Tower of London

The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic citadel and castle on the north bank of the River Thames in London, England. It was founded toward the end of 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest. The White Tower, which gives the castle its name, was built by William the Conqueror in 1078. Over the years, the Tower has served many important roles, including as an armoury, a treasury, and the home of the Crown Jewels of England.

Throughout history, controlling the Tower was very important for controlling the whole country. Many famous and powerful people were held there, including Elizabeth I before she became queen. Although it is famous for being a place where people were kept and sometimes executed, most executions happened outside the Tower on Tower Hill. Today, the Tower of London is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country, cared for by the charity Historic Royal Palaces and protected as a World Heritage Site.

Architecture

Layout

The Tower of London's strongest defenses faced toward old London, which experts think was done on purpose. It would have looked very big and important to people on land and boats on the River Thames. The castle has three sections called "wards". The innermost ward has the White Tower, the oldest part of the castle. Next to it, built when King Richard I ruled, is the inner ward. The outer ward, built when King Edward I ruled, goes all around the castle. Even though the Tower was started by William the Conqueror, the way it looks has stayed the same since King Edward I finished building it in 1285.

The castle covers about 12 acres of land, with another 6 acres around it that used to be kept clear for safety reasons. This extra space was set aside in the 1200s when King Henry III told people to keep the land next to the castle empty. Even though stories say otherwise, the Tower of London never had a room just for hurting people, though a device to stretch people was kept in the White Tower's basement long ago. A dock on the River Thames was built when King Edward I ruled and made bigger when King Richard II ruled.

White Tower

Main article: White Tower (Tower of London)

The White Tower is a very strong building called a "keep". It was where the king or his important guests would stay. It is one of the biggest keeps in all of Christian Europe and is described as the most perfect example from the 1000s.

The White Tower is about 36 by 32 metres at its base and stands 27 metres tall. It originally had three floors, with a space below for storing things. The way to get in was through a wooden staircase that could be taken away if there was an attack. Each floor had different rooms, like a big room on one side and smaller rooms on the other. There are square towers at the corners and a round tower with a spiral staircase. The building was made to be both a safe place to live and a strong fort. It had places to keep things clean and warm.

The building was made mostly from a type of stone called Kentish ragstone, with some other stones added for detail. Windows were mostly made bigger in the 1700s, so only a few of the oldest ones are left.

The bottom floor of the White Tower was used for storing things and had a well. The middle floor was for important people who worked at the Tower. The top floor had a big room and living areas, plus a church. The very top floor was added later. The church inside looks simple now, like it did a long time ago.

Innermost ward

The innermost ward is the area right next to the White Tower, close to where the River Thames used to be. It probably had wooden buildings from when the Tower was first built. By the 1100s, royal rooms were added, and by the 1200s, they were made very fancy. Two towers were built to protect the river side of the ward. One was for the queen and the other for the king.

The queen's room was painted white with flowers and stone designs. There was a big room in the south part of the ward, and a special door for the king to get to his rooms without being seen. A kitchen was added in the 1200s. Later changes removed many buildings to keep the area open.

Inner ward

See also: Church of St Peter ad Vincula

The inner ward was made when King Richard the Lionheart ruled, by digging a moat to make the castle bigger. King Henry III built walls on the east and north sides. Most of his work is still there. The inner ward has several towers along its wall, each with different uses. Some had rooms inside, and one had a bell to warn of danger. There was also a place to make weapons and a special light for boats at night.

When King Henry III made the inner ward, he brought a church called St Peter ad Vincula inside the castle walls. He added windows and special seats for himself and the queen. The church was rebuilt many times, but the current building looks like it did in the 1500s, even though it was fixed up in the 1800s. The Bloody Tower, built at the same time as the inner ward's wall, had a door from the river. It got its name later because people thought it was where two royal children were hurt. In the 1300s, more buildings for storing weapons were added. In the 1600s, new storage buildings were built, and later a big building called the Waterloo Block now holds important treasures.

Outer ward

A third section was added when King Edward I made the castle bigger, going all around it. At the same time, a strong corner tower called Legge's Mount was built. Another tower called Brass Mount was added later. Three towers along the east wall were taken down in the 1800s. A wide ditch was dug outside the new walls, and a new way in was made in the southwest corner.

