The Tower of London, a historic fortress on the banks of the River Thames, has a new guardian in Michael “Barney” Chandler, the newly appointed ravenmaster. At 56 years old, Chandler, a former Royal Marine, has taken on the crucial role of caring for the ravens that inhabit the 1,000-year-old tower.
Legend has it that if the ravens ever leave the Tower of London, specifically the White Tower within its walls, the structure will crumble, and the Kingdom of England will fall. This belief dates back to the 17th century when King Charles II decreed that there must always be six ravens residing at the tower to prevent this catastrophe.
