The Tower of London has welcomed two new feathered residents this spring. Raven chicks Henry and Poe were born in April as part of the Tower’s longstanding raven breeding programme and are now settling into their historic home.
Their names are fitting tributes to both history and literature: Henry honours a legacy of royal namesakes who once roamed the Tower grounds, from Henry VIII to the medieval Henry III. Poe, on the other hand, nods to American author Edgar Allan Poe, whose dark and mysterious poem ‘The Raven’ remains one of the most iconic literary works of the 19th century.
The two new raven chicks at the Tower of London. (Historic Royal Palaces)
The presence of ravens at the Tower is more than ceremonial. According to centuries-old legend, should the ravens ever leave the Tower, the kingdom will fall. The tradition dates back to the reign of King Charles II, who reportedly insisted the birds remain after astronomer John Flamsteed complained they were obstructing his view. The ominous warning struck a chord with the Monarch – particularly as the son of the executed Charles I – and the birds have been protected ever since.
The Tower’s current raven cohort now numbers eight, including older residents Jubilee, Harris, Poppy, Georgie, Edgar, and Chaos. Caring for this “unkindness” — the collective noun for a group of ravens — is Ravenmaster Yeoman Warder Barney Chandler.
The Tower’s current raven cohort now numbers eight. (Historic Royal Palaces)
A former Royal Marine with 24 years of service, Chandler became Ravenmaster in March 2024 after 14 years with the Tower’s raven team. Henry and Poe are the first chicks introduced under his tenure. “The team and I have had a busy couple of weeks looking after these troublemakers,” Chandler said. “But now that they’re almost fully fledged, we’re ready to bring them into the fold and let the other ravens take over showing them the ropes.”
The Tower of London
Currently, the chicks are getting used to the sights and sounds of their new home within a special enclosure. Once acclimated, they’ll be gradually introduced to the rest of the Tower’s avian legends and begin their own reign as guardians of the kingdom’s fate.
The ravens at the Tower enjoy a diet of raw meat, a weekly egg, and the occasional blood-soaked biscuit treat. When not fulfilling their mystical duty, they’re often seen posing for photos, amusing tourists, and – reportedly – taste-testing packed lunches.
