Severed Heads: British Beheadings Through the Ages

by Geoffrey Abbott

For many, the highlight of a guided tour of the Tower of London is Tower Green, the site of the scaffolds on which Anne Boleyn, Lady Jane Grey and many others, before and after, met their end. This book, written by a retired Yeoman Warder from the Tower, presents a morbid but entertaining anthology of one hundred of the thousands of men and women who fell victim to the axe or sword (or the Halifax Gibbet or the Scottish Maiden). The entries, arranged chronologically, also look at the victims' alleged crimes, any last words and the disposal of the body and head, often on spikes on London Bridge. A closing index lists each victim, identifying the type of blade that finished them off. The author clearly enjoys uncovering little known facts and anecdotes and this book captures his enthusiasm.

Genres: History

272 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2000

About the author

Geoffrey Abbott served for many years as a Yeoman Warder at the Tower of London. Author of nineteen books and contributor to the Encyclopaedia Britannica/, he has made numerous television appearances. He lives in London.

Reviews

[Redfox5 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think no matter how interesting the subject is, I will always enjoy history more when it's mingled with fiction. Most of the people beheaded in the book, I knew of. Some I did not. I think I will have to start reading more about the Stuarts. Some of the people on the day of their beheadings made light of it, I'm not sure I would be able to do that. I liked the quote from Katherine Howard - "I die a Queen, but I would rather die the wife of Culpeper" I would read more of Abbott's books.

[Dominique Lamssies · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fabulous little book that will teach you a lot of random details about British executions in several eras. Not particularly in-depth in any fashion, it's fun and will give you lots of random trivia to spout.