In its 936 year history, the Tower of London has served variously as an armoury, a treasury, the home of the Royal Mint, a public records office, and the home of the Crown Jewels.
From about 1251 to 1835, it also served as the Royal Menagerie, and was home to many animals which could be heard growling and roaring by those nearby the Tower. Monkeys, elephants, alligators, kangaroos, polar bears and other exotic creatures all resided at the menagerie.
In the thirteenth century, one keeper spent his days preventing a polar bear from escaping while it fished for food in the Thames.
In the 18th century, the menagerie was open to the public. Admission cost three half-pence or the supply of a cat or dog to be fed to the lions.
Some of the monkeys were encouraged to mimic human behaviour. An engraving of a baboon from 1830 showed it puffing on a pipe.
In 1799 a School of Monkeys was opened at the Tower but closed in 1810 when a boy's leg was, rather inconveniently, torn open.
In 1828 there were over 280 animals representing at least 60 species, but the menagerie closed in 1835 after almost 600 years in existence.
Beast of a show: A bear who fished in the Thames and a thieving leopard ruled the 13th century menagerie at the Tower of London
By Rebecca Twomey
Daily Mail
Helping a polar bear find fish in the Thames and stopping a leopard from stealing umbrellas are not the conventional skills you'd see on a CV. But these are exactly what menagerie keepers at the Tower of London had to do.
At the 13th century zoo, which housed an array of animals given to the royals, one keeper spent his days preventing a polar bear from escaping while it fished for food in the Thames.
The bear was a gift from the King of Norway to Henry III in 1252 and The Times reports records of expenses submitted at the Tower for 'muzzle and an iron chain to hold the bear when out of the water and a long and strong cord to hold it when fishing in the Thames.'
Ruling the roost: Big cats were just some of the residents who lived at the menagerie at The Tower of London. They are now immortalised there in statue form
With minimal training and scarce knowledge of the care of such a creature, keepers resorted to using a long chain tied to the polar bear’s leg so it could fish freely without risk of escape.
Hungry bears weren’t the only attraction at the menagerie. Thieving leopards, calculating lions and baboons puffing on pipes also contributed to the Tower’s popularity. Monkeys, elephants, alligators and kangaroos also resided at the menagerie.
Inside the Tower’s walls was once a menagerie that acted as a royal’s trophy cabinet of not only exotic animals but of a monarch’s power and connections.
Inhabitants were in a position of power as monkeys roamed freely and lions regularly were given this privilege too.
Monkeying around: In 1799 a School of Monkeys was opened but closed in 1810 when a boy's leg was torn open
What today appears as chaos was then considered the norm, an engraving of a baboon from 1830 showed it puffing on a pipe – evidence that the creatures were encouraged to mimic human behaviour.
These stories are just part of the catalogue of curiosity and carnage the animal inhabitants created. Some humorous, some with horrific consequences.
No one had predicted a lengthy life for an African elephant, given to Henry III by Louis IX of France. Despite the elephant's natural engineering failing to fit with the architecture of the Tower, it still became one of its residents.
Sally Dixon-Smith, Collections Curator for Historic Royal Palaces, told The Times, 'The elephant was buried here at the Tower, but shortly afterwards it was exhumed because they wanted the ivory. The skeleton was given to Westminster Abbey.'
Most menagerie inhabitants suffered similar fates. Keepers lacked sufficient knowledge of how to care for the creatures, and the public were unaware of the damage that could be done.
Ancient zoo: The Tower of London's menagerie housed almost 300 animals and over 60 different species
Two men and two children looking at the Tower's exotic animals in 1820
Ostriches in particular were the victims of the keepers’ and public’s ignorance. There was a popular myth at the time that ostriches’ feathered bodies could digest iron.
In 1791 an ostrich died after being fed 80 nails by visitors . The incident was entered into the guide book citing an ‘ignorant belief.’
Over 600 years the menagerie housed almost 300 animals of over 60 different species.
While today's Tower of London is safe for visitors, it wasn't always that way. Georgian visitors who passed through its doors until the 1830s when the menagerie closed were subjected to endless hazards.
Lions were, believe it or not, regularly granted the privilege of wandering round freely, although even when inadequately caged they were a danger.
