Person    | Female  Born 1505  Died 13/2/1542

Jane Boleyn, Viscountess Rochford

Categories: Execution

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.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

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...

Read More

Tower scaffold - 1946

See Anne Boleyn's plaque for when/how this plaque was displayed.

Read More

Other Subjects

John Bradford

John Bradford

Protestant martyr burned at Smithfield.

Person, Execution, Religion

1 memorial
Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset

Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset

Brother of Jane Seymour, Henry VIII's third wife, he was honoured by the king on the marriage and remained in favour after Jane's death, following childbirth.  On Henry's death, the king's only son...

Person, Execution, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
William, Lord Hastings

William, Lord Hastings

An important man in the court of Edward IV, rising to the position of Lord Chamberlain.  On the king’s death he supported his brother, the later Richard III, but something was not to Richard’s liki...

Person, Execution, Politics & Administration

2 memorials
Thomas Fust

Thomas Fust

Burnt at the stake in Ware (his home town) for his Protestant beliefs. Was associated with Harwood. Condemned by Bishop Bonner.

Person, Execution, Religion

1 memorial
Sir Thomas More

Sir Thomas More

Born Milk Street. In conflict with Henry VIII over religion he was imprisoned in the tower, found guilty of treason and beheaded on Tower Hill. Final words: "The King's good servant, but God's Firs...

Person, Execution, Literature, Politics & Administration, Seriously Famous

17 memorials

Previously viewed

George Eliot

George Eliot

Novelist.  Born Chilvers Coton, Warwickshire.  Pen name of Mary Ann (or Marian) Evans. Spent her first 21 years on a farm, now (2015) the Griff House Beefeater Grill restaurant on the Coventry Road...

Person, Literature, Seriously Famous

3 memorials
Heritage Lottery Fund

Heritage Lottery Fund

The National Lottery Heritage Fund (rebranded 2019), formerly the Heritage Lottery Fund (established 1994), distributes a share of National Lottery funding.

Group, Benefactor

28 memorials
Action for Children

Action for Children

National children's charity. Founded by the Reverend Thomas Bowman Stephenson as 'The Children's Home'. Renamed 'National Children's Home' and adopted its present name in 2008. It originally provid...

Group, Benefactor, Children

2 memorials
Dorothy Nevill

Dorothy Nevill

W1, Charles Street, 45

City of Westminster Lady Dorothy Nevill, 1826 - 1913, horticulturist, collector, writer and hostess, lived here, 1873 - 1913.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Lady Morgan

Lady Morgan

The only Lady Morgan we can find is the Irish novelist Sydney, Lady Morgan (1781? - 1859). In 1833 she spent time in Belgium and then wrote the novel ‘The Princess’ set there, so, it might be her. ...

Person, Religion

1 memorial