Submitted by Kathryn Deaver on the 2016 fall semester study abroad program in London, England…
Hands down, my favorite site in London so far has been the Tower of London. As both an English history enthusiast and a lover of old stone buildings, I was enthralled by the Tower. Around 900 to 1,000 years old, it has a checkered history as both a castle and a prison, a sign of conquest and a sign of doom.
The original structure, William the Conqueror’s White Tower, was begun in the 1070’s in the southeast corner of the old Roman city that became London. Primarily built as a fortress, the Tower nonetheless entertained its fair share of royal guests during the ensuing centuries. Monarchs such as Henry III and Edward I embarked on extensive building projects to shore up the Tower’s defenses and increase its grandeur. (As Edward I is my great-times-a-lot grandfather, I plan on requisitioning my own set of royal apartments in this section of the Tower as soon as possible. Stay tuned for updates about this on-going process.)
The Tower of London is probably most famous for its role as a prison for important political prisoners. Confined to the Tower for anywhere from days to years, prisoners carved intricate designs and words all over the interiors of their cells, leaving messages that we’re still reading centuries later. Residents included bishops, nobles and even the King of France. However, humans were not the only creatures trapped there. Additionally, exotic animals such as lions, tigers and bears (go ahead, you can say it: Oh my!) were kept in the Tower. One exhibit I read even talked about a polar bear that was regularly let out on a long leash to fish in the Thames!
Another key animal in the Tower’s history is the raven, affectionately called the “guardians of the Tower.” Legend says that if the ravens ever leave the Tower, it and the kingdom will fall. Since the time of Charles II, at least six ravens have been kept at the Tower. Now, they have multiple back-up ravens and they clip all of their wings – which is cheating, in my opinion. Since you must be a member of the military to live in the Tower, all of the ravens are honorary soldiers and can be dismissed from service for unsatisfactory conduct which has happened. They do, after all, have a reputation to maintain.
Of course, no visit to the Tower is complete without a glimpse of the gorgeous Crown Jewels, some of the most recognizable symbols of the monarchy. The collection includes various coronation crowns and one-of-a-kind items used in all sorts of royal ceremonies. Passing through thick vault doors to see the showcases felt a little like Harry Potter’s descending into Gringotts Bank, except without the dragon (at least as far as I know).
Sadly, one six-hour visit to the Tower of London was not enough to do everything that was there. My roommate and I rented audio guides and wandered through all the buildings we could during its five tours, but we did not have the time or energy for a Yeoman Warder guided tour. This meant we were not able to go into the chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula, which houses the graves of Anne Boleyn and St. Thomas More, among others, so I’ll just have to go back!
Explore the history and beauty of the Tower of London here: http://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/
Play a fun game about the prisoners of the Tower: http://www.hrp.org.uk/games/prisoners/index.htm
Check out more about the Tower ravens here: https://youtu.be/4GkR4XBHkRo