There are celebrations at the Tower of London today after the arrival of two new raven chicks.
According to British folklore, the presence of these birds is vital to the survival of the realm and should the six resident ravens abandon their post, the kingdom, Crown and the Tower will fall.
The Ravenmaster today revealed that the tower s breeding pair of ravens Huginn and Muninn have produced four chicks, two of which will remain in the tower.
The tower s breeding pair of ravens Huginn and Muninn have produced four chicks
The arrivals will take the total number of resident ravens to nine - three more than the required minimum of six
Dursley residents believe a raven, missing from the Tower of London and feared dead, could actually be on holiday in their town. Raven Merlina (on the right of the picture) has not been seen at the Tower for several weeks, which coincides with the arrival of a raven in Dursley (pictured on the left). Although ravens traditionally have their wings clipped, current Ravenmaster Christopher Skaife has reduced this practice and Merlina regularly spent time outside the Tower walls. If she is now in Dursley however, her distinctive pink band appears to have gone missing. Keen birdwatcher John Murdoch, 85, said it was the first time he had ever seen a raven when he spotted it outside Gravity fish and chip shop on Parsonage Street on Saturday.
Ravenmaster at the Tower of London mourn the loss of ‘Queen’ Merlina 14 Jan 2021 / 15:14 H. Ravenmaster Christopher Skaife. Image by Historic Royal Palaces
The Tower of London has a unique tradition spanning years. The Tower must always have ravens residing in it due to a legend. If the legend is to be believed, the kingdom and fortress will fall if the birds ever leave.
According to the BBC, Charles II is believed to have been the first monarch to officially decree that the birds must be kept at the Tower at all times.
When the number of birds fell to one, Winston Churchill ordered that the number of birds to be increased to six.