In planning and dreaming about a trip to London, I have to say that the thing I was most excited about was a chance to see the historic Tower of London and Tower Bridge. In my opinion, there is no building that is as rich in history and significance in England as this iconic Tower. To say that I was excited when I spotted it out of the window of the plane would be a great understandment!
After William the Conqueror became King of England in 1066 after the Battle of Hastings, he set about to build a mighty stone fortress in the center of London. His tower was to be patterned after the fortresses in his homeland of Normandy and nothing like this tower had ever been seen before in all of England. While most of the work of building the tower was done by Englishmen, William also brought in masons from Normandy. This first building (known today as the White Tower) was not only a fortress, but also a residence for the King or his representative. It contained a great hall, a residence chamber and a chapel.
The Tower as a whole has been used as a fortress, prison, residence, royal mint, housed a royal menagerie, execution site and home for the Crown Jewels.
Since it had been a week since my first sighting of the Tower before I was able to visit, I was definitely bursting with excitement and anticipation. My sister was equally excited and I am sure that we were driving the guys crazy!
We hoped on the Tube and headed to our stop, the Tube station at Tower Hill. It was a gorgeous, sunny morning ( no, it doesn't always rain in London).
After we came out of the Tube station and rounded a few corners, we got our first look at this massive, impressive fortress.
As I have mentioned in my previous posts, I love to read historical fiction and nonfiction books about English history. So many of the books I have read over the years include references (and sometimes whole storylines) about the Tower of London. I have seen pictures of the Tower and tried to imagine what it must look like. I think one of the amazing things about taking a trip like this is to be able to see things with my own eyes that I have only read about and imagined. Now, everytime I read a story that mentions the Tower, I am able to picture myself standing there in the very spot.
It was a bit of a walk up from the Tube station to the top of Tower Hill, but we were treated to an amazing view of the Tower as we approached in the entrance.
The Tower attracts over three million visitors a year. Thankfully on the day we visited, it wasn't too terribly busy. We already had our tickets (as part of the Royal Historical Palaces pass, which I highly recommend) so we breezed on through the gate and headed to our first stop, the Crown Jewels.
In planning for our trip, I had read that the best place to start is at the Jewels, as later in the day, the line can get a bit long. Good call!
For more than 600 years, the collection of Crown Jewels, ceremonial items and other regalia have been stored and protected at the Tower. Over 30 million people have passed through this hall looking at this collection, some say they are possibly the most visited objects in the world. And make no mistake, they take the protection of these jewels very seriously, as noted by the guards with automatic weapons strategically placed around the area.
Of course, everything is kept behind glass and no photos allowed, so I am including a few photos that I found online.
If you have an opportunity to visit the Tower, this exhibit is a must see, and make sure to put it at the top of the list for the day.
Our next stop was the White Tower, the main, inner building in the midst of some 12 acres of Tower Hill. This building was named the White Tower after being whitewashed at the direction of King Henry III in the 13th century. Standing at nearly 90 feet high, this tower was seen for miles and was a great demonstration of the power of William the Conqueror and the Normans. This tower was originally built with Caen stone from France, although most of it was replaced in the 17th and 18th centuries.
On the second floor of the tower is the Chapel of St. John. This is one of the finest displays of Norman architecture left in England. It was commissioned by William, but he did not live to see it's completion, and it was first used by his son, William II.
The White Tower was sometimes used as a prison. Some of the notable prisoners include, John the Good (King of France), Charles, Duke of Orleans, Richard II (who signed his abdication in the White Tower).
Two of the most famous occupants (prisoners) of the White Tower, were known as the Princes of the Tower. Two bodies were found under a set of stairs in 1674 in the White Tower and were interned at Westminster Abbey. You can learn more about this fascinating story here Princes in the Tower
Also housed in the White Tower is a very fine collection of Royal Armouries. This includes the armour of Henry VIII, Charles I and James II, also known as Line of Kings.
As a Royal Palace, the Tower of London needs be guarded, and who better to guard this magnificent place than the Queen's own Yeoman Warders. Since the time of Tudors, these men and now women, also known as Beefeaters, have had the privilege of being the protectors of the Tower. They were originally part of the monarch's personal bodyguard, and Henry VIII decided that the Tower should be protected by them.
