
witnessed the
soon of birds.
the of birds. birth
on In
birth In of
their recent
of recent a new
way years,
new years, generation
and the we Tower have
generation we have of ravens.
had
proudly witnessed the birth of a new generation of ravens.
proudly its full complement witnessed the of birds. birth In of recent a new years, generation we have of ravens.
proudly witnessed the birth of a new generation of ravens.
proudly witnessed the birth of a new generation of ravens.
Ravenmaster Derrick Coyle, R.V.M.
Depuis de de nombreux siècles, siècles, les les corbeaux corbeaux gardent gardent la la
Depuis Tour Depuis Tour de de Londres. nombreux La légende siècles, légende les veut veut corbeaux que que leur leur gardent disparition
la
Depuis Tour de de
provoquerait Tour l’écroulement de de Londres. nombreux
Londres. nombreux La légende siècles,
La de de légende siècles,
les
les veut corbeaux
la la tour tour Blanche veut corbeaux que leur gardent
Blanche que et leur gardent disparition la
une et une disparition la
provoquerait Tour catastrophe
s’effondrerait provoquerait Tour
Depuis l’écroulement de
s’effondrerait l’écroulement de
de Londres.
Londres.
nombreux La
La de légende
sur sur l’Angleterre. de légende la siècles, tour Blanche les veut
Heureusement, la Heureusement, tour Blanche veut
corbeaux que
que et leur
depuis et leur une gardent disparition
depuis une disparition catastrophe la
provoquerait le catastrophe le règne
provoquerait s’effondrerait Tour l’écroulement règne de
Charles s’effondrerait l’écroulement sur de l’Angleterre. Londres. La de
de Charles II, ces II, sur magnifiques ces l’Angleterre. de Heureusement, légende la
magnifiques oiseaux Heureusement, la
tour
tour
Blanche
Blanche
veut que depuis et
oiseaux sont protégés sont depuis et
leur une
une
disparition le catastrophe
protégés par le catastrophe règne de
s’effondrerait décret règne par royal. de
s’effondrerait
provoquerait Charles II, ces l’écroulement sur
Les Charles décret corbeaux royal. II, ces sur magnifiques l’Angleterre.
Les sont magnifiques l’Angleterre. oiseaux de Heureusement,
corbeaux élevés à oiseaux Heureusement,
la tour sont Blanche protégés depuis
la sont Tour élevés sont et répondent protégés depuis
et par une le
à la Tour par le décret catastrophe règne
uniquement et décret règne royal. de
répondent royal. de
Charles
Charles
s’effondrerait Les corbeaux II, au
maître Les uniquement corbeaux II,
ces
ces
sur sont magnifiques
des corbeaux. au sont magnifiques
l’Angleterre. élevés à oiseaux
maître élevés Ils des sont à oiseaux la Heureusement, Tour sont
la corbeaux. dangereux Tour sont et répondent protégés
et répondent Ils
protégés
depuis par
sont dangereux
par uniquement le décret
: abstenez-vous uniquement décret
règne royal.
de vous :
royal.
de au
Les au
Les
Charles maître corbeaux
en maître abstenez-vous corbeaux des II, ces corbeaux. sont
approcher des corbeaux. sont
magnifiques élevés
et de élevés Ils sont à
de vous les Ils nourrir. sont en à
oiseaux la
la dangereux Tour
approcher dangereux Tour
sont et
et
répondent
répondent
protégés : abstenez-vous par uniquement
et : abstenez-vous de les uniquement
décret de vous royal. au
nourrir. de vous au
maître
maître
Les en approcher corbeaux des
en approcher des
corbeaux.
corbeaux.
sont et de élevés les Ils
et de les Ils nourrir. sont
nourrir. sont
à la dangereux
dangereux
Tour et répondent :
abstenez-vous
abstenez-vous
uniquement de
de
vous
vous
au
en
en
maître approcher
approcher
des Raben corbeaux. et
Raben et bewachen de
bewachen de
les
bewachen les
Ils nourrir.
nourrir.
sont den dangereux
den Tower Tower schon : abstenez-vous
schon seit seit vielen vielen hundert de vous
en approcher
den Tower schon seit vielen hundert
Raben Jahren. Raben et
Jahren. bewachen Die de les
Die Sage nourrir.
