Sir William Kingston, Constable of the Tower of London & Anne Boleyn’s Jailer

Sir William Kingston, Constable of the Tower of London & Anne Boleyn’s Jailer

Sir William Kingston was born around 1476, and grew up in Painswick, Gloucestershire.
He first appeared in court life in June 1509 as a yeoman of the guard, and again in 1512 as an under marshal in the army.
Kingston was also present at the Battle of Flodden, and was knighted in 1513.

King Henry VIII had taken a liking to Kingston, and he was present with the King at the Field of the Cloth of Gold, and later at the meeting with the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V.
Henry was so impressed with Kingston, he presented him with a horse!

In 1523, Kingston was appointed Captain of the Guard and a Knight of the King’s Body.
On 28th May 1524, he was appointed Constable of the Tower with a salary of £100.
On 29th May 1533, Kingston took an official part in the coronation of Queen Anne Boleyn.

On 2nd May 1536, Kingston received Anne Boleyn at the Tower.
Kingston would report to Thomas Cromwell regarding Anne and her movements, whilst she was imprisoned.
He sent his first report on 3rd May, where he documented Anne’s arrival and her musings regarding her arrest.
Kingston’s reports are today held as being one of the most important pieces of proof that Anne was entirely innocent, as were those who died with her.

Shortly before dawn on the 19th May 1536, Kingston heard Mass with Anne Boleyn.
Anne swore in Kingston’s presence, on the eternal salvation of her soul, and upon the Holy Sacraments, that she had never been unfaithful to the king.
Anne ritually repeated this oath immediately before and after receiving the sacrament of the Eucharist
Kingston would go on to escort Anne to the scaffold.

After Anne’s death, her belongings left behind in the royal apartments, now belonged to Kingston.
Later, the council would pay him £100 to buy it back – they wanted no “souvenirs” of the dead woman surfacing.

On 9th March 1539, Kingston was made controller of the household, and on 24th April he was made a Knight of the Garter.
For this the King gave Kingston granted Flaxley Abbey to Kingston.

Sir William Kingston attended his last Privy Council meeting on 1st September 1540, and died on 14th September at his home in Painswick.

He was buried in the chantry chapel of St Peter’s in Painswick, in a tomb of Purbeck marble.

Dr John Seaman and his wife, now occupy the tomb-chest of Sir William Kingston.
On the whitewashed wall you can still see the original matrices of the brasses of Kingston and his wife.

? Sir William Kingston receives Anne Boleyn at The Tower in ‘The Tudors’
George Irving plays Kingston with Natalie Dormer as Anne Boleyn.