“Send him to the tower!” You may have heard that phrase in medieval movies or have probably read it in a Shakespearean play. This phrase has been in use since the time of the Tudors and is referring to the infamous Tower of London. In it's day the Tower housed many high class officials that ranged from queens to barons. Its official name is actually "Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress" and it has served as a fortress, palace, and a prison. The most significant of these rolls is the roll of prison. The Tower of London has been prison to people from all walks of life including several people of royal background.
The Tower of London is located in central London. It is specifically found in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and it is adjacent to the River Thames and Tower Bridge. Currently, it is the oldest building being used by the British government and is being cared for by the independent charity, Historic Royal Palaces.
History of the Tower
The Tower of London consists of several parts, the first of which was built in 1078 by William the Conqueror. This piece of the tower is the White Tower, the central tower meant to act as a fortress against foreign invasion, as well as to act as protection for the Normans from the people of London. The design of the Tower of London has evolved a great deal throughout its history. Many of the rulers in British history have added to and modified it, improving and diversifying the Tower into the complex that it is today.
More Information on the History: The history of the Tower is diverse as stated in this account.
Map of the Tower of London: Shown here is an overview of the Tower of London Complex.
Account of the History of the Tower: Here is a supplemented account of the history surrounding the Tower.
Authorized Guide to the Tower: This is an e-book that has a very in-depth account of the Tower of London and its structure.
Some Visuals of the Tower: Here are some photographs that show the Tower of London complex.
Timeline of the Tower’s History: Here is an illustrated timeline of the Tower of London’s history.
The White Tower
This tower was the first piece built of what is now the entire Tower of London. It was given its name in 1240, after Henry III whitewashed the exterior of the building.The architect behind the construction of this great fortress was Gundulf, the Bishop of Rochester and a Norman monk, who was appointed as chief architect by William the Conqueror. Imported from France, fine Caen stone was used in parts of the construction of the building by order of the king, though Kentish ragstone was used for the majority of the building. Legend attributes that the blood of beasts tempered the mortar that was used in building the Tower. The tower was completed in 1097.
The White Tower stands 90 feet high. The thickness of the walls varies. Lower in the edifice the walls are around 15 feet thick, while higher up the walls are about 11 feet thick. Four turrets are situated above the battlements, three of which are square in shape, with the northeastern turret circular in shape in order to provide room for a spiral staircase. The circular turret was the home of the first royal observatory during CharlesII's reign; however it was only briefly used. The outermost wall of the castle known as the bailey completed the defenses of the southern part of the Tower.
King Richard the Lionheart had the Tower circled by a curtain wall in the 1190s. To add additional protection, he called for a moat to be dug around the Tower that was filled with water from the Thames River. He used the already present Roman city wall found in the east as part of his wall circuit. His wall was later incorporated into that of Henry III's.
Just like the exterior of the Tower received many changes and developments, the interior has gone through changes as well. The only remaining piece of the original interior is that of St. John's Chapel, which can be found on the first level of the eastern side of the tower.
White Tower: Information regarding the White Tower is discussed here.
Images of the White Tower: Here is how the White Tower looks, externally and internally.
The Inmost Ward
The Inmost Ward consisted of several palatial buildings found within the inner portion of the southern walls. These buildings were constructed as part of a major renovation aimed at turning the tower into a royal residence. King Henry III spearheaded this construction. The entrance to the Inmost Ward was the northwestern Coldharbour Gate, which was fortified by the southwestern Wakefield Tower, the southeastern Lanthorn Tower, and the northeastern Wardrobe Tower. The Inmost Ward was used as a royal residence until Oliver Cromwell brought about the demolishing of some of the regal buildings.
King Henry III: He was responsible for the inmost ward’s constructions; contained is some information on his reign and contributions to the Tower’s constructions.