Sage berichtet, den Tower
berichtet, dass, schon
dass, falls seit
falls die Vögel vielen
die Vögel die hundert
Raben
Burg die Burg
verließen, Jahren. bewachen Die Sage berichtet, den
verließen, der der weiße Die Sage
weiße Turm berichtet, den
Tower
Tower dass, schon
Turm zerfallen zerfallen und dass, schon falls seit
und das falls seit die Vögel vielen
das Königreich die Vögel vielen die hundert
die hundert Burg
verließen, Jahren. Burg
Königreich
untergehen verließen, Jahren.
Raben der weiße bewachen Die
der
untergehen würde. weiße Die
Sage
Sage Turm berichtet,
würde. Seit Turm berichtet,
den zerfallen Tower und dass,
Seit der zerfallen
der Herrschaft und dass,
schon das falls
Herrschaft Karls das falls Königreich seit die
Karls II. Königreich die
Vögel
Vögel
vielen die
die
hundert Burg
Burg
verließen,
verließen, untergehen Jahren. der würde. Seit der Herrschaft Karls II. sind II. sind die die herrlichen
Tiere untergehen der
weiße
Tiere durch würde. weiße
Die Sage Turm
durch ein königliches Seit Turm
berichtet, zerfallen
der zerfallen
und
königliches Dekret Herrschaft und
dass, das
Dekret geschützt. Karls das
falls Königreich
II. Königreich
die Vögel die Burg
untergehen geschützt. Die sind
Die Die Raben die herrlichen
untergehen
verließen, der würde. Raben Raben
vermehren Tiere durch würde.
weiße Seit
vermehren sich ein
sich hier königliches Seit
Turm der
der
zerfallen Herrschaft
hier und und stehen Dekret Herrschaft
und Karls
stehen unter geschützt. Karls
das II.
II.
Königreich sind
unter unter der der Obhut Die sind
die
Obhut Obhut des Raben die
herrlichen
herrlichen
Tiere
Tiere
untergehen durch des des
Rabenmeisters. vermehren durch
würde. ein
sich ein
königliches
Rabenmeisters. Sie hier königliches
Seit der Dekret
Sie Sie sind und
sind sind nicht stehen Dekret
Herrschaft geschützt.
nicht nicht ungefährlich, unter geschützt.
Karls II. Die
der
ungefährlich, und Obhut Die
sind Raben
Raben
die herrlichen
vermehren und und darum des
vermehren
Tiere durch sich darum darum bitten bitten wir wir
Sie, Rabenmeisters. sich
ein hier
Sie, immer einen Sie hier
königliches und
guten sind und
stehen
Abstand nicht stehen
Dekret unter
Abstand ungefährlich, unter
geschützt. der
der
Obhut
zu zu halten. halten.
und Obhut
Die Raben des
darum des
Rabenmeisters. bitten wir
Rabenmeisters.
vermehren sich Sie
Sie, immer einen Sie
hier sind
guten sind
und nicht
Abstand nicht
stehen ungefährlich,
ungefährlich,
unter der und
zu halten. und
Obhut darum
darum
des bitten
bitten
wir
wir
Sie,
Sie,
Rabenmeisters. immer
immer I corvi einen sono da secoli i guardiani della Torre di Londra.
Narra I
corvi einen
Sie guten
corvi
sono guten
sind Abstand
la sono
da Abstand
nicht ungefährlich, zu
I corvi sono leggenda da da
secoli
secoli i guardiani zu
halten.
halten.
und darum bitten wir
Sie, immer che, i in guardiani i guardiani
della
caso di della dipartita della
Torre
Torre Torre
di Londra.
I degli di Londra. di stessi, Londra.
Narra corvi einen la
Torre Bianca Narra la sono guten
crollerà la leggenda da Abstand secoli
leggenda che, i
e l’Inghilterra che, che, in guardiani zu halten.