Mistaking a lion's offering of his paw as an offering of friendship, Mary Jenkins, who lived with the Tower's lion keeper, was mauled by the lion.
Her arm had to be amputated although she did not survive the operation.
The Tower Menagerie by E.T Bennet, published in 1829, stated how a female leopard snatched visitors' belongings on a regular basis
Big cats were notably the more dangerous of the Tower's residents but one leopard had a penchant for pickpocketing and thieving.
The Tower Menagerie by E.T Bennet, published in 1829, stated how a female leopard snatched visitors' belongings on a regular basis.
'She has always envinced a particular predilection for the destruction of umbrellas, parasols, muffs, hats and other such articles of dress as may happen to come within her reach, seizing them with the greatest quickness and tearing them into pieces almost before the astonished Visitor has become aware of the loss.'
The crafty cat wasn't alone in her antics. Another leopard, who didn't like the intrusion of his personal space, resorted to marking such visitors.
People who got too close to its cage were sprayed with urine. Ned Ward, a diarist, noted in 1698 that it 'stinks worse than a polecat's'.
Other events included a hyena biting the head off a secretary bird.
Monkeying around was a prominent part of the menagerie. In 1799 a School of Monkeys was opened. Visitors were welcomed through its doors until 1810 when a boy’s leg was torn open.
The animal activities weren't the only surreal situations happening there. In 1816 a sentry died of shock when he saw the ghost of the bear named Martin, given to George III by the Hudson Bay Company.
Ms Dixon-Smith rubbishes this claim and told The Times, 'It can't have been Martin because he was still alive at the time.
He was one of the longest residents of the Tower and outlived the menagerie itself, dying at London Zoo in 1838.'
Fatal combat at the Tower - December 1830
An under-keeper accidentally raised a door in the Menagerie allowing a lion and Bengal tiger and tigress to meet.
The ensuing fight lasted half an hour unsettling all the other animals.
The combatants were only separated by applying heated rods to the mouths and nostrils of the tigers who were winning.
Unfortunately the lion succumbed to its wounds, dying a few days later.
Read more: Beast of a show: A bear who fished in the Thames and a thieving leopard ruled the 13th century menagerie at the Tower | Mail Online
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
From about 1251 to 1835, it also served as the Royal Menagerie, and was home to many animals which could be heard growling and roaring by those nearby the Tower. Monkeys, elephants, alligators, kangaroos, polar bears and other exotic creatures all resided at the menagerie.
In the thirteenth century, one keeper spent his days preventing a polar bear from escaping while it fished for food in the Thames.
In the 18th century, the menagerie was open to the public. Admission cost three half-pence or the supply of a cat or dog to be fed to the lions.
Some of the monkeys were encouraged to mimic human behaviour. An engraving of a baboon from 1830 showed it puffing on a pipe.
In 1799 a School of Monkeys was opened at the Tower but closed in 1810 when a boy's leg was, rather inconveniently, torn open.
In 1828 there were over 280 animals representing at least 60 species, but the menagerie closed in 1835 after almost 600 years in existence.
Beast of a show: A bear who fished in the Thames and a thieving leopard ruled the 13th century menagerie at the Tower of London
By Rebecca Twomey
Daily Mail
Helping a polar bear find fish in the Thames and stopping a leopard from stealing umbrellas are not the conventional skills you'd see on a CV. But these are exactly what menagerie keepers at the Tower of London had to do.
At the 13th century zoo, which housed an array of animals given to the royals, one keeper spent his days preventing a polar bear from escaping while it fished for food in the Thames.
The bear was a gift from the King of Norway to Henry III in 1252 and The Times reports records of expenses submitted at the Tower for 'muzzle and an iron chain to hold the bear when out of the water and a long and strong cord to hold it when fishing in the Thames.'
Ruling the roost: Big cats were just some of the residents who lived at the menagerie at The Tower of London. They are now immortalised there in statue form
With minimal training and scarce knowledge of the care of such a creature, keepers resorted to using a long chain tied to the polar bear’s leg so it could fish freely without risk of escape.
Hungry bears weren’t the only attraction at the menagerie. Thieving leopards, calculating lions and baboons puffing on pipes also contributed to the Tower’s popularity. Monkeys, elephants, alligators and kangaroos also resided at the menagerie.
