To Shake the Family Tree

“People are trapped in history and history is trapped in them.”

James A. Baldwin

My favorite thing about England has been the history all around me. Even the 17th century building that I’m staying in has serious history in its walls. There just seems to be stories in every corner of London and I am doing my best to absorb them all. Today was definitely a day for soaking in the past as I visited the Tower of London. What an amazing place. The tower has many famous monarchs associated with it from 1066 through 1603. People like William the Conqueror, Edward I, Henry the VIII, and Queen Elizabeth I, just to name a few. It is also home to the Crown Jewels. One thing that really struck me as I ventured through that particular exhibit is the craftsmanship of each of the items. The crowns were one thing, but the ceremonial dishes used for coronations were incredible. I always find myself saying the same thing when I am going through exhibits like that: “They just don’t make stuff like that anymore.”



I got chills walking through the Tower of London grounds. This was not because London’s heat wave had suddenly broken (it hasn’t), but because I was imagining what life would be like in the 12th century on through the 17th century. I imagined people going about their business in the courtyard, trying to make ends meet. I can’t even fathom the challenges that came with medieval life.

 

Something that I also thought about while exploring the grounds was family trees. My mother’s uncle had the genealogy done on my maternal grandfather’s side a few years ago. It was an interesting read, to say the least. They were able to trace it back well into the 16th century. Those are my favorite pages to read. The first time I read through them, a name popped out at me: “Boleyn.” As it turns out, Sir William Carey, who married Anne Boleyn’s older sister Mary in 1520, is in my family tree. William’s story is rather tragic and includes enduring questions on the paternity of his children (spoiler alert, they might belong to Henry VIII). I still love reading the history though, and love even more that a piece of that history lives on in me. Knowing that has made me feel more connected to England somehow.

Dragon made of various armor.
His name is "Keeper."
Awesome name for a dragon.

Site of Anne Boleyn's Beheading

"The Queen's House," built by Henry VIII for Ann Boleyn.
Beefeaters in residence live there now.