May 19th anniversaries

As usual, every May 19th reminds me of my 2 favourite people from history - Anne Boleyn and Piers Gaveston.

For Anne Boleyn, May 19th was the date of her execution, and I know many of her followers will be at the Tower of London this weekend - unfortunately, I can't make it.  But it's a wonderful opportunity to find fellow sympathisers of Anne, paying their respects.

 The execution monument at the Tower - which is just a monument, as the exact site of the executions it commemorates are unknown - is usually the place for flowers for Anne, although the Yeomen Warders will place them in the chapel if you ask them to.

 My Anne Boleyn Rose tree, though not pictured from today as it's not in flower.

The actress playing Anne Boleyn from the Tower's summer play 2018.  Eerie to think this play was taking place a stone's throw away from the White Tower which Anne must have entered at some point.

As for Piers Gaveston, he surrendered to the Earl of Pembroke, after a failed siege at Scarborough Castle.   No doubt handing himself over to Pembroke after a chivalrous promise seemed a good idea at the time - indeed it was, it's just that Pembroke failed to keep Piers secure.  Below is a photo I took of Scarborough Castle.