I corvi sono da secoli i in guardiani in caso
caso verrà caso di della
di della
colpita di dipartita Torre
dipartita Torre degli di
da degli di
Londra.
un disastro degli Londra. stessi,
stessi, stessi, la
la la
Torre
immane. Torre Bianca Bianca Narra
Bianca Narra
I corvi crollerà la
Fortunatamente crollerà la
sono leggenda
leggenda e da
e e l’Inghilterra secoli che,
l’Inghilterra che,
i in
in
guardiani caso
caso verrà di
sin dai tempi verrà verrà di colpita della dipartita
di colpita dipartita
Torre
Carlo
colpita da degli
II da questi
da degli un di
un un disastro Londra. stessi,
disastro stessi,
la
magnifici
disastro la
Torre
Torre immane. Bianca
immane. Fortunatamente Fortunatamente sin sin dai dai tempi tempi di Carlo di Carlo II questi II questi magnifici magnifici
volatili immane. Bianca
Narra crollerà
volatili sono Fortunatamente crollerà
la leggenda e
l’Inghilterra
l’Inghilterra
che, in caso verrà
protetti da decreto sin dai regio. tempi verrà
di colpita
I di colpita
dipartita da
corvi Carlo si riproducono II da
degli un
questi un
disastro
disastro
stessi, la
immane. magnifici
immane.
Torre Bianca nella
volatili sono Fortunatamente
sono protetti protetti da da decreto decreto regio. regio. I corvi I corvi si riproducono si riproducono nella nella
Torre volatili
Torre stessa. sono Fortunatamente
crollerà e l’Inghilterra sin
protetti Devono da rendere decreto sin
dai
dai
tempi
conto regio. tempi
verrà di
solamente I di
colpita Carlo
corvi Carlo
II
si riproducono II
da questi
questi
un disastro magnifici
magnifici
volatili al Mastro dei nella
volatili
immane.
Torre stessa. sono protetti Devono da
Devono rendere decreto
rendere conto regio.
conto solamente I corvi si riproducono
solamente al al Mastro Mastro dei nella
dei
Torre Corvi. Torre stessa. sono
Fortunatamente
protetti
Corvi. stessa. Possono Devono da
essere rendere decreto
sin dai
pericolosi, conto regio.
tempi
per solamente I
di
corvi
Carlo
si riproducono
II questi magnifici
cui si prega al di Mastro non avvicinarli dei nella
Torre
volatili
Corvi. Possono Devono
Possono essere rendere
essere pericolosi, conto
pericolosi, per solamente
per cui cui si prega al
si prega di Mastro non di non avvicinarli dei
Corvi. e Corvi. stessa.
sono protetti
e non dare Possono Devono
da
loro essere rendere
decreto
da mangiare. pericolosi, conto
regio.
per solamente
I corvi si riproducono
cui si prega al di Mastro non avvicinarli dei
nella
Corvi.
Torre
e avvicinarli non stessa.
non
dare Possono
dare Possono e loro Devono essere
loro non essere da
da dare mangiare. rendere pericolosi, per cui si prega di non avvicinarli
mangiare. pericolosi,
conto
loro da mangiare. per
solamente
cui si prega
al
di
Mastro
non avvicinarli
dei
e
Corvi. non
non
dare
dare
Possono Los loro
Los loro cuervos essere da mangiare.
cuervos da mangiare. llevan pericolosi,
llevan siglos per
siglos guardando cui si prega
guardando la Torre di non
Torre de avvicinarli
de Londres.
e non dare
Londres.
Los Dice Los
Dice Los
loro cuervos cuervos la da
la leyenda mangiare. llevan
leyenda llevan que siglos
que siglos si siglos desaparecieran, guardando
desaparecieran, guardando la Torre se la derrumbaría Torre de Londres.
Los de Londres. la
Torre Blanca Dice cuervos
Blanca Dice y la
y la en leyenda llevan
en leyenda Inglaterra que siglos
Inglaterra que ocurriría si
ocurriría si si desaparecieran, guardando la Torre
desaparecieran, un gran desastre. se derrumbaría de Londres.
desastre. se derrumbaría se derrumbaría la
la
Torre Afortunadamente, Torre
Afortunadamente, Torre Blanca Dice
Los cuervos
y la
y en leyenda
llevan
en Inglaterra que
siglos
estos Inglaterra magníficos ocurriría si desaparecieran,
guardando la Torre
magníficos ocurriría pájaros un
pájaros un un gran gran están desastre. se derrumbaría
de Londres.
la
están desastre.
