Born Jane Parker, a distant relative of Henry VIII, she became a lady-in-waiting to his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, and to quite a few of those that followed. Married Anne Boleyn’s brother, George, and later, when Anne was an unwanted wife and George and Anne were accused of incest, Jane gave evidence against her husband. Consequently George was beheaded on Tower Hill along with four other men also accused of adultery with Anne. A few years later when Henry needed to get rid of another wife, Anne of Cleves, Jane again provided useful evidence. When Catherine Howard (number 5) needed a go-between to facilitate her liaisons with Thomas Culpeper Jane stepped into the role. But the affair was discovered and all involved and some that weren't, were imprisoned. Jane appeared to suffer a nervous breakdown and was declared insane which ought to have saved her life but Henry changed the law to allow the execution of the insane and so Jane was beheaded at Tower Green, immediately after Catherine.
This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Jane Boleyn, Viscountess Rochford
Commemorated ati
Tower of London execution site
Catling wrote the poem as well as creating the sculpture. Doesn't that cushio...
Other Subjects
Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey
Closely related to the royal family but Henry VIII took against Henry and his father, Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk. They were imprisoned and Henry was beheaded at Tower Hill. His father sur...
Marian Martyrs executed at Smithfield
Queen Mary I (reigned 1553-8) earned the nickname 'Bloody Mary' for the persecution and execution of Protestants and other non-Catholics during her reign. Wikipedia lists abut 40 in an 'incomplete...
Simon Fraser, Lord Lovat
Jacobite. Taken prisoner at the Battle of Culloden. Tried and was the last man to be beheaded on the Tower Hill scaffold. We're sure that made him feel a lot better about it. 2017: The Scotsman re...
Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham
Born Wales. His father was executed by Richard III. Buckingham was part of the court of Henry VII and Henry VIII but his Plantagenet heritage made Henry suspicious of him and so following a trial...
Thomas Bowyer
Burnt at the stake in Bow (or possibly Stratford) for his Protestant beliefs.