It was such a pleasure to deliver my raven to the Tower of London the other day. The sun was shining, the buildings were all dressed up for Christmas, and the incredible atmosphere that envelops you as you drive into such a historic site was a unique experience in itself. I was then greeted with the warmest of welcomes by Clive, the Chief Gaoler, followed closely by José, the Tower’s team leader and host, who had helped to organise the day.
Though this needle-felted raven sculpture was originally meant to be handed over to Chris Skaife, the meet-and-greet with everyone present was phenomenal. This included Barney, the new Ravenmaster, and the other amazing people I had the pleasure of meeting. None of the events or faces from that day will ever be forgotten.
Once within the grounds of the Tower, it quickly becomes clear that a single day is simply not enough to take in the history and the countless stories woven into the very fabric of these imposing walls. In some cases, these stories are even hidden away, waiting to be discovered. This has only left me even more excited to return and learn more—though perhaps next time, I’ll ask the one question that was on the tip of my tongue the entire time: “Have you seen any ghosts?“
The royal cypher on the raven’s chest, as you may know, was in remembrance of our late, great Queen Elizabeth II, and it was created just before the transition to our new monarch, King Charles III. This gave me the opportunity to see the new cypher on all the uniforms and around the Tower itself, which was an interesting experience in its own right.
It still feels a little surreal, as the Queen’s cypher has been—and still is—deeply ingrained in our landscapes. I can honestly say that I am incredibly proud to have witnessed such a significant moment in our time and in history. I look forward to the possibility of working on something royal again one day.
No matter where this piece may end up in the years to come, I am content with where it stands now—alongside the wardens and others who frequent The Keys pub. I hope that those who see it will be pleased as well, as it proudly watches over them, standing as one of the ravens ensuring that the Tower shall never fall.
This wonderful back drop was painted by Krysten Newby and it really does add a more than perfect dynamic to this piece and can not thank her enough.