The Inner Ward
The Inner Ward contains the White Tower and the Inmost Ward. The curtain wall that surrounds this complex was built by Henry III around 1238. The eastern city wall was broken down in order to extend the circuit, in spite of warnings and protests. The Inner Ward contains thirteen towers excluding the major White Tower in the center. These towers include the Wakefield Tower, the Lanthorn Tower, the Salt Tower, the Broad Arrow Tower, the Constable Tower, the Martin Tower, the Brick Tower, the Bowyer Tower, the Flint Tower, the Devereux Tower, the Beauchamp Tower, the Bell Tower, and the Bloody (or Garden) Tower.
The Wakefield Tower found near the southern entrance of the complex is the largest tower in the curtain wall. Tradition holds that King Henry VI was imprisoned in this tower before being murdered while he knelt praying. TheLanthorn Tower, located at the southeastern part of the Inner Ward, was used as a lighthouse for nearby ships on the Thames. The Salt Tower lies at the southeastern tip of the complex and is of special interest because it contains many inscriptions left by prisoners of the tower. The Broad Arrow Tower mainly contained 16th century Roman Catholic prisoners. The Constable Tower, which was in the eastern portion of the Inner Ward, slightly north of the Broad Arrow Tower, resembled the design of the Beauchamp Tower.
The Martin Tower situated in the northeastern portion of the complex was the place where the Crown Jewels were kept from 1669 to 1842.Colonel Blood attempted to steal them in 1671. The Brick Tower is found at the northern part and was known for being one of the prison towers of the Tower complex. The Bowyer Tower lies to the west of the Brick Tower, and is also found in the northern part and it was the tower where bowyers, or people who made bows, did their craft. Found in the northwestern portion of the complex, the Flint Tower served as the storage place of the royal treasure. The Devereux Tower, also found in the northwestern portion to the west of the Flint Tower, was given its name due to one of the prisoners it contained, that prisoner was Robert Devereux.
The Beauchamp Tower lies at the western part of the complex and it has been so named due to the residence of one of its prisoners, Thomas, third Earl of Warwick, of the Beauchamp family. The Bell Tower was the oldest tower in the circuit; it is found at the southwestern tip of the Inner Ward. This tower was built in the 1190s by Richard I. It was given the name "Bell Tower" because of the curfew bell that has rung for almost 500 years. The last tower, the Bloody Tower, found adjacent to the Wakefield Tower to the west, got its name from the famous legend of the Princes in the Tower. This legend involved the murder of two young princes of York imprisoned here.
The Inner Ward is the most diverse complex of the Tower of London with its many towers and the historical significance each tower possesses.
Images and Descriptions of the Other Towers: Here are some graphics and information regarding the other towers in the Tower of London complex.
The
Outer Ward
The outer ward is the space between the wall built by Henry III and the second wall, built by Edward I between 1275 and 1285 as an added layer of defence. Unlike the Inner Ward, the Outer Ward contained five towers that faced the Thames: the Byward Tower, St. Thomas' Tower, the Cradle Tower, the Well Tower, and the Develin Tower. The northern face of the outer wall houses three semicircular bastions that provided an even stronger fortification. These are the Brass Mount, the Legge's Mount, and the North Bastion.
The Byward Tower located at the southwestern tip served as quarters for the Chief Warder. St. Thomas' Tower, found near the entrance at the southern tip was built by Edward I around 1277, so that the King may have extra royal accommodation. Located at the southeastern end of the complex, the Cradle Tower was used as a private Watergate to King Edward III’s lodging. To the east of the Cradle Tower, King Edward built the Well Tower and the Develin Tower.
The Traitor’s Gate was a water entrance to the tower and was so named because it was the place where prisoners accused of treason and other traitorous acts passed through before being placed in confinement. Some infamous British figures to pass through these gates were Queen Anne Boleyn and Sir Thomas More. This gate cuts through St. Thomas’ Tower.
The Yeomen Warders
The Yeomen Warders, or Beefeaters, have are the people who take care of the Tower of London complex. Their purpose may be to act as tour guides to visitors, or security guards in order to prevent the escape or infiltration of the Tower complex. The Tower currently staffs 35 Yeomen Warders with the senior titled Chief Yeomen Warder, the second-in-command is given the title of Yeomen Gaoler, and they both are led by the Constable of the Tower. Yeomen Warders have been known to defend the Crown Jewels and act as prison guards since the time of Queen Victoria. Their significance to the Tower of London's history has made them a tourist attraction themselves. The Yeomen Warders participate in a ceremony known as the Ceremony of the Keys every night that symbolizes the assurance of the Tower's security for the night. These people reside in the Tower premises but they also have homes outside the Tower grounds.