Inside the Tower’s walls was once a menagerie that acted as a royal’s trophy cabinet of not only exotic animals but of a monarch’s power and connections.
Inhabitants were in a position of power as monkeys roamed freely and lions regularly were given this privilege too.
Monkeying around: In 1799 a School of Monkeys was opened but closed in 1810 when a boy's leg was torn open
What today appears as chaos was then considered the norm, an engraving of a baboon from 1830 showed it puffing on a pipe – evidence that the creatures were encouraged to mimic human behaviour.
These stories are just part of the catalogue of curiosity and carnage the animal inhabitants created. Some humorous, some with horrific consequences.
No one had predicted a lengthy life for an African elephant, given to Henry III by Louis IX of France. Despite the elephant's natural engineering failing to fit with the architecture of the Tower, it still became one of its residents.
Sally Dixon-Smith, Collections Curator for Historic Royal Palaces, told The Times, 'The elephant was buried here at the Tower, but shortly afterwards it was exhumed because they wanted the ivory. The skeleton was given to Westminster Abbey.'
Most menagerie inhabitants suffered similar fates. Keepers lacked sufficient knowledge of how to care for the creatures, and the public were unaware of the damage that could be done.
Ancient zoo: The Tower of London's menagerie housed almost 300 animals and over 60 different species
Two men and two children looking at the Tower's exotic animals in 1820
Ostriches in particular were the victims of the keepers’ and public’s ignorance. There was a popular myth at the time that ostriches’ feathered bodies could digest iron.
In 1791 an ostrich died after being fed 80 nails by visitors . The incident was entered into the guide book citing an ‘ignorant belief.’
Over 600 years the menagerie housed almost 300 animals of over 60 different species.
While today's Tower of London is safe for visitors, it wasn't always that way. Georgian visitors who passed through its doors until the 1830s when the menagerie closed were subjected to endless hazards.
Lions were, believe it or not, regularly granted the privilege of wandering round freely, although even when inadequately caged they were a danger.
Mistaking a lion's offering of his paw as an offering of friendship, Mary Jenkins, who lived with the Tower's lion keeper, was mauled by the lion.
Her arm had to be amputated although she did not survive the operation.
The Tower Menagerie by E.T Bennet, published in 1829, stated how a female leopard snatched visitors' belongings on a regular basis
Big cats were notably the more dangerous of the Tower's residents but one leopard had a penchant for pickpocketing and thieving.
The Tower Menagerie by E.T Bennet, published in 1829, stated how a female leopard snatched visitors' belongings on a regular basis.
'She has always envinced a particular predilection for the destruction of umbrellas, parasols, muffs, hats and other such articles of dress as may happen to come within her reach, seizing them with the greatest quickness and tearing them into pieces almost before the astonished Visitor has become aware of the loss.'
The crafty cat wasn't alone in her antics. Another leopard, who didn't like the intrusion of his personal space, resorted to marking such visitors.
People who got too close to its cage were sprayed with urine. Ned Ward, a diarist, noted in 1698 that it 'stinks worse than a polecat's'.
Other events included a hyena biting the head off a secretary bird.
Monkeying around was a prominent part of the menagerie. In 1799 a School of Monkeys was opened. Visitors were welcomed through its doors until 1810 when a boy’s leg was torn open.
The animal activities weren't the only surreal situations happening there. In 1816 a sentry died of shock when he saw the ghost of the bear named Martin, given to George III by the Hudson Bay Company.
Ms Dixon-Smith rubbishes this claim and told The Times, 'It can't have been Martin because he was still alive at the time.
He was one of the longest residents of the Tower and outlived the menagerie itself, dying at London Zoo in 1838.'
Fatal combat at the Tower - December 1830
An under-keeper accidentally raised a door in the Menagerie allowing a lion and Bengal tiger and tigress to meet.
The ensuing fight lasted half an hour unsettling all the other animals.
The combatants were only separated by applying heated rods to the mouths and nostrils of the tigers who were winning.
Unfortunately the lion succumbed to its wounds, dying a few days later.
Read more: Beast of a show: A bear who fished in the Thames and a thieving leopard ruled the 13th century menagerie at the Tower | Mail Online
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
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