About the Tower of London Walk in London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London is most famous for three things: The Crown Jewels, The Beefeaters and the Ravens. In addition, it is infamous as a prison, hosting illustrious figures such as Sir Thomas More and Sir Walter Raleigh, and as a site of execution, witnessing the beheading of two of Henry VIIIs wives, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard. However, with a history that spans nearly 1,000 years there is much than this more to explore and discover.
We will begin with a walk outside Tower and consider the oldest part of the structure – built by William the Conqueror in the 1070s. We will think about the strategic advantages to its location by the River Thames on the edge of the wealthy City of London, reminding Londoners of the power and military might of the King. On entering we will discuss the architectural developments of the Tower of London as a castle and a royal residence, in relation to the political and social context of the ruling monarch and the
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Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London is most famous for three things: The Crown Jewels, The Beefeaters and the Ravens. In addition, it is infamous as a prison, hosting illustrious figures such as Sir Thomas More and Sir Walter Raleigh, and as a site of execution, witnessing the beheading of two of Henry VIIIs wives, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard. However, with a history that spans nearly 1,000 years there is much than this more to explore and discover.
We will begin with a walk outside Tower and consider the oldest part of the structure – built by William the Conqueror in the 1070s. We will think about the strategic advantages to its location by the River Thames on the edge of the wealthy City of London, reminding Londoners of the power and military might of the King. On entering we will discuss the architectural developments of the Tower of London as a castle and a royal residence, in relation to the political and social context of the ruling monarch and the various messages of power that were conveyed.
At the Execution Site we will remember those who were executed and imprisoned here on charges of treason; we will explore why private rather than public executions were chosen and the political context in which they were sentenced. In hearing of famous prisoners such as Guy Fawkes, who attempted to blow up Parliament in 1705, as well as seeing examples of torture instruments from the past, we will also discuss the questions of imprisonment, torture and execution.
On our tour we will also see the Yeoman Warders, or Beefeaters as they are more commonly known, who are the ceremonial guardians of the Tower; the Ravens have been at the tower for over 300 years because of a legend; and the Crown Jewels, used in the Coronation Ceremony of a new monarch, symbolise the Divine Right of Kings. We will discuss these in relation to the authority conferred through tradition and narrative within the story of the Tower. We will further explore this in relation to the Victorians and the many narratives they constructed, specifically looking at Traitor's Gate and the Execution Site, as well as contemporary narratives spun by guides.
Then, depending on your preference and continuing along the themes of power and authority, we can enter the White Tower, the oldest part of the Tower of London constructed in the 1070s and explore the state of the art Norman fortress and royal palace. We will see spectacular examples of Henry VIIIs armour and discuss the functions of the medieval tournament and its chivalric ideals. Alternatively we can explore the many towers, perhaps seeing the graffiti carved into the walls by prisoners in the Beauchamp Tower, or the Bloody Tower, the site where two young princes were said to have been murdered in 1483.
