The Ravenmaster: My Life with the Ravens at the Tower of London

The Ravenmaster: My Life with the Ravens at the Tower of London
Christopher Skaife

'Packed with insight and anecdote, his story brings the Tower ravens to vivid life, each bird with a personality of its own. I've been fortunate enough to tour the Tower and meet the ravens a few times in years past; after reading this book, I cannot wait to go back' George R. R. MartinFor centuries, the Tower of London has been home to a group of famous avian residents: the ravens. 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. 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.One man is personally responsible for ensuring that such a disaster never comes to pass – the Ravenmaster. 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.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. 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.Now, in the first intimate behind-the-scenes account of life with the ravens of the Tower, the Ravenmaster himself shares the folklore, history and superstitions surrounding both the birds and their home. The result is a compelling, inspiring and irreverent story that will delight and surprise anyone with an interest in British history or animal behaviour.

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Copyright (#u582babc0-da62-5afa-832c-526b0128f265)

4th Estate

An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers

1 London Bridge Street

London SE1 9GF

www.4thEstate.co.uk (http://www.4thEstate.co.uk)

This Ebook first published in Great Britain by 4th Estate in 2018

Copyright © 2018 by Historic Royal Palaces Enterprises Ltd 2018

The right of Historic Royal Palaces Enterprises Ltd to be identified as the copyright-holder of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988

Map © Richard Wells

A catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

Source ISBN: 9780008307929

Ebook Edition © October 2018 ISBN: 9780008307905

Version: 2018-08-10

Dedication (#u582babc0-da62-5afa-832c-526b0128f265)

To the ravens of Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London

And to the memory of Martin Harris

Contents

Cover (#u194eb881-e763-50c0-a194-5e34d2d0fd2e)

Title Page (#u1c343933-f3f8-5284-9c4f-61fa3ed19d22)

Copyright (#ua485a04e-6708-5eb5-85bb-3cf304549ebc)

Dedication (#uadf36c71-5198-552a-b2cd-4f2a7a08b0f9)

Map (#u66da35f6-e238-53d5-a1b8-e66839f6b800)

1 Silhouette (#ucbb6a9bf-856c-52e6-8af4-ed36eb8148bb)

2 Ravenmaster (#ube7aac74-0a79-5b10-9496-fef417f367ab)

3 The Rules (#ud052a700-4246-5c5b-a01e-544dddba722f)

4 Roll Call (#u889117f4-fdc5-5a03-ba26-f29ccc1e49ad)

5 Bird Life (#u8c26259d-b165-5ce3-bdcd-d913871de19a)

6 Tower Green (#uebc60bde-b387-5f53-ace5-75cbc9ac55d5)

7 Biscuits and Blood (#ue11ded25-0153-5ad1-993e-2f40925b16cc)

8 The Menagerie (#ue0d3864c-a3da-5531-a1ec-2480f37dbc02)

9 Black Birds (#litres_trial_promo)

10 The Raven Spreads His Wings (#litres_trial_promo)

11 The Great Escape (#litres_trial_promo)

12 Resistance to Interrogation (#litres_trial_promo)

13 Citizens of the World (#litres_trial_promo)

14 Double-Hatting (#litres_trial_promo)

15 The Story (#litres_trial_promo)

16 Application (#litres_trial_promo)

17 Speaking in Ravenish (#litres_trial_promo)

18 Bird Brains (#litres_trial_promo)

19 Ravenology (#litres_trial_promo)

20 The Legend of the Ravens at the Tower (#litres_trial_promo)

21 Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red (#litres_trial_promo)

22 My Mistress’ Eyes Are Raven Black (#litres_trial_promo)

23 Birds and Books (#litres_trial_promo)