Make no mistake, these men and women are much more than just tour guides (although a Yeoman Warder tour at the Tower is a must do). Each one must be between 40 and 55 years old upon appointment, must have at least 22 year's service in the British military and have reached the rank of Warrant Officer with the long service and good conduct medal. My sister and I were completely "fan girls" when it came to meeting the warders. Lots of eye rolling happening from Eric, Chris and Austin, LOL.
One of the more infamous places at the Tower is an entrance at water level built by Edward I to provide a water gate entrance for the royal family. Originally known as "Water Gate", it became known by the more sinister title "Traitor's Gate", sometime around 1544. The name came about because more and more, the gate was commonly used as the entrance whereby prisoners were brought into the Tower. Some notable people to enter by this gate are Sir Thomas More, Queen Elizabeth (before she was queen) and possibly Queen Anne Boleyn. See a short video here Traitor's Gate tour
While touring the Tower, you might notice that you are being watched by a beady set of eyes. Never fear, they probably belong to one of the resident ravens of the Tower. There are always at least six resident captive ravens living at the Tower. Legend has it that if the ravens of the Tower are lost or fly away, the Crown will fall and Britain with it.
In my opinion, the most sacred places at the Tower are the Tower Green and the Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula (which sit adjacent to Tower Green). While many executions have taken place upon the grounds of the Tower, it was only those of nobility that were executed on Tower Green, away from the eyes of the crowds of spectators. Among those executed, were three queens, Lady Jane Grey, my ancestor, Queen Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard. Other noble executions included those of Margaret, Countess of Salisbury (the last of the Plantagenet Dynasty) and Jane Boleyn, Viscountess Rochford. Today, a beautiful memorial stands at the site. The chapel that sits next to Tower Green is best know as the burial place of many of these famous prisoners. My sister and I couldn't help but feel a bit emotional as we stood at the final resting place of our famous ancestor.
We spent a fair amount of time wandering around the expanse of the Tower grounds and then headed out for a walk across Tower Bridge.
Tower Bridge is a major landmark in London. It is a combination of bascule and suspension bridge that spans the River Thames alongside the Tower of London. The bridge was officially opened in 1894 and was built to be complementary in style to the neighboring Tower.
I can't believe how lucky we were to have such amazing weather during our visit to the Tower and Tower Bridge. We were able to take some spectacular photos!
Once we finished up at Tower Bridge, Jen and Chris headed off in search of a particular vegan restaurant and we headed towards Oxford Street.
More of that adventure in the next blog :)
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| Squeals of excitement coming from inside the plane as the Tower is spotted! |
After William the Conqueror became King of England in 1066 after the Battle of Hastings, he set about to build a mighty stone fortress in the center of London. His tower was to be patterned after the fortresses in his homeland of Normandy and nothing like this tower had ever been seen before in all of England. While most of the work of building the tower was done by Englishmen, William also brought in masons from Normandy. This first building (known today as the White Tower) was not only a fortress, but also a residence for the King or his representative. It contained a great hall, a residence chamber and a chapel.
The Tower as a whole has been used as a fortress, prison, residence, royal mint, housed a royal menagerie, execution site and home for the Crown Jewels.
Since it had been a week since my first sighting of the Tower before I was able to visit, I was definitely bursting with excitement and anticipation. My sister was equally excited and I am sure that we were driving the guys crazy!
We hoped on the Tube and headed to our stop, the Tube station at Tower Hill. It was a gorgeous, sunny morning ( no, it doesn't always rain in London).
After we came out of the Tube station and rounded a few corners, we got our first look at this massive, impressive fortress.
It was a bit of a walk up from the Tube station to the top of Tower Hill, but we were treated to an amazing view of the Tower as we approached in the entrance.
 |
| Sisters at the Tower! |
In planning for our trip, I had read that the best place to start is at the Jewels, as later in the day, the line can get a bit long. Good call!
For more than 600 years, the collection of Crown Jewels, ceremonial items and other regalia have been stored and protected at the Tower. Over 30 million people have passed through this hall looking at this collection, some say they are possibly the most visited objects in the world. And make no mistake, they take the protection of these jewels very seriously, as noted by the guards with automatic weapons strategically placed around the area.