Torre
protegidos por
Afortunadamente, real Afortunadamente, Blanca
Dice
y
la
en
leyenda
Inglaterra
que
real
Afortunadamente, decreto de Carlos estos
Carlos estos II. magníficos ocurriría
si desaparecieran,
II. magníficos Se
magníficos crían en pájaros un gran
en pájaros la
pájaros Torre están desastre.
se derrumbaría la
Torre están y
están sólo protegidos
sólo protegidos responden
protegidos por
a
por
Afortunadamente,
Torre Blanca y en Inglaterra
real su real guardián. decreto Pueden de de Carlos estos
Carlos ser II. magníficos
ocurriría
II. peligrosos, Se Se crían crían en pájaros
un gran
así en la que la Torre están
desastre.
Torre guarden y y sólo protegidos
sólo la responden por
distancia responden ya
a
real
Afortunadamente, su guardián. decreto Pueden de Carlos ser II. peligrosos, Se crían en así la que Torre guarden y sólo la responden distancia ya
su no su guardián. decreto
guardián. les den de Pueden de Carlos
estos
Pueden comer. ser II.
magníficos
ser peligrosos, Se crían en
pájaros
peligrosos, así la
así que Torre
están
que guarden y sólo
protegidos
guarden la responden
por
distancia la distancia ya
su
real no guardián.
no guardián. les decreto den de Pueden comer. ser peligrosos, así que guarden la distancia y
no y no les les den den de Pueden
de Carlos
de comer.
ser
II.
peligrosos,
Se crían en
así
la
que
Torre
guarden
y sólo
la
responden
distancia y
a
comer.
no
su guardián.
les den de
Pueden
comer.
ser peligrosos, así que guarden la distancia y
no les den de comer.
Tower Tower Ravens
Tower Ravens
Ravens
A guide to the
Tower
Ravens

Raven watch
These magnificent birds, large members
of the genus Corvus, the crow family,
respond only to the Ravenmaster and
should not be approached too closely
by anyone else.
There is a complement of six birds
plus reserves. They preside over four
different territories within the Tower
precincts.
Spot the ravens
Band Name Gender Birthplace Year
Marley Male North Somerset 2006
Erin Female North Somerset 2006
Merlin Female South Wales 2005
Baldrick Male Dartmoor 2005
Munin Female North Uist (Scotland) 1995
Thor Male Hampshire 1995
Hugine Female North Uist (Scotland) 1995
Gwyllum Male Welsh Mountain Zoo 1988
Conservation
Branwen is currently taking part in a conservation programme
on Dartmoor. We hope to have some of her off-spring at the
Tower in the future.
6 raven facts
Raven territories
11
Ravens can live to a ripe old age. The oldest raven to
live at the Tower was called Jim Crow who died at the
age of 44.
The ravens are given 6oz of raw meat and bird formula
biscuits soaked in blood each day. Once a week they
enjoy an egg, plus the occasional rabbit, which is given
to them whole because the fur is good for them!
To prevent the birds from flying away, their lifting
feathers are trimmed by the Ravenmaster. This
procedure does not hurt, nor does it harm them in any
way but by unbalancing their flight it merely ensures they
don’t stray far from the Tower.
33 Tower Green
Here, Anne Boleyn’s execution would have
been observed by the ravens.
Coldharbour Gate (remains)
The site of an early entrance to the Tower.
33
11
There has been the occassional raven escape. Grog was
last seen outside an East End pub called the Rose and
Puncbowl in 1981. Whilst he had been at the Tower for 21
years, he clearly felt the need for a change.
Thor, a very good mimic, came from The Owl Sanctuary
in the New Forest having been rescued as a fledgling. On
a quiet day he will repeat things the Ravenmaster has
said to him with exactly the right tone to create all sorts
of confusion!
Ravenmaster Derrick Coyle, first donned his Yeoman
Warder’s uniform at the age of 39. As an animal
lover with a lifelong interest in birds, he became a
Ravenmaster’s assistant just two months later. Finally,
after two Ravenmasters retired, he got the top job in
1999 and plans to keep doing it until retiring at 65.
37
22
37
22
Wall of the Inmost Ward
In the shadow of William the Conqueror’s
White Tower.
Roman City Wall (South Lawn)
Londinium’s Roman walls, only the
foundations of which remain.