{"id":33920,"date":"2024-02-29T11:38:11","date_gmt":"2024-02-29T10:38:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.historyextra.com\/?p=262171"},"modified":"2024-02-29T13:11:36","modified_gmt":"2024-02-29T12:11:36","slug":"whats-it-like-to-be-ravenmaster-at-the-tower-of-london","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbchistory\/rss_feed\/whats-it-like-to-be-ravenmaster-at-the-tower-of-london\/","title":{"rendered":"What\u2019s it like to be Ravenmaster at the Tower of London?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chris Skaife, Ravenmaster at the Tower of London between 2011\u20132024, explains his life in the role, why ravens are kept at the Tower of London, and whether any ravens have made a bid for freedom\u2026 <\/p>

By Elinor Evans\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Thursday, 29 February 2024 at 10:38 AM<\/p>

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Why are there ravens at the Tower of London?<\/h2>\n

Ravens have been in London for centuries. They are drawn towards dead things and meat, so the bustling Tower of London<\/a> would have been an ideal place for them to settle.<\/p>\n

According to legend, Charles II<\/a>\u2019s royal astronomer, John Flamsteed, who worked in the Tower, complained that the ravens who had made the Tower their home kept getting in the way of his work. He asked the king if he could get rid of them and the king agreed, until someone told him about a legend: \u201cShould the ravens leave, this Tower will crumble, and a great harm will befall yourself and your kingdom.\u201d<\/p>\n

Charles decided to keep six here by royal decree \u2013 we have a couple of extra, just in case.<\/p>\n

What does the role of Ravenmaster entail?<\/h2>\n

I\u2019m one of 37 yeoman warders who live and work at the Tower. I\u2019m ex-military \u2013 to be a yeoman warder you must have completed a minimum of 22 years at the rank of a warrant officer or above. I became the Tower\u2019s Ravenmaster in 2011.<\/p>\n

\"A\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
A Tower of London raven. The Tower will crumble and the kingdom fall should the ravens leave \u2013 or so the legend goes. (Image by Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

When I first came here I was fascinated by the ravens hopping around. The old Ravenmaster, Derrick, took me to the enclosure and put me in there with two huge ravens. One of the birds started moving towards me, looking at me with its beady little eye; I could almost feel its breath on my face. Afterwards Derrick said: \u201cThe ravens like you\u201d.<\/p>\n

I discovered later that he was making sure I wasn\u2019t scared of the birds \u2013 ravens are quite awesome in size and if you show them fear, they will remember that forever.\u00a0I always tell the public that the ravens picked me.<\/p>\n

What are the ravens like?<\/h2>\n

They are some of the most intelligent birds on the planet; each has its own distinct characteristics. They look at me with something like disdain, but I\u2019ve become close to several of them over the years.<\/p>\n

Are the ravens allowed to leave?<\/h2>\n

The ravens are very territorial, so the Tower has become their home and they tend to stay within its confines. They\u2019re free to roam wherever they want to inside the grounds and can occasionally be found in the residents\u2019 quarters \u2013 they are, after all, the Tower\u2019s true guardians.<\/p>\n