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There are in fact 21 towers at the Tower of London. In the centre is the keep,
the 'White Tower' (1) which was built by William the Conqueror making it the
oldest stronghold in Europe. Over the years the site has been progressively
fortified by adding moats and defensive curtain walls (2) in a concentric
pattern. |
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The White Tower has four turrets; the round one (3) was used as an observatory.
Today the Tower is used to display the collection of arms and armour, but
originally this is where the King would have lived away from danger on the top
floors, and with his court on the floors below. The terrible 'Little Ease'
prison cell is at the bottom, just 4ft square to prevent any prisoner from
standing up or lying down. |
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Beauchamp Tower (4) was used as a prison and there are inscriptions carved on
the walls by the prisoners who were held there. |
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Executions inside the grounds were relatively unusual, but were used when a
normal public execution might carry the risk of social unrest. After execution
the prisoners were laid to rest in the Chapel Royal (5). | |
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There are tentative plans to refill the moat (6) at around the time of the
London Olympics in 2012. When it was drained in 1830, human remains were
discovered amongst the rubbish at the bottom. |
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The glacis, an open sloping area around the White Tower for defence, probably
saved the building from catching alight during the Great Fire of London in 1666 |
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A final refortification of the Tower was made during Queen Victoria's reign when
the state was feeling under threat from the Chartist movement with their demands
for political reform, and the Waterloo Barracks (7) were added with
accommodation for 1000 soldiers. The Jewel House (8) at the end of the block is
home to the famous crown jewels. |
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The Tower of London website can
be seen
here. | |
