They are not the easiest of charges – as he reveals, they are much given to mischief, and their escapades have often led him into unlikely, and sometimes even undignified, situations. Over the years in which he has cared for the physical and mental well-being of these remarkable birds, Christopher Skaife has come to know them like no one else. The current holder of the position is Yeoman Warder Christopher Skaife, and in this fascinating, entertaining and touching book he memorably describes the ravens’ formidable intelligence, their idiosyncrasies and their occasionally wicked sense of humour. One man is personally responsible for ensuring that such a disaster never comes to pass – the Ravenmaster. But their role is even more important than that – legend has it that if the ravens should ever leave, the Tower will crumble into dust, and great harm will befall the kingdom. Each year they are seen by millions of visitors, and they have become as integral a part of the Tower as its ancient stones themselves. (I cringe at the idea that executions used to be festive events for the whole family.The First Behind-the-Scenes Account of Life With the Ravens at Britain’s Most Famous National Monumentįor centuries, the Tower of London has been home to a group of famous avian residents: the ravens. Excellent storytelling!įair warning: in keeping with this era’s harsh realities, there’s casual cruelty toward children forced to do dirty work (like chimney sweeps). Rising tension that had my heart racing by the end. Forrest faces bullies, fails in boyish ways at being a friend, takes his home and family a little for granted, struggles to understand the unfairness of war, and makes choices that shake up his ideas of justice and loyalty.

A fascinating peek into the lives of those born and raised within the confines of a prison, where hanging days are like festivals and orphans are worse off than the royal ravens.

Only the prisoner put into his father’s keeping turns out to be a girl no older than himself. Excitement surrounds news that they’re to have a new prisoner, a dangerous villain of a Scot taken in battle. The boy’s best friends are Tuck, a raven he’s raised from a fledgling, and Rat, a boy who works for the Tower’s rat-catcher. The Ravenmaster’s Secret: Escape from the Tower of Londonįorrest Harper is the son of a guard at the Tower of London who holds the additional role of Ravenmaster.

The ravenmaster