LONDON (AP) — If an historic prophecy is true, Michael “Barney” Chandler has simply received a very powerful job in England.
The 56-year-old former Royal Marine is the brand new ravenmaster on the Tower of London, accountable for taking care of the feathered protectors of the 1,000-year-old fortress.
In response to legend, if the ravens go away the Eleventh-century tower beside the River Thames, its White Tower will crumble and the Kingdom of England will fall. Within the seventeenth century, King Charles II was informed of the prophecy and decreed that there should at all times be six ravens on the tower.
“We take that duty very critically,” stated Chandler. “And now that I’m ravenmaster, there’s that additional duty on my shoulders.”
As for the prophecy, he stated “we don’t know if it’s true or not, as a result of we’ve by no means let the quantity drop beneath six — and it’s not going to occur whereas I’m right here.”
Chandler, who formally takes up the put up on Friday, is among the tower’s well-known Yeoman Warders, a part of a corps based within the fifteenth century. Also called Beefeaters, the warders are all navy veterans who gown in distinctive black and scarlet Tudor-style uniforms and carry out a hybrid position: offering safety, main excursions of the tower, and performing ceremonial duties.
He heads a staff of 4 different Beefeaters taking care of the tower’s seven ravens — the six decreed by Charles II and a spare. They’re Jubilee, Harris, Poppy, Georgie, Edgar, Branwen and newest addition Rex, who was named in honor of the coronation of King Charles III final 12 months.
The jet-black birds are a well-recognized characteristic on the landmark, which has served as arsenal, palace, jail, zoo and extra lately vacationer attraction.
Constructed by King William I after his conquest of England in 1066, it served as a royal residence for a number of hundred years, however is extra well-known as a jail.
The Tower is the place “the princes within the tower,” sons of King Edward IV, had been confined in 1483 and allegedly murdered by their uncle, King Richard III, and the place Anne Boleyn was executed in 1536 after Henry VIII grew bored with his second spouse. Different well-known inmates have included Princess Elizabeth, the longer term Queen Elizabeth I; Man Fawkes, who tried to explode Parliament; and Adolf Hitler’s deputy, Rudolf Hess.
These days, nearly 3 million vacationers come every year to absorb a millennium of historical past and see the glittering Crown Jewels, that are saved within the tower.
The official title of ravenmaster is barely 50 years outdated, although the position is much older, and Chandler is the sixth holder of the put up. He’s in control of the well being and welfare of the birds, who normally roam freely across the tower grounds by day and sleep in cages at night time.
Duties embrace sustaining the birds’ enclosures, arranging veterinary checkups and maintaining them consumed their most well-liked weight loss program of uncooked meat supplemented by the occasional deal with of a hard-boiled egg or a hard-tack biscuit soaked in blood.
“They’re carrion birds,” stated Chandler. “They’ll eat nearly something.”
The birds’ feathers are trimmed to stop them flying away, though they sometimes escape. In response to Historic Royal Palaces, the charity that oversees the tower, a raven referred to as Grog flew off in 1981 and was final seen exterior an East Finish pub named the Rose and Punchbowl.
Chandler is endlessly fascinated by the extremely smart birds, which he says are as sensible as a 7-year-old little one. Pressed on his favourite, he names the mischievous Poppy, who hops throughout the grass beneath the White Tower and eagerly accepts his providing of a lifeless mouse as a snack.
He says the bright-eyed corvids are “most likely probably the most clever animals there are. Generally, right here, too intelligent for their very own good. However for me that’s the attraction.”
Chandler, who served in Afghanistan and around the globe throughout 24 years within the Royal Marines, has been on fowl dealing with programs and had different formal coaching for his position. However he says “all of the programs on the planet doesn’t substitute truly being right here and being amongst the birds and understanding their habits.”
“You by no means know what they’re going to do,” Chandler stated. “They’re all completely totally different, personality-wise. Some will play ball, however others gained’t. It’s simply the unpredictability, which can be the attention-grabbing a part of the job.”
“They’re at all times making an attempt to catch us out,” he stated fondly. “They know what we’re as much as.”
© Copyright 2024 Related Press. All rights reserved. This materials will not be printed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
