History

The Tower of London is the oldest royal castle in Europe. Built by William the Conqueror in 1078, when the White Tower was constructed, the Tower of London has served many purposes throughout its 900-year history including a place of execution, an armoury, a public records office and even a zoo!

Over the course of time, additions were made to the original design, not least during King Richard the Lion-heart's reign, when he decided to enclose the White Tower with a large wall and attempted (but was unsuccessful) to have a moat dug around the Tower and flooded with water from the Thames River.

During King Henry III's long reign (1216-72), reinforcement of the royal castles was a high priority. It was then that King Henry succeeded where his Uncle Richard had failed by filling the Moat with water from the Thames.

It was also under King Henry's supremacy that the original Jewel House was built and the Tower became home to the British Crown Jewels. In 1669 the Jewel House was demolished and the Jewels moved to the Martin Tower, where the public could view them for the first time. In 1671, during their residency here, an attempt was made to steal them by Colonel Thomas Blood who was later pardoned by King Charles.

Now housed within the Waterloo Barracks, the Jewel House contains the full collection of coronation regalia and banqueting and altar pieces dating back to the 17th century. By far the most impressive piece however is the Cullinan 1, which sits at the head of the Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross, used during the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. As the largest cut diamond in the world, the piece boasts no less than 530 carats!

In 1843, on the orders of the Duke of Wellington, work began to drain the moat and fill it with earth, following outbreaks of disease caused by the poor water supply. The work took almost two years to complete and when finished it was used for a variety of purposes including allotments for vegetable growing and is now the site for our new Pavilion marquee!

The Tower of London has played a prominent role in English history. Although the Tower was used as a prison since 1100, this was not its main purpose, that being a Royal Palace and residence. It was during the 16th and 17th centuries that the the Tower acquired an enduring reputation as a grim, forbidding prison and again during the First and Second World Wars, when 12 men were executed there for espionage.

After the wars, damage caused during the Blitz was repaired and the castle reopened to the public. With the castle ever-expanding, the Tower of London now covers an impressive eighteen acres next to the river Thames.

Ancient traditions and responsibilities are still alive at the Tower of London with Yeoman Warders and Military personnel guarding the Crown Jewels and securing the Tower 365 days a year. The most well-known tradition is that of the 700 year old Ceremony of the Keys, which takes place every night from 9.53pm. The ceremony sees the Chief Yeoman Warder meet with the Military Escort, made up of members of the Tower of London Guard, and together secure the main gates of the Tower. Upon their return down Water Lane, the party is halted by the sentry and challenged to identify themselves and the keys as those belonging to the current British Monarch. The keys are then taken to the Queen's House for safekeeping while the Last Post is sounded.

Today the Tower of London is one of the country's most popular visitor attractions with over two million visitors a year from all over the world. The Tower is cared for by the charity Historic Royal Palaces, which receives no funding from the Government or the Crown, and in 1988 was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.