Yeomen Warders: Some additional information on yeomen warders is shown here.
The Royal Armouries
The Royal Armouries were the site where the Kings of England, dating from the middle ages onward had their armour made. By the time of Charles II the armouries were on permanent display because visiting dignitaries had in the past chosen to pay to view the collection. This display is accounted as the first museum in Britain. In 1414, the Ordnance Office, later known as the Board of Ordnance was located in the Tower and provided weapons for the Navy and Army. In 1855, the Board of Ordnance was abolished, but the collection in the armoury was preserved of which only a small portion was displayed. In 1995, a major portion of the weaponry was transferred to Fort Nelson, Hampshire where a Royal Armouries Museum was opened the following year.
The Royal Menagerie
In the early 13th century the tower added a Royal Menagerie. The menagerie contained animals which were exotic, such as leopards, lions, camels, lynxes, and other animals. Some of the animals contained in The Royal Menagerie were given as gifts or offerings. Among these gifts were three leopards given as a wedding gift to Henry III and in 1252, a Polar Bear which was a gift from the king of Norway. The menagerie was located in a tower known as the Lion Tower, which was present near the western entrance. During the era of Elizabeth I the menagerie was occasionally opened as a public attraction and was open to the public permanently during the 18th century. Upon the opening of the London Zoo the animals were relocated there due to animal welfare and commercial reasons. The majority of the Lion Tower has been demolished with the exception of the Lion Gate.
The Story of the Ravens
It has been said that if ravens are not present in the Tower of London, the whole kingdom will fall. This legend is the reason that ten ravens are kept in the Tower at all times. Six ravens are always on active duty in the tower, and the British Government has four spare ravens housed as replacements in case something happens to one of the six. The ravens are cared for by the Yeomen warders, those of which are responsible for the feeding and the welfare of the ravens are given the title Ravenmaster.
Prisoners, Torture, and Executions
When most people think of the Tower of London they automatically associate it with torture and execution. Prisoners who were kept in the tower were convicted of crimes ranging from treason to adultery. Some of the prisoners were peasants while others were royalty. Any crimes committed against the government or the King or Queen were likely to result in the accused being sent to the Tower without any hesitation. The first recorded prisoner was the Bishop of Durham, Ranulf Flambard, in 1100. He managed to escape the tower by climbing down a rope which had been smuggled in for him. Many people were tortured but one of the Tower’s prisoners, Anne Askew, was the only woman on record to have been tortured in the Tower before being executed by being burnt at the stake. She was imprisoned for heresy in 1546 during the Catholic sovereignty of Britain.
Prisoners who committed major acts of treason were executed. Criminals of low-class backgrounds were often publicly hanged at an execution site outside the Tower. High-profile prisoners such as Sir Thomas More were publicly beheaded on Tower Hill. For nobles, they were privately beheaded at Tower Green, inside the Tower complex. There have been seven nobles publicly beheaded at Tower Green because of crimes of treason.
The Crown Jewels
Since the early 14th century the Crown Jewels have been held in the Tower of London. Prior to this they had been kept in Westminster Abbey but after being stolen, once recovered, were moved to the tower. Colonel Blood was the first of many to attempt to steal the crown jewels from the Tower of London. Currently, these jewels are on display in the Tower of London in the Jewel House, which is open to the public. Heavily guarded to prevent any more attempts, the Crown Jewels prove to be an exciting attraction as they contain so much history.
Hauntings
There are many accounts of apparitions and strange noises which have been heard or seem at the Tower of London. From ghosts of young boys, known as the two princes, to Queen Anne Boleyn’s ghost wandering the Tower carrying her own head, to accounts of appearances of other nobles and prisoners executed at the Tower such as Lady Jane Grey and Margaret Pole, there are many who have little doubt that the Tower of London is haunted.