King Edward also built a special door from the river called St Thomas's Tower between 1275 and 1279, which later became known as Traitors' Gate. It had places to shoot arrows from and a way to stop people from entering. There were nice rooms inside for important guests. King Edward also put the place where money was made inside the Tower, though we don't know exactly where at first. Later, it was in the outer ward. In the 1300s, another door for the king's private use was added east of St Thomas's Tower.

The Tower of London's outer wall can be seen in this picture, with the inner wall just behind it. In the middle is Legge's Mount.

History

Foundation and early history

After winning the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William the Conqueror spent the rest of the year securing his rule by building forts. He created many castles, including the Tower of London, to protect the city. London was very important, so William wanted to make sure it was safe.

William sent people to get London ready for him. They built walls and a strong tower to keep everyone safe. The Tower of London was built next to old walls and the River Thames, which helped protect it. At first, it was made of wood, but later it was rebuilt with stone. One of the first prisoners was a bishop who tried to escape using a rope hidden in a wine bottle!

Expansion

Over time, the Tower grew bigger and stronger. Kings added new walls, towers, and even a deep hole around it called a moat. Sometimes, people tried to take over the Tower, but it stayed strong.

Later medieval period

The Tower was used to hold important prisoners, like kings and queens from other countries. Sometimes, people escaped, and sometimes there were big fights to control it.

Changing use

Later, the Tower was used less as a home for kings and more as a place to keep things safe and hold special prisoners. It became famous as a very strong prison, even though life there wasn’t always as bad as stories say. Some prisoners could even have families with them.

During big wars, the Tower was used to hold prisoners and sometimes to protect important things. It was also a place where important decisions were made and where kings and queens would prepare for their big ceremonies.

Restoration and tourism

The Tower of London is now one of the most popular places for visitors to see in the country. People have been coming to the Tower since the time of Queen Elizabeth I, enjoying sights like old armour and the famous Crown Jewels, which have been on display since 1669. Over time, more and more people visited, and by the end of the 19th century, over 500,000 people came each year.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, some buildings at the Tower were changed or removed, but interest in its history grew. After damage during the Second World War, the Tower was repaired and reopened. Today, it is mainly a museum and tourist spot. Special events still happen there, like the Ceremony of the Keys. The Tower is cared for by the charity Historic Royal Palaces and was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988. Visitors can also see the famous ravens, which are believed to protect the kingdom.

Garrison

See also: Tower division

The Yeomen Warders were the regular guards at the Tower of London. When more guards were needed, the Constable of the Tower could ask people from the Tower Hamlets, aka Tower Division to help. This area, part of Middlesex's Ossulstone Hundred, was bigger than the modern London Borough of the same name. It had a special job to help protect the Tower.

The oldest record of this duty dates to 1554, when Mary I was queen, but it probably started much earlier, maybe even when the Tower was first built. Many think it began because of the rules of the Manor of Stepney, which included most of Tower Hamlets.

Crown Jewels

See also: Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom and Jewel House

The Crown Jewels have been kept in the Tower of London since the time of King Henry III, who ruled from 1216 to 1272. The Jewel House was built just for these important royal items, like crowns, sceptres, and swords. These treasures were very valuable and helped kings stay independent from nobles.

During a difficult time called the English Commonwealth in 1649, many royal treasures were melted down. When the monarchy returned in 1660, only a few items remained. New ones were made for the king's ceremony.

Today, the Crown Jewels are shown in the Jewel House at the Tower of London. The display includes many sparkling stones, a very old spoon, and crowns worn by kings and queens during their special ceremonies.

Royal Menagerie

Records show that King John kept wild animals at the Tower starting in the year 1200. Later, Henry III received gifts such as leopards and a polar bear, which were kept there too. Over time, many kinds of animals lived at the Tower, including lions, elephants, and bears.

By the 1700s, people could visit and see the animals for a small fee. The collection grew until it was moved to the London Zoo in 1831. The old buildings were taken down years later.

In folklore

The Tower of London appears in many stories and traditions. Over time, it has become known as a dark and serious place, often linked to tough times in history.

One old story says the Tower was built by Julius Caesar, though this isn’t true. This idea became popular long ago and even showed up in plays by William Shakespeare. Another tradition says that Anne Boleyn, who lived in the 1500s, still walks around the Tower. People have also talked about seeing strange sights and feelings at the Tower through the years.