When touring London, England, one cannot miss a visit to two of the most iconic structures in the city. Bob, our son and I could hardly wait to take in the marvels of Tower of London and Tower Bridge.
After spending the morning at Buckingham Palace, it was time for a change of scenery. We had been rooted to one spot for hours in order to catch the Changing of the Guard, and now we needed to get moving.
North of the semi-circular forecourt of Buckingham Palace lies The Green Park. It made a great spot to stretch our legs. The Green Park is one of the Royal Parks of London. That means that the land originally was used for recreation and hunting by members of the royal family.
Unlike many parks, The Green Park has no lakes, playgrounds or buildings. Instead, three postwar monuments have pride of place with the Canada Memorial being one of them. Commemorating fallen soldiers of the Canadian Forces during World Wars I and II, 506 bronze maple leaves are inset into red granite. With water flowing over the surface, it appears the leaves are floating.
From there, Bob, our son and I hopped on a double-decker bus. The Tower of London was our destination even though the afternoon was getting on. The following day, we would be leaving London for the countryside.
As we motored across Tower Bridge, The Gherkin came into view north of us. Officially, The Gherkin is called 30 St. Mary Axe and formerly was the Swiss Re Building. It is a skyscraper in London’s main financial district.
The three of us walked back across Tower Bridge to experience the thrill of that, and from a grassy area on the south side of River Thames, we took in the view looking north.
Tower Bridge was built between 1886 and 1894 as a double-leaf bascule bridge. The bascules or spans lift allowing clearance for shipping vessels to access the Pool of London between the Tower of London and London Bridge. An interesting fact is that the Neo-Gothic design style of Tower Bridge was intentional to complement the White Tower at the Tower of London.
We lingered on the lawn hoping a tall ship might come by necessitating the bridge to open. The next tour of the Tower of London was at 3 o’clock, and we were aiming to be there at that time.
I was anxious to cross over to the north side of the River Thames and get in the queue for a guided tour.
We had our first glimpse of the Tower of London from beyond the Outer Curtain Wall. Our eyes were drawn to the White Tower at the centre of the Tower of London. Its imposing structure has led to it being the most famous castle keep in the world.
When William the Conqueror had the castle built, the White Tower was the castle’s strongest point militarily. As the royal residence at the time, it provided the safest accommodation for the king and his representatives.
The White Tower was the earliest phase of the castle and reflects typical Norman defensive architecture. Meant to instill fear and encourage compliance to the law, it was designed to be a royal fortress, grand palace and prison. The building’s official title is Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London.
Before lining up for the tour of the White Tower, we had ample time to stroll around Tower Green. At one time providing a private place for the beheading of nobility, Tower Green is an open space west of the White Tower. Here, British nobles were spared insults from jeering crowds so their executions were more dignified than those of other prisoners that took place on Tower Hill. It was eerie walking where such gruesome events took place, and we wondered if we might espy any of the ghosts that haunt the grounds.
A marker erected in Tower Green at the direction of Queen Victoria was originally thought to be the location of the execution of Queens Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, and Lady Jane Grey. Current thinking is that Queen Victoria was ill advised by a Yeoman Warder and that the actual location is on the parade ground north of the White Tower. Either way, the Tower of London is infamously known as the bloody castle.
Over time and under different monarchies, the Tower of London as a castle was built with 3 enclosures or wards each surrounded by a curtain wall. This is a section of the West Wall as seen from the Innermost Ward.
Just east of Tower Green is the south wall of the Inner Ward that parallels River Thames. Set within this wall of the Inner Ward is Traitor’s Gate and Wakefield Tower.
One of the marvels of Tower of London is Traitors’ Gate. Its name may be ominous but its original and unique purpose surprised us. Edward I wanted a fortified gate giving access to River Thames so people and supplies could be brought to the castle directly from the barges. Many prisoners of the Tudors were delivered to the Tower of London via Traitors’ Gate giving rise to the name that has been in use since 1543.
Inside the medieval palace at the Tower of London are three individual towers commissioned by royalty. Here we see Wakefield Tower built by King Henry III around 1310. It served as a private audience chamber.
Wakefield Tower is the second largest tower in the Tower of London complex. Its walls are much thicker than the other towers as it was built to house Henry III’s private apartments and to protect the Inmost Ward.
Although we would have enjoyed poking around Tower Green for a bit longer, it was time to assemble for the guided tour.
A Yeoman Warder briefed us before we got underway, but that task belies the gravity of his real duty, that of guarding the Tower of London. It was King Henry VIII who decided that the Tower should be protected by part of the royal bodyguard.
Unless it is the monarch’s birthday or some such prestigious event, Yeoman Warders or Beefeaters as they are also called, wear everyday dark blue ‘undress’ uniform. The splendid red dress uniform we associate with Beefeaters is the state dress uniform.
I was excited to enter the White Tower knowing there was much to see inside and centuries’ worth of history to hear about and reflect on.
One of the marvels of Tower of London is that the fortress is a World Heritage Site along with the White Tower. Inside the White Tower is the unique Romanesque Chapel of St. John the Evangelist. It was built as a place of worship for William the Conqueror.
This beautiful 11th-century chapel is the most complete surviving example of early Anglo-Norman royal ecclesiastical architecture.
Walking in the footsteps of previous royalty and prisoners in the White Tower had chills running up my spine.
The White Tower is known for its collection of unique and extraordinary arms and armours, but it was Henry VIII’s jousting armour that really captured our son’s interest.
Upon exiting the White Tower, we came face to face with a sentry on duty where he stood guard in front of his sentry shed or sentry box.
With our tour of the White Tower complete, we paused for a photo with the Yeoman Warders.
As our family headed back towards Tower Bridge, a backward glance at the Tower of London further reminded us just how secure this medieval fortress is. Two concentric rings of defensive walls and a moat give the castle several layers of defence. No wonder it was trusted to protect the Crown Jewels.
The Tower of London certainly has had a commanding presence along River Thames right from the beginning. This iconic symbol of London and Britain has attracted visitors since the 1500s. We were glad that we had made time to visit it before leaving London.
Frame to Frame – Bob and Jean