St. Peter Ad Vincula in The Tower of London

Hello, I am back in London today and I just got back from attending a church service at "the Royal Chapel of st Peter Ad Vincula within Her Majesty's Tower of London" -the little chapel in the Tower of London where Anne Boleyn is buried.

The day got off to an ignominious start with me trying to get to the 9:15 service. The only thing I could find on the internet qua directions was to use the 'westgate' entrance.

I couldn't find that entrance at first and of course the tower of London is very very large
so by the time I had walked around it and found the entrance it was past the service starting time.

I explained to the nice beefeater at the front that I wanted to go to church. He let me go in but when I got to St Peter Ad Vincula, I could not open the door. I think it was locked. So I was sneaking all around the outside of the chapel looking in through the windows trying to find an alternative entrance.

I didn't find an entrance, but I did accidentally stumble into the little chapel where Thomas More is buried. It is sooo reassuring that one is still able to accidentally find such things in London.

I also saw the scaffold site where Anne Boleyn (and katherine howard and jane grey and thomas more)were beheaded. There was no one around as this was still before the tower opened. I was deeply impressed.

I decided the situation was hopeless and I had better go to the second church service at 11.

As I was exiting the tower I saw the nice beefeater again and he asked me why I was leaving so early. I explained that the door was locked, but he said he was quite sure that the door to chapel is not locked during services. It is just a heavy door and I should go back and give it a good tug.

How could I say no?

Unfortunately as I was making my way back I was rudely accosted by a different (mean)
beefeater who me to state my business. he said it was too late for me to go the service as it had already started and I should take myself away as the tower didnt open to 'the public' until 11.

Emboldened by having just seen the beheading place of another woman who was defiant in the face of injustice, I replied that as I was in the tower to attend church, I did not count as 'the public.'

He didnt like that one bit. oh well. I think that only hastened my inevitable expulsion from the premises. I knew I was done for the moment he asked me what I was doing in the tower. So I figured I might as well be expelled with dignity.

So I left and had some tea and a scone at a nearby cafe while I waited and then headed back. the tower was open by this time and the lines were massive. sooooo many people. Westminster Abbey all over again. the entrance fee for the tower is 15 pounds. that is 25 dollars. unbelievable!!! for a family of 4 that is 100 dollars.

Anyway, I got in for free because I explained I was going to church. I made my way to the chapel very very slowly. I got to see traitors gate!!! that was very cool.

then I went to the church and it was just wonderful.I walked in and there was the priest smiling and handing me a hymnbook. and i just immediately felt welcome.

There was a choir (adults, not a boys choir. alas. but they did have nice robes)
They were fantastic!!!!! they were incredible. we used the 1662 book of common prayer and they sang all the elements of the service like the sanctus and agnus dei in wonderful madrigal style(exactly how you think it would have been in Tudor times). I particularly liked the musical setting of the apostles creed. they sang so well it just filled the whole chapel. You just think to yourself,'it doesn't get any better than this.'

For hyms we sang 'Let Jesus Christ be Praised' and 'The Lord's my Sheperd.'

The best part was actually probably the sermon. It was very very good. I was moved by it. It is wonderful to think that substantive sermons are still being preached in these historic chapels.

After the church I started talking to a very nice lady named pamela. she is a member and was helping reaarrange the chairs after the servce. and I helped her with that.

I decided to just decided to go ahead and ask my one burning question ' so where exactly is anne boleyn buried ?'

Up on the platform at the front of the church.

So I sort of snuck over and was eyeing the platform. The priest noticed what I was doing and said that...it would be fine for me to just go up and look.

I did! and there I saw the stone that said 'Queen Anne'!!!!!!!!!!!! I was trembling. I didn't know whether to laugh or to cry. It was the most amazing moment! I stood right there at her grave. Unbelievable! who would ever have thought that I would actually see it!

They had some coffee afterward so I went along for that and chatted to some of the members of the church. There was one retired couple who had just gotten back from a 3 month cruise around the whole world so they were telling me about that.

They have a church dinner next week and I was invited to come along for that. For a passing second I actually thought of maybe changing my ticket around so that I could be in London for that.

I chatted with one of the beefeaters on the way out. We were standing right next to the tomb of thomas more. It was quite surreal. He has been doing it for 17 years. I asked him if he ever gets tired of putting up with american tourists and he said that talking to people like me is the best part of his job.

So then I took a very leisurely, roundabout way out of the tower. It was by then utterly overrun with tourists. There were long queues to get into each of the individuals towers and buildings on the Tower of London's grounds. So I was not tempted to abuse my free admission by going into any of them.

Just by walking around I could absorb a lot of the atmosphere. you can see very clearly how it has been added onto over the centuries. a turret here. a little building there. all in different architectural styles. it is fascinating.

So well I have seen the tower. in a very unique and wonderful way. It is so reassuring that even in the horrible touristy crowded London of today you can still have experiences like this.

Next time I visit London I know where I will be attending church.