Of course, everything is kept behind glass and no photos allowed, so I am including a few photos that I found online.
 |
| Sovereign's Sceptre and Rod |
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| Coronation Robe of Queen Elizabeth II |
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| St. Edward's Crown |
Our next stop was the White Tower, the main, inner building in the midst of some 12 acres of Tower Hill. This building was named the White Tower after being whitewashed at the direction of King Henry III in the 13th century. Standing at nearly 90 feet high, this tower was seen for miles and was a great demonstration of the power of William the Conqueror and the Normans. This tower was originally built with Caen stone from France, although most of it was replaced in the 17th and 18th centuries.
On the second floor of the tower is the Chapel of St. John. This is one of the finest displays of Norman architecture left in England. It was commissioned by William, but he did not live to see it's completion, and it was first used by his son, William II.
 |
| St. John's Chapel |
Two of the most famous occupants (prisoners) of the White Tower, were known as the Princes of the Tower. Two bodies were found under a set of stairs in 1674 in the White Tower and were interned at Westminster Abbey. You can learn more about this fascinating story here Princes in the Tower
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| Window of the White Tower where Prince Edward and Prince Richard were seen |
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| Staircase where bones of two bodies were found |
As a Royal Palace, the Tower of London needs be guarded, and who better to guard this magnificent place than the Queen's own Yeoman Warders. Since the time of Tudors, these men and now women, also known as Beefeaters, have had the privilege of being the protectors of the Tower. They were originally part of the monarch's personal bodyguard, and Henry VIII decided that the Tower should be protected by them.
Make no mistake, these men and women are much more than just tour guides (although a Yeoman Warder tour at the Tower is a must do). Each one must be between 40 and 55 years old upon appointment, must have at least 22 year's service in the British military and have reached the rank of Warrant Officer with the long service and good conduct medal. My sister and I were completely "fan girls" when it came to meeting the warders. Lots of eye rolling happening from Eric, Chris and Austin, LOL.
 |
| Our Yeoman Warder Tour |
One of the more infamous places at the Tower is an entrance at water level built by Edward I to provide a water gate entrance for the royal family. Originally known as "Water Gate", it became known by the more sinister title "Traitor's Gate", sometime around 1544. The name came about because more and more, the gate was commonly used as the entrance whereby prisoners were brought into the Tower. Some notable people to enter by this gate are Sir Thomas More, Queen Elizabeth (before she was queen) and possibly Queen Anne Boleyn. See a short video here Traitor's Gate tour
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| Traitor's Gate |
While touring the Tower, you might notice that you are being watched by a beady set of eyes. Never fear, they probably belong to one of the resident ravens of the Tower. There are always at least six resident captive ravens living at the Tower. Legend has it that if the ravens of the Tower are lost or fly away, the Crown will fall and Britain with it.
In my opinion, the most sacred places at the Tower are the Tower Green and the Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula (which sit adjacent to Tower Green). While many executions have taken place upon the grounds of the Tower, it was only those of nobility that were executed on Tower Green, away from the eyes of the crowds of spectators. Among those executed, were three queens, Lady Jane Grey, my ancestor, Queen Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard. Other noble executions included those of Margaret, Countess of Salisbury (the last of the Plantagenet Dynasty) and Jane Boleyn, Viscountess Rochford. Today, a beautiful memorial stands at the site. The chapel that sits next to Tower Green is best know as the burial place of many of these famous prisoners. My sister and I couldn't help but feel a bit emotional as we stood at the final resting place of our famous ancestor.
We spent a fair amount of time wandering around the expanse of the Tower grounds and then headed out for a walk across Tower Bridge.
Tower Bridge is a major landmark in London. It is a combination of bascule and suspension bridge that spans the River Thames alongside the Tower of London. The bridge was officially opened in 1894 and was built to be complementary in style to the neighboring Tower.
I can't believe how lucky we were to have such amazing weather during our visit to the Tower and Tower Bridge. We were able to take some spectacular photos!
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| All smiles at Tower Bridge |
More of that adventure in the next blog :)
Best day ever! =D
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