Ravens of the Tower of London
Six birds in the historic castle
Why this is trending
Interest in “Ravens of the Tower of London” spiked on Wikipedia on 2026-02-25.
Categorised under History, this article fits a familiar pattern. Historical topics gain renewed attention when tied to commemorations, documentaries, or current events that echo past episodes.
At GlyphSignal we surface these trending signals every day—transforming Wikipedia’s vast pageview data into actionable insights about global curiosity.
Key Takeaways
- The ravens of the Tower of London are a group of at least six captive ravens (eight in 2025) resident at the Tower of London.
- " Local legend puts the origin of the captive raven population at the time of King Charles II (reigned 1660–1685).
- The earliest known reference to captive ravens at the Tower is an illustration from 1883.
- When they were eliminated from much of their traditional range, including London, they could only exist at the Tower in captivity and with official support.
- Some of the ravens at the Tower were specially bred in Somerset.
The ravens of the Tower of London are a group of at least six captive ravens (eight in 2025) resident at the Tower of London. Their presence is traditionally believed to protect the Crown and the Tower; a belief holds that "if the Tower of London ravens are lost or fly away, the Crown will fall and Britain with it." Local legend puts the origin of the captive raven population at the time of King Charles II (reigned 1660–1685). Some historians however, including the Tower's official historian, believe the "Tower's raven mythology is likely to be a Victorian flight of fantasy". The earliest known reference to captive ravens at the Tower is an illustration from 1883.
Historically, wild ravens were common throughout Britain, even in towns; the Tower was within their natural range. When they were eliminated from much of their traditional range, including London, they could only exist at the Tower in captivity and with official support. The Tower ravens are tended to every day by the Ravenmaster of the Yeomen Warders heading a team of Yeoman Warders known as Ravenmaster's assistants. Some of the ravens at the Tower were specially bred in Somerset.
History
Origins of the legend
The earliest legend that connects the Tower with a raven is the euhemerised Welsh tale of the war against the Irish leader Matholwch who had mistreated the princess Branwen. Branwen's brother Brân the Blessed (King of the Britons) ordered his followers to cut off his head and bury it beneath the "White Hill" (upon which the Tower now stands) facing out towards France as a talisman to protect Britain from foreign invasion.
Content sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0
