Born Bath, of royal blood, she survived the Wars of the Roses and was trusted by Henry VIII enough to be a governess to Mary, his daughter by Catherine of Aragon. However when the king wanted a divorce from Catherine, Cardinal Pole, Margaret's son, from the safety of Italy, wrote denouncing the king who then turned against the whole Pole family. This meant execution for Margaret, even at age 68. There are stories that she ran from the block and the executioner chased her around Tower Green before he could complete the job (cue the Benny Hill theme tune).
This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury
Commemorated ati
Tower of London execution site
Catling wrote the poem as well as creating the sculpture. Doesn't that cushio...
Other Subjects
Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk
Imprisoned by Elizabeth I for plotting to take Mary Queen of Scots as his fourth wife. His pro-Catholic activities led to his beheading on Tower Hill, just like his Dad, Henry Howard. Father of Ad...
1 memorial
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...
1 memorial
Hugh Laverock
Burnt at the stake in Bow (or possibly Stratford) for his Protestant beliefs. Lame. When in the flames he said to Apprice who was sharing the stake: "Hold on, John, it won't be for long: remember t...
1 memorial
John Derifall
Burnt at the stake in Bow (or possibly Stratford) for his Protestant beliefs.
1 memorial
Tyburn tree
The first recorded execution here was the hanging of the champion of London's poor, William Fitz Osbern in 1196. Back then there may have been a real tree but in 1571 the 'Tyburn Tree' was erected....
5 memorials