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 Warne

John Warne

Burnt at the stake in Smithfield for his Protestant beliefs. Upholsterer, husband of Elizabeth.

Person, Execution, Religion

1 memorial
Thomas Darcy, Lord Darcey of Templehurst

Thomas Darcy, Lord Darcey of Templehurst

Known as Lord Darcy de Darcy or Darcy of Templehurst or Temple Hirst.  Early success as a soldier, and then at court but his involvement in Aske's rebellion, known as the 'Pilgrimage of Grace', led...

Person, Armed Forces, Execution, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Richard Beere

Richard Beere

Monk at London Charterhouse. Nephew of the Richard Beere who was Abbot of Glastonbury. Became a Carthusian in February 1523. Taken to Newgate Prison, chained and left to starve to death though ther...

Person, Execution, Religion

1 memorial
John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester

John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester

Born Yorkshire.  Opposed Henry VIII's self-appointment as head of the Church of England.  Result: decapitation on Tower Hill.

Person, Execution, Politics & Administration, Religion

2 memorials
Elizabeth Pepper

Elizabeth Pepper

Burnt at the stake in Bow (or possibly Stratford) for her Protestant beliefs.

Person, Execution, Religion

1 memorial